Clone Wars - Of wings of Gold and Metal
It was a simple matter. Go out into the city, and see if she could find the clone.. Alternate, whatever she was.
Arabelle was taking a different approach, one that saved energy and kept her from being as easily seen. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, beating her wings to extend her distance.
A sharp noise far off caught her attention, causing her to pause on a skyscraper with several air conditioning units on it.
She didn't see the blur coming soon enough. Her scanners picked it up on it half a second too late, and she was slammed into one of the air conditioning units, sideways with a loud groan. "Ung!" Her cybernetics took the brunt of the blow, denting the air conditioner. "What kinna truck was that..?"
Ara's question is simple to answer. Standing just a few feet away as another winged individual. Wings of dark golden metal, a bodysuit of black and red. But what was most jarring was her face. Save for the blue eyes, a direct duplicate of Arabelle herself. "Hello, dear." She grinned, taking a stance, wings vanishing in a pale light.
Force Metal? But... How?!
Two Days Ago
"A clone, you say. Interesting. That would explain the sudden change in actions. And you're sure she's not one of the Sentinal androids?" Epsilon watched the screen carefully, the blonde, winged figure committing random acts of violence and crimes with unprecidented speed and a show of fire that Arabelle normally lacked.
A show of fire that made Epsilon rub one wrist idly.
"Yes, Lord Epsilon. That's the only explination. She's a clone, no cybernetics, or even attempts thereof. She's alive in every sense of the word." The cloaked figure paused, "And the Sentinals have been attempting to shoot to kill, not to capture, as they would one of their own."
"I see." Epsilon watched the screen, freezing the frame on one image of her in particular. One that showed the face of Arabelle, save for the bright blue eyes, where there should've been green, and a malicious grin. "Bring her to me. Alive. Conciousness does not matter. Her insanity should make her far easier to subdue."
"Yes, Lord Epsilon." The figure saluted, and stepped out.
"It seems, Ms. Kintotech, you'll be joining us one way, or the other."
The Present
"Okay, what the SHIT are you?" Arabelle took a stance, arms held defensively. They clacked loudly, and began charging power. She planned to keep to her promise to punch this bitch in the face, one way or another. "Are you that clone, alternate, or whatever?"
"I am a servant of the great Lord Epsilon." She laughed, not all there, taking her own stance, opposite to Ara's. A dark mirror, of a sort, "I serve him as Death." She didn't answer Ara's second question.
This made Arabelle pause. "What happened to Silverhorn?"
"Heh. He's War. I think you should be more worried about yourself, original!" The copy-Arabelle lept, arms outstretched. Arabelle dodged to the side, but sure as hell wasn't expecting the whisp of fire coming spiralling from around the other's arms when she spun around.
"JESUS. How the hell did you do that?"
"I am unmarred by infirior cybernetics." She half-laughed.
"Oh fuck YOU." Arabelle unleashed one of her kinetic charges, which was shot down by another plume of fire.
One Day Ago
"The Force Metal wings have taken as we've expected, as well as the other, lesser modifications to her phyisical form. Including the ability to withstand the force metal's powers." The cloaked individual watched Arabelle's clone in the tank, dressed in a black bodysuit, wings of metal and gold outstretched behind her. Her eyes were closed, but her face was still met in a scowl. "Her ability of flight is unaltered and unhindered, manuverability improved, and the ability to launch bolts of force metal from her wings should she desire, propelled by her wind controlling ability, and added-to with her heat generation."
"And her loyalty?" Epsilon watched as well.
"..We're not entirely sure on that, Lord."
"Explain."
"Her obvious insanity makes her difficult to control as it is, especially while concious. Her unconcious mutation to produce wind and flames with her emotions continues to manifest whenever we remove her from the tank, as a sort-of self defense mechanism as Doppler has theorized." The cloaked figure sighed, "If we attempt to mindwipe her, it will make her utterly useless to us, as it shall break what mind she DOES have, that would be of use."
"I see." Epsilon's eyes narrowed behind his visor. "Do what you can, and install a tracking collar on her suit. We will ensure her loyalty."
"..And if she doesn't fear death?" The cloaked figure's head turned to Epsilon, as indicated by the slight movement of their hood.
"We've still a purpose for her, nonetheless. It's merely less long term."
The Present
Clearly, Arabelle wasn't going to win this on the rooftops. She ran for the building's edge, leaping off, and spreading her wings with a loud crack, swooping up from a dive. The clone followed her, leaping off the building as her wings of Force Metal formed out of a golden yellow light, snapping open with a metallic crack, and swooping after Arabelle.
Ara swerved around to face her clone, launching another bolt of kinetic power from one hand. This was responded to differently, as this time, the bolt of energy clearly hit something. Something that exploded brightly. "SHIT." Ara cursed swooping around with heavy motions of her wings, fine, she'll do it the good old fasioned brute force way.
