Emergence 2.12b (Patreon)

Emergence 2.12b

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

“KID FLAAAAAAASHHHHHH!” 

Mission Gained!

Metallic Madness

Being a teen is tough; mood swings, drama, and, for some, the ability to manipulate metal with your mind. Frances Kane, aka Magenta, has a peculiar fascination with Kid Flash and it's not just a teenage crush. She's gone from sending metal-hearted love letters to hurling buses. It's time to stop her magnokinetic mayhem before the next metal object she sends flying is the entire city.

Objective:

Defeat Frances Kane without causing significant damage to the city.

Success: 20000 XP, +5 INT, Increased Reputation with Kid Flash

Failure: Property damage, Decreased reputation with Central City

Bonus Objective:

Subdue Frances without directly using your powers on her.

The scream, shrill and electric, tore through the air of the junkyard like a banshee's wail, an alarming siren that sent icy shivers racing down Zeke's spine. His eyes widened, panic visible behind his goggles as he noticed how the metal debris around him vibrated and shook, resonating with the intensity of the scream. "What the?" he muttered under his breath, confusion lacing his voice.

Before he could spare a moment to think, his instincts kicked in, body moving on autopilot. 

Eyes narrowed to pinpricks, mouth falling open as he instinctively hurled himself to the right. His body crashed against the harsh ground, gravel biting into his skin as he curled himself into a ball and rolled. Ngggh! 

Barely a half-second later, a refrigerator-sized chunk of metal crashed through the air, landing with a violent clatter where he had just been. It only came to a halt after it tore through another junked car, leaving a trail of destruction and a screech of tearing metal in its wake.

[Reflexes] Lvl Up! 

8 → 9

For a moment, Zeke was frozen, his gaze locked onto the massive hunk of iron and steel, a cold, creeping shiver running down his spine like icy fingers. That would have… squished me like a bug, he thought, his mind reeling as he tried to process the gravity of the situation. I almost… For a moment, the world seemed to slow down around him, the close call hanging in his head like a dense, suffocating fog.

Then, the familiar blue text flashed across his vision: 

[Shell Shock] negated by Gamers Mind. 

The words materialized on the usual nearly transparent screen, offering a fleeting sense of clarity before a wave of icy detachment washed over him, numbing his emotions and sharpening his focus.

As he shook his head to process the sudden shift in mentality, his head snapped to the right as a familiar figure in red and yellow appeared at his side in a blur of motion. Wally. Zeke barely had time to register the speedster's presence before he found himself quickly and unceremoniously yanked to his feet, his head spinning from the sudden change in position. He blinked as Kid Flash grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and spun him around to look him in the eye, the ginger’s face pale with urgency and fear.

"Distract her!" Wally barked, his voice strained and tight with desperation, his words coming out in a rushed, frantic jumble.

Zeke, still reeling from the near miss, snapped back with a hint of sarcasm, voice sharp with both disbelief and annoyance. "Oh really?” A single blue eye twitched. “No, I thought I'd just stand here and let her turn me into a human pancake. Of course I'll distract her!"

"Just do it!" Wally shot back, his tone leaving no room for argument. His green eyes were hard and serious behind his yellow cowl, a far cry from his usual laid-back demeanor. In the next instant, he was gone, nothing more than a blur of red and yellow, leaving Zeke alone again.

Zeke exhaled sharply, breath hissing out through gritted teeth as he turned his attention back to the battlefield, mind already racing as he tried to formulate some semblance of a plan. The enemy—Magenta, he reminded himself—was still there, her purple energy crackling and pulsing around her like an ominous, malevolent glow as she floated above the wreckage. Her focus was entirely on Wally's retreating figure, her face twisted into a mask of rage and obsession as she sent small missiles of jagged, twisted metal hurtling after the speedster, forcing him to dodge and weave like a rabbit on the run.

What do I know about Magenta? He racked his brain for what he knew of the character from old comics, trying to find something helpful. Okay… old ex of Wally from college, right? Magnetic powers? Crazy religious mom? Accidentally killed her dad and brother in a car accident with her powers? 

