wyrmraker wrote:Wonder Woman ducked under Shiva's kick, angling for a punch at the woman's tailbone. She was almost in position when Shiva's foot reversed, slamming into the amazon's exposed back, sending her down to bounce off of the deck plating, and then the other foot flashed up, Shiva's shin compressing hard enough into Wonder Woman's chest to impact with her sternum. Wonder Woman felt her ribs separate momentarily, but rolled with the kick, getting her feet back under her.
A momentary pause in the battle allowed her to consider her options. Sword and shield were both shattered, the Lasso of Truth had actually been more of a hindrance than anything else (if she had taken Cyborg, Robin, and the Flash up on their offer of Kung Fu movie night, she would have been more aware of martial arts forms that sued rope as weapons), and she was running out of options. At this point, only a combination of amazonian combat training and her own deifically spawned flesh were keeping her upright.
She now knew why Lady Shiva had earned the title of World's Deadliest Woman.
Shiva, on the other hand, was in the process of relocating three ribs with one hand while flexing certain muscles, realigning the bones in her other wrist. The amazon was tough, skilled, and every bit as likely to back down from a fight like this as she was.
Darkraven had been correct. This would truly be her greatest battle.
"Shiva, we don't have to do this," Diana pled, buying her body time to recover a bit since her link with Demeter's domain was currently unavailable.
"Oh, but we do," Shiva replied, stretching languidly. "Live or die, that is our battlefield, that is our code. Today one of us lives, the other dies. Prove your worth, Amazon!"
Diana let her vision defocus slightly, allowing the Sight of Athena to flow through her. Shiva was beginning her battle stance, but was difficult to read. Her emotional state was joyous, as was to be expected, but she was also... aroused? That confused wonder Woman intensely, but there was no way she was going to get put down at the hands of a mere assassin.
Not even one that the Batman... feared. 'Wait, Batman fears this woman?'
That thought nearly cost Wonder Woman everything, as Shiva's spear hand strike still severed a lock of hair from Diana's scalp, so close was the dodge. Diana kicked out, managing to land the strike on Shiva's thigh, launching herself into an upwards somersault. As she came down, Shiva was already closing the distance, her arm in place to block the kick that Diana was bringing down even as her other arm pounded Diana's abdomen mercilessly. As Diana reeled back breathless, Shiva kept the distance close, pushing farther up, almost climbing the taller woman's body with punches, elbows, knees, and finally a headbutt to Diana's nose.
Pain flashed across Diana's system as she felt her nose shatter, almost a punctuation to the savage beating that Shiva had dealt up her entire body.
Rolling hard to one side while punching the smaller, lighter woman away, Diana snarled. The tactician in her was now entirely overriding the diplomat as she assumed a different combat stance. Shiva had already rolled to her feet and was circling.
In a flash, Shiva was acrobatically dodging a golden streak, multiple times as it ricocheted off of walls, crates, and even one marine's rifle. Finally it settled into Wonder Woman's hand as Shiva smiled.
"I'd wondered when you'd get around to using your oldest weapon. The tiara is potent."
"It doesn't matter," Wonder Woman ground out. "As you said, today one of us lives."
"Finally," Shiva moaned out. "I was getting tired of toying with you. Now we can take each other seriously."
A hundred meters away, a few dozen marines were requesting additional cover. Like maybe a phalanx of Bolos please?
Great fight seen!
taalismn wrote:Close shave by Shiva....sounds like a new shaver ad campaign.
wyrmraker wrote:taalismn wrote:Close shave by Shiva....sounds like a new shaver ad campaign.
Indeed. And I *still* haven't figured out which of the two will win yet. That fight's pacing is still progressing through my mind. That's one of the troubles with my style of writing. Sometimes the original vision just doesn't make it out to the final product. It takes on a life of it's own whcih can end up to be a complete surprise for the writer.
Well, just keep it coming! Its great!
taalismn wrote:wyrmraker wrote:taalismn wrote:Close shave by Shiva....sounds like a new shaver ad campaign.
Indeed. And I *still* haven't figured out which of the two will win yet. That fight's pacing is still progressing through my mind. That's one of the troubles with my style of writing. Sometimes the original vision just doesn't make it out to the final product. It takes on a life of it's own whcih can end up to be a complete surprise for the writer.
That's a GREAT feeling, isn't it, when the creative fugue hits and the ideas keep coming, and the original idea that started it begins looking rather plain and plebian because of what it has since evolved into, no?
Agree!
wyrmraker wrote:It really is pretty exciting. It feels like it flows better, rather than being forced into a predetermined mold. Good times!
Loving this!