She slammed into the copy's body with an unhindered force, plowing HER into a skyscraper wall. Arabelle swerved up before crashing into it with her.
She flicked open a panel on her left arm. "This is Goldenwing to Professor Cain! I NEED BACKUP OUT HERE, and PRONTO."
Static was the only response.
Last Night
"State your name." Epsilon was one of few who towered over Arabelle, and the clone was no different in this case, he looked down at her.
"I am Raax, Servant of Epsilon, agent and horseman of Death in your name." She stood up straight. Most of the psychic implantations were temporary at best, given her chaotic mind, it'd eventually break them down.
"Your purpose?"
"To act.." She laughed, halfway. That was apparently a seeping through of the original Raax's insanity, "In your name and orders."
"Your first assignment will be to take down the member of the X-men from which you were cloned. Arabelle, otherwise known as Goldenwing. You will take her down, and bring her here." Epsilon waited a moment, to let this information sink in. Raax merely grinned sharply. This was something she originally wanted to do...
Epsilon raised an eyebrow, but continued just the same, "We will be blocking communications on their frequencies, however, we will not be sending you assistance either, as we've other matters at hand."
"Heheh. Yes, Lord Epsilon."
"We have made you better than her in many ways. Do not be afraid to take advantage of the tools that which you have been given." A pause. "However. We want her alive."
The Present
"Shit, I'm on my own on this one." Arabelle flicked the panel shut with a sharp twist of her arm, adjusting her postion in the air as Raax pulled herself from the side of the building, "An' fuck, she looks pissed."
Raax had to deactivate her wings to free herself from the rubble. Once free, she lept off of the side of the building, wings reforming in mid-air, "I'll show you, I'm BETTER!" She screamed, and cracked one wing in Arabelle's direction. Ordinarily, this would, in fact, be bad, as it'd throw Raax off balance.
But, this had a far different effect than normal. One of the razor edged feathers launched free of Raax's metal wing, screaming towards Arabelle. She knew that was probably what exploded earlier, and moved to dodge.
She wasn't fast enough. A sharp slicing sound echoed even over all the noise of the traffic on the streets below. Arabelle's HUD schematic was flashing at her, and she made a sharp noise as well, shocked that she was hit (and that it didn't explode). Goldenwing luck, hanging by a thread was probably what saved it from piercing flesh.
Instead, it sliced her left cybernetic arm at what would ordinarily be in the middle of her left upper arm. It came free as it succumbed to gravity, and dropped to the sidewalk below, exploding on impact as the power cell in Ara's arm overloaded, as well. It left a black, marred scar on the sidewalk, forcing onlookers to scatter.
Shocked. She could, in fact only watch it fall, the shoulder and part of her upper arm remained attached, but occasionally sparked. She came out of it quickly. Realizing THAT was the arm with the PINpoint as well. Looks like convienently vanishing was officially out of the picture. She glared at Raax, who was grinning as the launched feather regenerated in a similar golden light as before.
"Do you have ANY FUCKIN' CLUE how much of a BITCH that's gonna be to fix?" Arabelle shouted.
Elsewhere
"This just in, a special report coming to you live from twelfth street. It would appear that there's some sort of mutant activity going on up above us as two winged figures appear to be having something of a dogfight." The TV showed several shots from the fight, up until the sharp metallic sound of metal slicing metal, and then running away, and the sound of an explosion. "And just a few seconds ago, I was lucky enough to avoid an explosive device that one of them apparently dropped!"
Hecate narrowed her eyes, looking up from the report she was working on. "The Goldenwing...? And..?" She didn't recognize the other's uniform design. What she did recognize was the wings. In particular, what they were made of...
The reporter continued, "We believe one of the winged individuals to be the woman who was attempting to pose as Arabelle Kintotech, going on a crime spree and attempting to ruin her name--" He cut off as there was something happening, the camera moving up sharply, "Hold on, there appears to be more activitiy, the black one's diving for the one with more red!"
"..." It would seem, that despite all her attempts, the Nexus got itself involved anyway. That was about the only viable explination, but how did she get what was obviously an Epsilon powered upgrade? An alternate? Epsilon certianly couldn't've known.
Could he?
12th Street
"No, not really." Raax cackled, "But then there's the point that--" she made for a sharp turn, sharper than Ara was expecting, "--I don't CARE" And Ara was slammed broadside by Raax plowing into her. Arabelle kicked at her, knocking her away, but this was becoming harder to fight off, with only one arm even remotely in fighting condition.
...Unless... Hell it's a total loss anyway. "Left. Voice command, release connector." There was a click as Ara kept herself moving, now. Raax had too many advantages to even try and win. Running like hell was about her best option. "Self destruct sequence, on contact." The reminant of the left arm chirped in a field of static.