After a moment of rapid though, his mouth turned down into a sharp frown. None of this helps me. Alright, then. His mind clear and focused, he decided to do what he’d been doing since day one. 

Okay, Zeke, he told himself, he thought, squaring his shoulders. You've been winging it since day one, time to improvise like your life depends on it. Because, oh wait, it kind of does. 

Without hesitation, Zeke reached deep within himself, tapping into the wellspring of power that he had come to know as his mana. He felt the familiar surge of blue energy coursing through his veins, setting his nerves alight with a tingling, electric sensation. His palms began to glow with a vivid, pulsing blue light, mana sparking to life around his fingers like miniature bolts of cobalt lightning.

"Alright, Magenta," Zeke muttered under his breath, his teeth gritted in concentration as he focused his power, feeling it build and swell within him. "Let's see how you handle me!"

With a series of hurried, almost frantic pumps of his arms, Zeke let out a wordless battle cry and unleashed a rapid barrage of Mana Bursts, the glowing blue orbs of energy shooting towards Magenta with the speed and precision of fastballs hurled by a major league pitcher. Each burst lit up the junkyard as they exploded against Magenta's shield of swirling electromagnetic energy and whirling metal, popping and fizzling like bright blue fireworks.

Magenta, caught off guard by the sudden assault, whirled around to face Zeke, her eyes immediately locking onto him with laser-like focus despite the chaos erupting around her. Her expression twisted and contorted, surprise melding with unbridled anger to warp her features into something almost inhuman as she let out another shrill screech. The very air around her began to crackle and hum with the force of her power, the metal debris at her feet pulsating in time with her rising scream. "Okay, you can handle me real good!"

Zeke didn't wait around to see what she would do next. He was already moving, his feet pounding against the gravel as he darted and wove between towering piles of scrap metal and rusted-out car husks, heart hammering in his chest as he desperately tried to keep Magenta's attention focused squarely on him. 

Come on, Wally, he thought, his mind racing as he ducked and rolled to avoid a jagged hunk of metal that came hurtling past his head, close enough to ruffle his hair. Whatever you're planning, do it fast, before she turns me into a shish kebab!

Genesis felt his heart pound in his chest like a jackhammer as he launched himself into action again, holding back a pained grunt as a skewer of metal tore through the arm of his jacket as he quickly backpedaled. Shit!

He dodged and weaved through the barrage of scrap-metal missiles that Magenta hurled his way, each jagged piece of debris whizzing past him like a deadly, twisted version of dodgeball. His mind raced as he calculated trajectories and escape routes, his eyes darting frantically as he tried to stay one step ahead of the metallic onslaught. “Come on, Zeke!” he urged himself, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps as he moved with a desperate, adrenaline-fueled agility that he didn't even know he possessed. You've got to find a way to stop her, or at least slow her down!

SPD 

50 → 51

Gritting his teeth, Genesis thrust out his hands as the cool electricity of mana rushed through his veins. He unleashed a flurry of mana blasts, each one a bright, pulsing streak of blue energy that carved through the air towards the metal-manipulating psycho like a homing missile. The blasts lit up the afternoon sky, illuminating the twisted piles of scrap metal and rusted-out car husks that littered the wasteland of the Central City junkyard.

Amidst the chaos of exploding mana bursts and screeching metal, Zeke caught a glimpse of a familiar red and yellow blur streaking through the fray. Wally. The speedster was moving faster than Zeke had ever seen him move before, dodging and weaving through the flying metal debris with mere inches to spare. His movements were a blur of motion, so dizzying that it almost made Zeke's head spin just to watch.

"KID FLASH!" Magenta's shrill scream pierced through the chaos and screeching metal somehow, her voice laced with a disturbing mix of rage and longing. "You can't run from me forever! We're meant to be together!"

Jeez, this chick is nuts, Zeke thought, shaking his head in disbelief as he continued to fire off mana blasts. She kinda has to be to love Wally this much, I guess?

