Rue: Web of Deceit - Part 43

Civil action

Unable to contain his disgust with a man he'd considered a hero, Blue finally takes out some of his frustrations on Tundrake, a co-conspirator in the Hightower trafficking ring, drawing Rue into a battle that may well prove too much for the first-time hero.

From where they had sequestered themself, Rue's ability to see through the walls of Mister Hightower's yacht is quickly failing them as it begins to pull away from the dock, quickly reaching the outer limit of what their visual power could show them. That said, it wouldn't take any sort of superpower to notice as a man in a blue suit is thrown bodily out of a cabin window and plummets to the waters of the bay below.   "Monster!" The apoplectic voice of Blue echoes from within the yacht as he emerges, hopping into the window frame in his full amorphous form as several bullets are fired and pass near-harmlessly through him.   The chaos below deck has interrupted the festivities up above, people gasping and shouting 'man overboard' as they initially lean over the railing to find out what has happened but quickly run the opposite way when the gunshots ring out. The yacht sways slightly in the water from the shift in weight, and Rue can see the vessel gradually changing course, no doubt to return the guests on board to the assumed safety of the docks.   ''So much for the subtle approach...'' Rue mutters to themself, running towards the edge of the water and onto an unoccupied boat in order to get as close to the fight as they can, ready to provide Blue with backup.   While the waters of the bay and the panicking crowd on deck quickly drown out the sound of muttered cursing to the average listener, Rue can hear a distinctly angry voice growling from the water as he says, "Oh, you really shouldn't have done that." His hand emerges from the water, creating a thick sheet of ice as it touches the water surface. The sheet expands rapidly and soon enough the man in the water is able to heave himself atop it, slowly standing on the ice and looking up at Alec as spiky crystals of ice begin to form across his suit, "You've awakened the dragon now, Asshole!"   The panic on deck rises at the prospect of a battle between two supers, people pushing one another aside in a desperate attempt to get away from the action. Rue watches as a member of staff tries to calm the crowds but instead finds himself getting shoved so hard to the side that he loses his footing and tumbles over the railing and into the water below. With screams and gunfire muffling the splash, and Blue and Tundrake too focussed on each other to even notice, Rue telekinetically reaches for the man, fishing him out of the water and safely placing him on back on the yacht. Their body fuelled with adrenaline, Rue continues to observe from a distance, wondering whether to directly help Blue in the fight against the ice-powered man, to do what they can to take out anyone firing at the hero, or to simply keep the people on board from accidentally killing one another in the chaos.   Blue's fists stretched down to strike against the armour growing across Tundrake's body, his punches becoming increasingly ineffectual as the coating thickened over his skin. "I've got a good thing going here, Blue," he growls as a pair of gigantic icicle wings sprout from his shoulder blades and spread, lifting him into the air before the shattered window with a mighty flap, "There's no way in Hell I'm gonna let you ruin it!"   With that, he released a breath of subzero wind from deep within his lungs, coating the VIP room in frost as Alec ducks out of the way. A moment later, his arm stretched out from behind cover, wrapping around Tundrake's torso and pulling him head-first into the hull of the yacht before he's able to react. Despite the dizzying blow, the hero-turned-trafficker is able to grip part of the arm, his frosty touch causing the amorphous flesh of his arm to freeze solid, shattering a moment later and falling into the bay. Rue is reminded of the biomass that Alec had lost due to their own flames earlier and, while they know he can reform, they wonder exactly how much of himself he can lose before it becomes a serious problem for the hero.   With the ice platform blocking off part of the bay and the fight ongoing, the yacht is struggling to return to its docking point. Gritting their teeth, Rue lifts their arm up to aim at the Tundrake, heat rapidly building up in the palm of their hand. They feel that same pit of anxiety within their stomach at the prospect of hitting someone with their fire, but it’s triumphed by their need to help Blue, and so they release the blast. They watch as it soars over the water, colliding with the villain’s right side, the heat melting away a small part of his right wing and armour with a hiss. “Hey, Pedo-Dragon!” They call out, hoping to draw the fight away from the vessel. The air around them starts to heat up, sparks crackling in their hands, “Wanna play with fire?”   