Arnie100 wrote:Bruce: "I'm putting this stuff up on the Internet, anyways! Its too good NOT too!"
Selena: "I'm BORED, Brucie..."
Bruce: "Sorry..."
wyrmraker wrote:Still going. It really wants to be written today.
********
Cyborg stepped through the portal that Raven had created, all of his sensors on full recording mode. While his original cybernetic implants had been of decidedly terrestrial origin, he had incorporated quite a bit of Thanagarian, Martian, and Kryptonian technologies into them.
Unfortunately, almost all of the add-ons were potentially compromised, since Batman was the one who'd helped him get it refitted in the first place.
The first thing he picked up was the space dock platform itself. He'd been offworld a few times, and spacedock hangars didn't really seem to change too much. Sure enough, waaaay in the back was the control room, crates lined the sides in what would have been orderly rows (if not for the pitched combat), and tracks for heavy lift cranes ran along the ceiling.
The bad signs were all over. Over there, a massive blue guy was hauling an unconscious Superman into a shipping crate, back there Power Girl and Supergirl were already manacled, and there was no sign of the Lanterns or Shazam.
Following behind him were Bane and Killer Frost. Bane looked over the scene, and commented, "This fight went poorly for our allies."
"Kinda looking that way," Killer Frost agreed, tugging the leash in her hand to coax Solomon Grundy through. "Looks like we'll be the rescue party."
"Pretty much," Cyborg agreed.
All four stopped as a massive deck plate moved upwards, a huge tank rising into view.
"Attention invaders," a loud voice came over loudspeakers. "You have ten seconds to retreat back to your own world before we open fire."
"RAAAAAAWWR" Grundy leaped forward, shoulder-blocking the bolo as he dug his hands into the lower armor plating, the battlescreens arcing off of his undead flesh futilely. Friendly fire protocols rendered the other defenses in the dock ineffectual, a point that Bane was quick to take advantage of as he charged forward at a second bolo descneding from the ceiling.
That's when a green glow flooded the dock, and Bane, being unprepared, ended up splattered across the hood of a convertible 50's Cadillac. The driver was gritting his teeth, swivelling the steering wheel away from the second tank in a bootlegger's turn even as the blond in the passenger seat stood, keying some controls as Bane rolled off of the car, now facing the opening trunk.
"Babies!" the blonde cried out triumphantly. "Sic 'em!"
Bane's blood chilled slightly as gleaming eyes lit up in the trunk, accompanied by hideous laughter as the two hyenas leapt out at him.
***
Elsewhere...
"I never would have thought that the super pill would require almost no adjustment for Hyaenidae," Lex Luthor mused aloud.
"Harley takes very good care of her 'babies'," Barbara replied.
That came out of left field.
taalismn wrote:Yeah, remembering that your cybernetic and bionic upgrades and peripherals were installed by somebody you're aware you're not in exactly good standing with can be disheartening. Remembering that person is BATMAN is like discovering the WELCOME mat you just stepped out of the elevator onto is concealing an eighty-story drop through open space......
wyrmraker wrote:taalismn wrote:Yeah, remembering that your cybernetic and bionic upgrades and peripherals were installed by somebody you're aware you're not in exactly good standing with can be disheartening. Remembering that person is BATMAN is like discovering the WELCOME mat you just stepped out of the elevator onto is concealing an eighty-story drop through open space......
Actually, in Year One of the Injustice comic, it was revealed that Batman had installed a virus into cyborg's systems the week that they had met. That kind of thing really brings it home.
Sounds just like Batman.
taalismn wrote:wyrmraker wrote:taalismn wrote:Yeah, remembering that your cybernetic and bionic upgrades and peripherals were installed by somebody you're aware you're not in exactly good standing with can be disheartening. Remembering that person is BATMAN is like discovering the WELCOME mat you just stepped out of the elevator onto is concealing an eighty-story drop through open space......
Actually, in Year One of the Injustice comic, it was revealed that Batman had installed a virus into cyborg's systems the week that they had met. That kind of thing really brings it home.
"BRUCE!!!"
Infinite Timeloops Batman takes this up to god-tier levels of paranoia-preparedness. Once he becomes aware of the Infinite TimeLoops, Batman lays out multiple redundancy plans for situations and people he HASN'T EVEN MET. Apparently Anakin Skywalker learns this the hard way(implied offcamera Noodle Incident), suggesting that Bruce considered the possibility of encountering Force Users and even specifically Darth Vader.
Speaking of Vader vs. Batman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv6saLrn3UY And...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3tC8TPh9oQwyrmraker wrote:Bits, pieces, and oddities. I seem to be on a roll today.