In a moment of sudden clarity, a flash of inspiration struck him through the adrenaline-fueled haze. Genesis concentrated, focusing a single mana blast in his palm before letting it go, trying his best to time it as best he could. It shot off like a rocket, bursting through the air to explode against one of Magenta’s metal fragments whirling around her, knocking it out of the way.

Bingo! His face lit up with a grin as he began to shoot off his mana blasts with a newfound caution, carefully timing each one as he let them loose. He aimed not at Magenta herself, but at the space around her, trying to create openings and clear paths for his speedster friend to exploit.

[Mana Burst] Lvl Up! 

28 → 29

Kid Flash, brain at least half as quick as his feet, took advantage of Magenta being deprived of available ammo as often as he could. In the split-second gaps between Zeke's blasts and Magenta's metallic assaults, the teenage speedster accelerated himself into a rapid spin on his heels, his body becoming a red and yellow cyclone of motion. His speed generated a powerful whirlwind that tore through the center of the junkyard, kicking up loose debris and stray bits of scrap metal, pulling them away from Magenta's magnetic grasp and into the swirling vortex of the speedster's creation.

He's trying to use the whirlwind to redirect the metal back at her, Zeke realized, a grin spreading across his face despite the dire circumstances. Trying to give her a taste of her own medicine. Wally, you ginger genius!

For a moment, it seemed to be working. The whirlwind grew in size and intensity, becoming a massive, swirling column of scrap metal and dust that towered over the junkyard like a twister straight out of the Wizard of Oz. Pieces of debris, jagged and twisted, began to pelt Magenta’s purple electromagnetic aura from all sides, disrupting her concentration and causing her to seemingly stumble in the air.

It’s working!

Truthfully, it was.

With a scream of effort that tore through the air like a banshee's wail, she wrested control of the metal back from the whirlwind, her eyes flashing a brighter, more intense shade of purple. The whirlwind collapsed in on itself, the metal scraps that had been caught in its grasp flying back into Magenta's orbit as if drawn by an inescapable force.

"KID FLASH IS MINE!" Magenta shrieked, her voice cracking with the intensity of her emotion. "MINE, DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

The metallic storm around Magenta intensified, the debris swirling around her in a tighter, more concentrated formation. She now controlled a larger mass of metal than before, her anger and frustration fuelling her powers to new heights. The scraps orbited her like planets around a sun, forming a barrier that seemed all but impenetrable.

Zeke darted behind a pile of tires and trash, ducking quickly as shards of metal flew past him. He turned his head to the side to spot Kid Flash several meters away catching his breath for a moment. The two exchanged a look of understanding, a silent communication passing between them in that split second of eye contact. They needed a new plan, and they needed it fast.

Wait… where's Miss M? Zeke thought suddenly, a jolt of worry shooting through him as he remembered their Martian teammate. Is she still unconscious outside? I guess she did take a hard hit. 

He tapped his earpiece, trying to raise her on the comm. "Miss M, can you hear me? What's your status?" But there was no response, only the crackle of static. Damn it, he cursed silently. Something must be blocking the signal. He raised his gaze up towards the screaming Magenta, realizing something else. Or someone… 

As Magenta hurled a massive whirlwind of metallic debris at Kid Flash with a banshee’s screech, the shards and jagged edges glinting in the sunlight like a thousand deadly knives, Zeke spotted an opportunity in front of him. A crazy, stupid, suicidal opportunity, but an opportunity nonetheless.

He sprinted towards a nearby crushed car, his feet pounding against the gravel, and kicked against it with as much force as he could muster. The door crumpled slightly from the impact, not that Zeke noticed as he used it as a springboard to launch himself high into the air. For a moment, he hung suspended nearly a dozen feet in midair, the wind rushing past his face, the world seeming to slow down around him.

Mid-jump, Zeke clapped his hands together, focusing every ounce of his energy and concentration. He felt the mana surging within him, gathering in the space between his palms, growing and pulsating into a basketball-sized orb of blue energy that crackled and hummed with raw power. 