The once-hero looks over to see where the blast had come from, his eyes stinging as steam erupts from the area before he quickly replaces the icy armour. "Another one of your little team-ups, Blue?" he yells into the shattered window, as he spots Rue in their dark costume.   Unable to take off again until his wing repairs itself, Tundrake climbs towards the window, creating handholds made of ice before beginning to climb inside. He doesn't make it far however, as Alec quickly emerges once again, landing a sharp kick to his armoured skull as he emerges from the window and clambers onto the side of the yacht, the natural adhesion of his amorphous form allowing him to effectively stand on the side of the ship. From their distant viewing point, Rue can see that the missing arm is yet to reform.   "Something like that," he says, looking over to where Rue is stood and giving a nod, "Glad I didn't choose to do another with you, you evil fuck."   Enraged by his accusation, Tundrake thrusts the hand not being used to hold himself onto the ship towards Blue, a beam of freezing chill blasting out to meet the hero, "Evil!? I've saved countless lives! Don't I get credit for that?" Alec's shape deforms to evade the blast, and he closes the gap again, gripping the villain's shoulder and tearing him away from the hull, sending him crashing back down onto his icy platform.   ''Do you think it's like a damn loyalty card?'' Rue calls out, their altered voice carrying over the water as they fire off another blast in the Tundrake's direction, ''Ten good deeds and you get to commit a crime free of charge?!'' Eager to break down the platform to allow the yacht easier access to the docks, they continue to build up the heat around them, flames curling around their hands and shaping up for further attacks. ''Blue's right, you are a monster.''   "Fuck you!" He screams, throwing his hands out and summoning forth a cloud of super-chilled air in both heroes' directions, ice forming across much of the yacht's side as Alec moves to evade it.   Despite the heated air around them slowing down the Tundrake’s attack somewhat, they can sense the strength behind the cloud, urging them to move quickly. They aim their next fire blast at its core, aligning their shot so it would hit the enemy behind the cloud if it manages to get through. As soon as the ball of fire launches from the palm of their hand, Rue builds up another blast to propel themself back onto the docks.   The ball of flame screams through the chilled air and Tundrake has just enough time to throw his remaining wing in the way before it hits. The ice shatters with a loud smash, throwing shards of ice in all directions. Blue is pin-cushioned by shards, though in his current form it bothers him little. More worrying are the shards that fly up and shatter the window to the bridge. A pained yelp can be heard from within and the wheel flies towards the portside as the captain ducks down to avoid the shards. With an almighty creak, the whole vessel turns hard to the left, crashing bodily into the dock accompanied by the thunderous sound of metal on concrete and the screech as the hull is torn open.   ''Oh, fuck-'' Rue gasps, instinctively reaching out with their telekinesis. The vessel is far too heavy, the panicked people on board making it hard to keep it in place as they scramble for a way out. They try to lift it up, but can’t, and the weakened hull begins to tear further from the strain.   ''Everybody, off, now!'' They call out, feeling the yacht growing heavier as water starts to get inside the hull. Their body is tense with the effort to keep the yacht from sinking as people begin to leap from it, rooting them to the ground, but it’s a quickly losing game. The ship continues to slowly sink into the water even as their own mind screams at them to let it go, pain shooting through their skull like nothing they’ve felt before.   The initial stunned party guests eventually refocus their eyes on the shadow shouting at them from the shore and quickly begin making their way over to the barrier nearest the dock. A few braver souls begin leaping from the stricken vessel onto the pontoon, but others seem incapable of maintaining their balance with the yacht shaking around so much. Blue for his part quickly launches himself up the side of the vessel and onto the main deck, scooping people up in expanded hands and dropping them onto the dock as the staff try to release the emergency ladders. As Rue attempts to keep the ship from snapping in half, they see that Tundrake has decided to make use of the distraction to cover his escape. In lieu of his wings, he quickly freezes a path on the water with which to flee, barely looking back as he makes his way away from the pending disaster.   “Wait-” Rue falters, the yacht shifting slightly the moment their attention is drawn away. They grind their teeth as they reinforce their telekinetic grip, sweat trickling down their neck as another wave gets inside. They barely manage to stabilise the ship, the metal creaking loudly in objection. “Blue!” They growl, “He’s running!”   "Go!" Alec calls as he ferries another handful of people over to the dock, making sure to check every face as they pass for any signs of the men from the VIP room, "I'll take care of this!"   Rue hesitates for a split second before letting go, opting to trust Blue with the passengers. The moment they do, it’s like the tension that had been building telekinetically transforms into heat, shifting towards their extremities with the urgency they feel to catch up with the Tundrake. The blast that propels them forward is more powerful than any of their previous attempts, the helmet protecting their face from the cold air lingering around the path on the water. As soon as their boots connect with the ice, Rue releases another blast from the palms of their hands, rapidly closing the distance between them and their target. “Leaving the party so soon?!”   "No, no, no!" Tundrake cries, throwing his hands back and hurling jagged icicles back at them, his wings slowly starting to reform as he flees the scene, "Stay away from me!"   Blasting up to avoid the icicles, the flaming silhouette continues to chase after the former hero. They wobble a little when landing back on the slippery platform, forcing them to slow down to maintain their balance. Reaching forward with their telekinesis, Rue takes hold of the Tundrake, hoping to stop him from running and instead pull him back towards themself.   There's something wholly uncomfortable about trying to grasp a body that's quickly growing two extra limbs on their back and Rue finds themselves struggling to hold him even as they drag him backwards. He cries out in desperate fury as he tries to continue his escape before redirecting his attention and throwing his hand forward again, hoping to catch Rue in a cone of super-chilled air.   ''Shit,'' They mutter under their breath, their telekinetic grip slipping as they use their fire blast to dodge the attack. Instead of launching themself upward again, Rue crouches low down onto the ice, small icicles forming on their hood as they shoot forward until they collide with the Tundrake. Their hands snake around him, the heat from their body making the armour steam up with a hiss, until they find some parts that aren't covered by ice to latch onto. ''Don't make me set you on fire - it stinks.''   "Fffffuck... you!" the man snarls, his voice a raw mix of defiance and desperation. His grip tightens around their wrists with a strength fuelled by sheer willpower, his trembling hands belying the storm raging within. That same subzero chill begins to radiate from his touch, freezing like death itself. The icy burn pierces deep into Rue's flesh, their flames beginning to falter as the cold seeps inexorably into their very bones.   “Y-you... wish…” Rue utters, their teeth clattering as their powers fight against the cold. They can feel their muscles tensing up, fire and ice battling within. There’s a flicker of fear within as they struggle against it, until something in them sparks.   Somehow, they’re reminded of Rani, the terror in her eyes and the tears on her cheeks as she was tied to a chair. They’re reminded of the frightened children they’d seen that evening, the monsters hiding in plain sight, the injustice of the Dingo cutting a deal, and it fuels them. Channelling their anger into their flames, they push the heat into their arms, sparks bursting forth from their skin until fury roars to life, flames biting back against the cold from the Tundrake’s hands as flesh starts to char.   "Agh, no!" He roars as his own power is gradually overwhelmed, the scent of melting skin and singed polyester mingling with the sea air as the icy platform they're on begins to crack, "No! NO!" Flames begin to erupt across Rue's skin, barely contained by the fire-retardant costume. Their rage makes short work of the Tundrake's remaining icy defences and the two are soon plunged into the water as the ice gives way, the man beneath them falling unconscious due to the strain.   The cold water douses their flames, and they are dragged further down along with the unconscious man in their arms. Panic starts to creep in as they instinctively kick their legs in an attempt to bring them both back to the surface, but the weight of their costume and the unmoving figure prove too much. What little oxygen was within the mask as they fell has rapidly depleted, and a gulp of salty water enters their lungs instead, their body convulsing painfully as it tries to cough the water out, only to inhale more. Not quite willing to have another death on their hands, no matter how terrible the man might be, Rue telekinetically takes hold of the Tundrake, flinging his limp body out of the water and towards the docks as their vision starts to blur, dark spots washing over them like the waves of the sea.