********
Darkraven was hauling at full speed once he'd gotten the now-child Shazam properly tied and gagged, in a cell, and gotten word from the Command Bolo about a second wave. Breetai, for all his awesomeness, was in no condition for round two with metahumans. A-Ko and B-Ko were nearly at full power, but busy for the moment with locking up the kryptonian girls. One Yellow Lantern had been forcibly subdued by the bolos, while Mr. Manscape had intelligently surrendered and was now in a comfortable holding cell, as opposed to the infirmary like his subordinate.
Sliding around a corner, he managed to see the still ongoing battle between Shiva and Wonder Woman. A truly epic battle, he knew that not only was the entire thing being recorded, but he'd get a cut of the broadcast royalties.
So far, his reserve contingencies were holding out. It remained to be seen if his luck would continue to hold out as well. If the Flash showed up, then he knew that his luck had come up dry once more.
Turning, he saw Harley's hyena's tearing into Bane, who appeared to be on the super pill as well rather than Venom. Over there was Solomon Grundy tipping over a very angry Bolo, some woman firing what looked to be ice blasts at marines, and Cyborg, doing something computery with a holographic interface.
"Attention all marines," he called into his radio, "use protoculture weapons on the big white guy, plasma is authorized against the female. If you can, break out the old deep space CVR. Command Bolo, what is the situation with Cyborg?"
"Warning!" the Command Bolo replied. "Anti-hacking protocols are online. We are having difficulties. Command is rerouted to the Bunker Terminal, as is authorization for the dimensional knocker."
"It's alright," came an achingly familiar voice over the radio. "All troops, this is Commander Nova Satori-Brown. Proceed with Darkraven's directives. We have more friendlies coming in; they will be marked on your HUDs."
Darkraven heard the line click, and on his private comm channel came, "Even more messes than ever, eh Jer?"
He smiled at that. "Nothing changes about me, Nova. Is the line holding okay?"
"Nothing's gotten past the spacedock, if that's what you mean. Looks like your intel was accurate. We might have to give you another promotion."
"And if it means getting promoted out of the field, I'll pop Leonard in the face on the parade ground again, just like the last time I got demoted."
"Yeah, he wasn't happy about that. Was it your idea to bring in the martial arts psycho?"
"Absolutely. Just like it was my idea to keep Ranma's Razors off-site until Shiva was gone. We really don't need Captain Ayanami-Hunter getting one of her jealous fits, and then tearing up *another* ally."
"There is that," Nova mused aloud. "So what's your part in your grand plan?"
Darkraven snorted. "Are you kidding? Shazam was as far as I'd planned for myself. I didn't count on the Regime having Grundy. But he's undead, so protoculture weapons so tear him up pretty fast."
"And the others?"
"Bane is a master strategist and combatant, definitely on the superpill. I don't know who the chick is, but Grundy and Cyborg wouldn't be on the pill. Wouldn't work on Grundy, and I am betting that insanely tough flesh and cybernetics would be a poor combination. The problem I see is what happens if even more of them come through? It's starting to get crowded out there."
"I am preparing to deploy the Aleph squad under the effects of the super pill design that you brought us. Seriously, the stuff you bring in is so very helpful."
"Ha! So long as the Council doesn't get their hands on most of it. You're going along with the blackout, right? Gods know we don't need *those* morons with access to a magic pill that lets them bench a few hundred tons."
"I don't plan to let that information leave the limited crew. After all, none of the troops here report to the Council, just me, Breetai, and Leonard. You were correct to want to keep this quiet."
"I know. I just didn't want people doing really dumb things with the stuff I bring back.... Hold one, Nova. Something significant. Prepare medical crews."
Over there, Diana and Shiva were still going at it. Both women were covered in a thick sheen of sweat, both of their outfits were little more than shreds of cloth that barely provided modesty, covered in cuts, bruises, and grit from the floor, walls, and ceiling of the spacedock.
And then it happened. Diana lunged forward while blocking Shiva's palm strike, then twisted to parry the kick to her knee, leaving herself exposed to Shiva's signature finishing move: a Leopard Strike that speared straight through Wonder woman's chest, her heart held in Shiva's hand out her spine.
Shiva viciously yanked her hand back, heart still in hand as the corpse hit the floor. The heart landed next to the body, Shiva turned, painedly limping towards the back of the dock where med crews loaded her up onto a stretcher.
Shiva didn't see the other crews grab up Wonder Woman's body and heart, whisking it away.
Another good write up! And I got the feeling we will see Wonder Woman again. Hope the next update will be out soon!
Well, if what I saw when I googled it was the right one, that person would be dead.