“HADOKEEEN!!!” With a shout of effort, he hurled the orb with both hands towards Magenta, putting every bit of strength and will he had behind the throw. The air around him seemed to come alive, crackling with the force of the mana as the orb streaked through the sky towards its target, a brilliant blue comet against the gray, debris-strewn backdrop of the junkyard.

Magenta, her attention fixed solely on Kid Flash's rapid, elusive movements, barely registered the incoming threat until it was almost upon her. “YOU!” At the last possible moment, she conjured a wall of whirling metal scraps, forming a makeshift shield between herself and the oncoming mana blast.

The orb collided with the shield, and for a split second, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, with a massive explosion that sent a reverberating boom echoing throughout the junkyard, the mana detonated, the shockwave slamming into Magenta with the force of a runaway freight train, sending her rocketing back in the air.

[Mana Burst] Lvl Up! 

29 → 30

For a moment, as he landed back on the roof of another car in a less-than-graceful stumble, Zeke felt a rush of triumph, a surge of elation at the thought that maybe, just maybe, his crazy plan had actually worked.

But the feeling was short-lived, evaporating like mist under the blazing sun as the smoke from the explosion began to clear. There, still floating in the air, her shield of metal scraps now scattered and disrupted but her body unharmed, was Magenta. And her gaze, filled with a rage and a madness that sent a chill down Zeke's spine despite the warmth of the afternoon, was now locked directly onto him. “YOU’RE TRYING TO KEEP MY KID FLASH FROM ME!”

Oh, wow, Zeke thought, his heart plummeting into his stomach as he realized the gravity of the situation he now found himself in. Is she even angrier?

He tapped his earpiece again, desperation creeping into his voice. "Kid Flash, do you read me? I could really use some backup here!" But again, there was only static, the comm link frustratingly silent. Goddamnit! The thought hit him again, his frustration mixing with a growing sense of unease. Where the hell are you, Wally? And what happened to M'gann? Something's not right here, something's really not right…

But there was no time to dwell on it now. Magenta was already gathering her metallic arsenal once again, preparing for another assault, her eyes never leaving Zeke's face. 

Zeke's stomach dropped like a lead weight as he saw the fury in Magenta's gaze, glowing with a terrifying purple light that seemed to mist from her eyes. He knew with a sinking certainty that she was locked right onto him, the focus of all her rage and obsession for keeping her “precious Kid Flash” away. Observe!

Magenta (Frances Kane) Lv 55 (Enraged)

Miss Magnetic Mayhem

Teenage girls go through a lot. Imagine having love on the brain and the ability to throw around tons of metal with only a thought. Wait… that's not right.

His mind raced desperately for a plan, for some way out of this mess, but all he could think in that split second was a succinct, emphatic, "Fuck."

The ground beneath his feet began to rumble, a deep, ominous vibration that he could feel in his bones. He glanced down, eyes wide as the junked car he was standing on, a rusted-out husk of metal and shattered glass, started to glow with an eerie purple aura, the same color as Magenta's eyes. Blue eyes widened further, his heart leaping into his throat as he realized what was about to happen. He tensed his muscles, ready to leap away, but before he could even begin to move, the car bucked wildly beneath him, like a mechanical bull gone crazy.

His heart dropped from his throat down to his stomach as he was thrown into the air like a ragdoll, body twisting and tumbling as he lost all sense of direction. The world spun around him in a dizzying blur of sky and scrap metal, the wind rushing past his ears in a deafening roar. He flailed his arms desperately, trying to regain some sense of control, but it was no use. 

He was at the mercy of Magenta's power, and she showed none.

With a painful, bone-jarring thud, Zeke crashed into the ground for the umpteenth time in the last few minutes, the impact driving the air from his lungs in a whoosh. He lay there for a moment, stunned and dazed, vision swimming and head pounding. Every part of his body felt like it had been run over by a truck, and he was pretty sure he could taste blood in his mouth.

-34

-7

-3

Groaning, Zeke struggled to push himself up, his arms shaking with the effort. But the ground seemed to sway and tilt beneath him, throwing off his balance. He shook his head, trying to clear the fog from his mind, and that's when he heard it: the menacing whine of bending metal, the sound of something heavy and solid hurtling through the air.

He looked up, his eyes widening in horror as he saw the car he had just been standing on, now a twisted, glowing mass of metal, hurtling down towards him like a meteor. Time seemed to slow down, each second stretching out into an eternity as he stared at his impending doom. Is this it? he thought, a strange calm washing over him that had nothing to do with Gamer’s Mind in the slightest. Is this how I die, crushed by a crazy magnet girl in a junkyard?

But then, just as the car was about to crush him into a Genesis-shaped pancake, Genesis felt himself being yanked from the ground with startling speed. One moment he was staring death in the face, the next he was being carried over someone's shoulder, the world around him a blur of motion. He caught a glimpse of red and yellow, the familiar colors of Kid Flash's suit, before the wind stole the breath from his lungs once again.

Moments later, Zeke found himself crashing to the ground for the second time in as many minutes. This time, though, he landed behind a makeshift barricade of tires, the rubber cushioning his fall slightly. He sat up hurriedly, wincing as his body protested with a chorus of aches and pains. His head was still spinning, his thoughts a jumbled mess, but one question stood out in his mind: Did Wally just... save me?

Kid Flash was crouched in front of him, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Sweat beaded on his forehead, glistening in the afternoon sun, and his face was flushed with exertion. He looked about as exhausted as Genesis felt, but there was a determined set to his jaw that said he wasn't about to give up.

"Kid," Zeke croaked, his voice hoarse and shaky. "I... thanks, man. I thought I was a goner there for a second."

Kid Flash just nodded, too winded to speak. In the distance, they could hear Magenta's furious screams, her voice echoing through the junkyard in a distorted, metallic wail. It sounded faint and far away, muffled by the walls of tires that surrounded them, but Zeke knew it was only a matter of time before she found them again.

"We need a plan," Kid Flash said finally, his voice strained. "We can't keep this up forever. She’s too tough to hurt with that electromagnetic field on her skin and she’s too strong with her other powers, and we're running out of places to hide."

Zeke nodded, his mind racing as he tried to piece together everything he had seen so far. The way Magenta's screams seemed to be amplified by the metal around her, the way she was able to sense their movements even when she couldn't see them...

"I think I've got it," he said slowly, glancing over at Kid Flash. "She needs the metal to sense people. That's why her screams are so loud, why she always seems to know where we are. She's using the metal to boost her voice, to amplify her senses."

Kid Flash stared at him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a snort of frustration, he shook his head. "Great deduction, Sherlock," he snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But unless you've got a plan to go with that brilliant insight, we're still screwed."

Zeke flinched at the harshness of Wally's tone and almost snapped back, but he knew the speedster was right. They needed a plan, and they needed it fast. Every second they spent hiding behind these tires was a second Magenta had to regroup, to gather more metal to her side.

"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do. You're the fastest, so you're going to be the distraction. Keep her attention on you, keep her chasing you around the junkyard. I'll try to get behind her, hit her with everything I've got. If we can just get her off balance, maybe we can..."

But before he could finish his thought, the wall of tires in front of them suddenly exploded inward, showering them with rubber shrapnel. Zeke threw up his hands instinctively, trying to shield his face, but he could feel the stinging impact of the tires against his skin, the sharp bite of gravel and dirt.

-1

-1

-2

-1

When he lowered his hands, blinking away the dust and debris, he saw her. Magenta, hovering above them like a vengeful goddess, her eyes blazing with purple fire. The metal around her swirled and danced, a maelstrom of jagged edges and twisted shapes, ready to strike at her command.

"There you are," she hissed, her voice dripping with malice. "Did you really think you could hide from me, my love?"

Zeke glanced over at Wally, saw the look of horror and disgust on the speedster's face. Why did I decide to come help again? he thought all of a sudden. Who cares? I've gotta end this, and fast.

"Now!" he yelled, leaping to his feet and thrusting out his hands. Twin spheres of blue energy shot from his palms, lancing towards Magenta with the speed and intensity of fastballs. At the same moment, Kid Flash blurred into motion, becoming a streak of red and yellow as he raced around the perimeter of the junkyard, trying to draw Magenta's fire.

But Magenta was ready for them, her fury a force of nature. With a scream of rage that pierced the afternoon air, she brought her hands together in a thunderous clap, the sound echoing like a gunshot. The metal around her responded to her command, surging towards Zeke and Wally in a tidal wave of twisted scrap and jagged debris.

Zeke's heart pounded in his chest as he saw the wave approaching, a tsunami of sharp edges and crushing weight. His instincts screamed at him to move, to get out of the way, and he dove to the side in a desperate bid to avoid being crushed. The breath was driven from his lungs as he hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the impact. He could feel the sting of cuts and scrapes on his skin, the ache of bruises already forming, but he pushed the pain aside.

[Acrobatics] 

Lvl Up! 8 → 9)

Beside him, Wally was a blur of motion, his super-speed allowing him to outrun the wave of metal. But even he was struggling, the constant dodging and weaving taking its toll. Zeke could see the sweat pouring down the speedster's face, the strain in his muscles as he pushed himself to the limit.

This isn't working, Zeke thought desperately, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a plan. They were outmatched, overpowered, and quickly running out of options. Magenta was too strong, her control over metal too complete. 

Come on, Zeke, think! He urged himself, his eyes darting around the junkyard, searching for something, anything that could give them an edge. They needed… they needed… 

And then, like a bolt of lightning, it hit him.

The pieces from the beginning of all this fell into place in his mind, a crazy, desperate, absolutely insane plan taking shape. It was a long shot, a gamble that could just as easily get them both killed as save the day. But at this point, what did they have to lose? It's not like we're doing so hot right now anyway, he thought grimly, ducking as a jagged piece of metal whizzed past his head, close enough to ruffle his hair.

But at this point, what did they have to lose?

"KF!" Zeke yelled, his voice straining to be heard over the cacophony of screeching metal and exploding debris. He could barely hear himself think, let alone communicate, but he had to try. "I need you to trust me! I've got an idea, but it's gonna be close!"

For a moment, there was no response, and Zeke's heart sank. Had Wally heard him? Was he too focused on staying alive to listen? But then, in the blink of an eye, the speedster was at his side, his face streaked with sweat and grime, his chest heaving with exertion.

"This better be good, Genesis," Wally panted, his voice strained and breathless. "Because I don't know how much longer I can keep this up."

Zeke nodded, his jaw set with determination. He knew what he was about to suggest was crazy, that it went against every instinct they had as heroes. But it was the only chance they had.

"It's a risk," he admitted, looking Wally straight in the eye. "But it's all I've got. I need you to tell her you love her."

Wally's eyes widened, his mouth falling open in shock. "...WHAT?" he sputtered, his voice cracking with disbelief. "Are you out of your mind? That's... that's crazy! That's-"

"I know, I know!" Zeke interrupted, raising his hands in a placating gesture. He could see the skepticism, the outright incredulity in Wally's eyes, and he couldn't blame him. It sounded insane, even to his own ears. But they were out of options, and time was running out. Metal crashed and clattered around them, Magenta's fury expressing itself in hurled debris and clenched fists. They only had moments before she descended upon them again, and Genesis took a breath before he spoke once more, this time with an urgent intensity, the timbre of his voice shifting from soft to emphatic.

"JUST TO GET HER ATTENTION!" Genesis yelled in the speedster's ear, cupping his hands over his mouth to be heard over the din. "IT'S THE ONLY IDEA I HAVE RIGHT NOW!"

Wally stared back at him, his green eyes wide and unblinking, his mouth hanging open in a perfect 'O' of shock. "I..." he started, his voice trailing off as he struggled to find the words. "You... you want me to... to..."

Zeke stared at the taller teen, his hands coming up to grip Wally's shoulders. He could feel the tension in the speedster's muscles, the coiled energy waiting to be released. But he also felt the hesitation, the doubt, and he knew he had to push through it.

"Just to get her attention, okay?" he said, his voice low and urgent. "Just to get her to focus all her power on you. And when I give the signal, I need you to run. Run like hell, and don't look back."

A massive chunk of metal, warped and spiked like the head of some demonic beast, crashed into the ground mere feet from where they stood, the impact shaking the earth beneath their feet. Zeke flinched, his heart leaping into his throat, but he kept his gaze locked on Wally's face. Come on, he thought, his mental voice tinged with desperation. Come on, man, we don't have time for this.

Wally swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. Zeke could see the conflict in his eyes, the warring emotions of fear and determination. But then, slowly, he nodded.

"Okay," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Okay, I'll do it. But this better work, Genesis, or I swear..."

Zeke didn't let him finish the thought. "It'll work," he said, injecting as much confidence into his voice as he could muster. "It has to."

And with that, he released Wally's shoulders, stepping back and giving the speedster a nod. "On my signal," he said, his hands already starting to glow with the blue light of his mana. "Get ready."

Wally nodded, his face setting into a mask of determination. He turned to face Magenta, his body tensing like a sprinter on the starting block.

And with that, he was gone, rushing towards Magenta as a blur of motion. 

Alright. Genesis took a deep breath, steadying himself, then reached deep within, tapping into the well of mana that pulsed at his core. He could feel the remainder of his power surging through him, all the blasts he’d thrown in the last ten minutes having drained him down to his last fifteen percent. Whatever, let’s go all out. The blue glow of his energy thrummed within his hands as he guided them together, bringing both palms low at his side.

[Manipulation: Mana] 

Lvl Up! 2 → 3)

Zeke tried to focus intently on charging the energy attack in his palms, his brow furrowed in concentration as he channeled every ounce of mana he could muster. The blue glow intensified, pulsing and crackling between his fingers like miniature bolts of lightning. He could feel the power draining him, the mana emptying from his core as he tried to use the rest of it for this Hail Mary. Gotta stay focused, he thought, gritting his teeth as he poured more and more energy into the attack. Gotta make this count.

As he struggled to maintain control over the volatile energy, Zeke glanced up, his eyes widening as he saw Kid Flash standing before the floating form of Magenta. 

"Magenta, I need to tell you something," Kid Flash began, his voice carrying across the chaos of the junkyard. He held up a hand, a gesture of peace and surrender, as he remained in place before the mental patient. "Magenta... I... Wait... no, Frankie! I'm... I'm sorry!"

Genesis nearly stumbled in place, the energy in his hands flickering and wavering as Wally's words registered in his mind. Sorry? he thought, his brow furrowing in confusion. For what?

Despite the raging electromagnetic storm that buffeted the junkyard, tearing through metal and sending debris flying in all directions, Kid Flash somehow remained untouched. It was as if he stood in the eye of the hurricane, a small cone of safety amidst the chaos. Magenta, too, hovered gently in the air, her face frozen in a rictus of rage even as the storm raged around her.

"I know you feel like I ignored you," Kid Flash continued, his voice strained with emotion. "I'm... I'm real sorry, okay. I promised I would come to see you in the hospital and all that. I... I've just been bus-ow!"

The storm suddenly intensified, the cone of safety around Kid Flash shrinking as a piece of shrapnel whizzed past, grazing his shoulder. Zeke flinched, his heart leaping into his throat at the sight of the blood that began to seep through the tear in Wally's suit.

"W-w-wait!" Kid Flash cried out, his voice cracking with pain and desperation. "That's no excuse, I know. It's my fault! I flirted really hard that day we met and I did mean it, I thought you were a really pretty girl even with all the..." He waved his hand, gesturing to the chaos that surrounded them. "And all that and I... I... I still do. I just... I don't think I'm ready for a relationship right now."

As he spoke, the storm began to relax, the metal debris settling back to the ground as Magenta's expression shifted. The rage and fury seemed to drain from her face, replaced by a look of confusion and... was that hope?

Slowly, gently, the metal-controlling girl began to float down to the ground, her bare feet touching the scrap-laden dirt just meters away from Kid Flash. She was silent, her eyes still glowing with that eerie purple light as she kept her gaze firmly locked on the speedster.

Then, she spoke. "...YOU..."

Her voice was low, dangerous, and Zeke felt a chill run down his spine at the sound of it. But Magenta's back was to him now, her attention fully focused on Kid Flash. This is it, he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. This is my chance.

With gritted teeth and a grunt of effort, Genesis released the basketball-sized energy bomb that had been building in his hands. It rocketed towards the defenseless Magenta, a pulsing, crackling sphere of pure mana. Got her! he thought, a surge of triumph rising in his chest.

But Magenta was far from defenseless. Without even turning to look, she held up a hand behind her, and the roiling blue energy sphere was suddenly trapped in a shell of bright purple energy. Zeke's eyes widened, his mouth falling open in shock as Magenta closed her hand into a tight fist. The shell closed in on itself, and Genesis could only watch helplessly as the last bit of his energy was wiped away, snuffed out like a candle flame.

Okay, he thought, his mental voice tinged with a mix of frustration and fear. That... didn't go as planned.

"...you really still think I'm pretty?" Magenta asked, her voice softer now, almost vulnerable.

Kid Flash blinked. 

Once. 

Twice. 

His gaze flicked from the still-shocked Zeke back to the expectant Magenta, the glow fading from her eyes as she stared at him with a look of hopeful anticipation.

"...of course I do," he said finally, his voice surprisingly soft and sincere. "I'm sorry for... leading you on, I guess."

"Oh Kid," Magenta breathed, taking a step forward with her arms outstretched in a hug. "It's oka-"

"NO, IT'S NOT!"

A feminine voice rang out of nowhere, cutting through the sudden stillness of the junkyard like a knife. In a blur of green, blue and white, an emerald fist slammed down on Magenta's head, and the violet-haired girl dropped to the ground in an unconscious heap.

Kid Flash blinked again, his expression mirroring the shock that Zeke felt as they both turned to stare at their Martian teammate. Miss Martian stood over Magenta's prone form, her chest heaving with exertion, eyes wide and slightly unfocused. Her hair was a mess, tangled and matted with dirt and garbage, and she looked distinctly frazzled.

"Uhh... Miss M?" Wally questioned, his voice tinged with concern as he took a step towards the panting girl. "You ok-"

"Noooooooooo," The psychic shook her head slowly, her words coming out in a slurred rush. "Electromagnetic waves enhanced by mental instability is… are? Are very diso-dis… bad f-f-f-for t-telepaths. I'm going to pass out n-now. Someone catch meeeee."

And with that, her eyes rolled back in her head and she pitched forward, her body going limp as she lost consciousness.

Zeke reacted on instinct, his body moving before his mind could even fully process what was happening. He burst forward with arms outstretched, instinctively pulling on his Will - the golden energy wrapping around his body -  to keep himself going, and managed to catch M'gann just before she hit the ground. The weight of her dense Martian body sent him stumbling back a step, but he held on tight, cradling her unconscious form against his chest.

STR 

50 → 51

[Awareness: Willpower] 

Lvl Up! 5 → 6)

• 2000 XP

Level Up!

Lvl 15 → 16

You are now Level 16.

He glanced up at the shocked Wally, the obvious signs of confusion on the redhead’s masked face. “So… what now, Big Red?”

“Please stop.”

Mission Success!

Metallic Madness

Objectives:

Defeat Frances Kane without causing significant damage to the city. [✔]

Rewards:

• 20000 XP

• 5 INT

• Increased Reputation with Kid Flash

Bonus Objective: 

Subdue Frances without directly using your powers on her. [X]

Level Up!

Lvl 16 → 17

You are now Level 17.

Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong

Sidekick

Title: None

Level 17

XP: 2000/19000

Age: 13

HP: 432/990

MP: 5/410

Will: 360/360

STR: 51

SPD: 51

VIT: 62

INT: 65

WIS: 9

CHA: 12

Stat Points: 12

Cash: $5,375