Raax should've known she was attempting something when she started fleeing. Unfortantely, when Goldenwing Luck collides with another subset of it, it's a messy business. Arabelle had slung something back at her. Something dark grey, and beeping. beeping.
She didn't have time to react as the device exploded right on top of her. It wasn't a fatal explosion, but more than enough to knock her unconcious, and send her dropping into a dumpster, which slammed shut after she landed in it.
Arabelle didn't have time to savor her victory. She was already getting the hell out of dodge.
It seems, things have gotten more complicated now, mm?
Elsewhere
"She preformed better than we expected, Lord Epsilon."
"Retrieve her. If you don't get her before the authorities, realize there will be punishment for this failure."
"Yes, Lord Epsilon." A salute, and he was gone.
Arabelle was taking a different approach, one that saved energy and kept her from being as easily seen. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, beating her wings to extend her distance.
A sharp noise far off caught her attention, causing her to pause on a skyscraper with several air conditioning units on it.
She didn't see the blur coming soon enough. Her scanners picked it up on it half a second too late, and she was slammed into one of the air conditioning units, sideways with a loud groan. "Ung!" Her cybernetics took the brunt of the blow, denting the air conditioner. "What kinna truck was that..?"
Ara's question is simple to answer. Standing just a few feet away as another winged individual. Wings of dark golden metal, a bodysuit of black and red. But what was most jarring was her face. Save for the blue eyes, a direct duplicate of Arabelle herself. "Hello, dear." She grinned, taking a stance, wings vanishing in a pale light.
Force Metal? But... How?!
Two Days Ago
"A clone, you say. Interesting. That would explain the sudden change in actions. And you're sure she's not one of the Sentinal androids?" Epsilon watched the screen carefully, the blonde, winged figure committing random acts of violence and crimes with unprecidented speed and a show of fire that Arabelle normally lacked.
A show of fire that made Epsilon rub one wrist idly.
"Yes, Lord Epsilon. That's the only explination. She's a clone, no cybernetics, or even attempts thereof. She's alive in every sense of the word." The cloaked figure paused, "And the Sentinals have been attempting to shoot to kill, not to capture, as they would one of their own."
"I see." Epsilon watched the screen, freezing the frame on one image of her in particular. One that showed the face of Arabelle, save for the bright blue eyes, where there should've been green, and a malicious grin. "Bring her to me. Alive. Conciousness does not matter. Her insanity should make her far easier to subdue."
"Yes, Lord Epsilon." The figure saluted, and stepped out.
"It seems, Ms. Kintotech, you'll be joining us one way, or the other."
The Present
"Okay, what the SHIT are you?" Arabelle took a stance, arms held defensively. They clacked loudly, and began charging power. She planned to keep to her promise to punch this bitch in the face, one way or another. "Are you that clone, alternate, or whatever?"
"I am a servant of the great Lord Epsilon." She laughed, not all there, taking her own stance, opposite to Ara's. A dark mirror, of a sort, "I serve him as Death." She didn't answer Ara's second question.
This made Arabelle pause. "What happened to Silverhorn?"
"Heh. He's War. I think you should be more worried about yourself, original!" The copy-Arabelle lept, arms outstretched. Arabelle dodged to the side, but sure as hell wasn't expecting the whisp of fire coming spiralling from around the other's arms when she spun around.
"JESUS. How the hell did you do that?"
"I am unmarred by infirior cybernetics." She half-laughed.
"Oh fuck YOU." Arabelle unleashed one of her kinetic charges, which was shot down by another plume of fire.
One Day Ago
"The Force Metal wings have taken as we've expected, as well as the other, lesser modifications to her phyisical form. Including the ability to withstand the force metal's powers." The cloaked individual watched Arabelle's clone in the tank, dressed in a black bodysuit, wings of metal and gold outstretched behind her. Her eyes were closed, but her face was still met in a scowl. "Her ability of flight is unaltered and unhindered, manuverability improved, and the ability to launch bolts of force metal from her wings should she desire, propelled by her wind controlling ability, and added-to with her heat generation."
"And her loyalty?" Epsilon watched as well.
"..We're not entirely sure on that, Lord."
"Explain."
"Her obvious insanity makes her difficult to control as it is, especially while concious. Her unconcious mutation to produce wind and flames with her emotions continues to manifest whenever we remove her from the tank, as a sort-of self defense mechanism as Doppler has theorized." The cloaked figure sighed, "If we attempt to mindwipe her, it will make her utterly useless to us, as it shall break what mind she DOES have, that would be of use."
"I see." Epsilon's eyes narrowed behind his visor. "Do what you can, and install a tracking collar on her suit. We will ensure her loyalty."
"..And if she doesn't fear death?" The cloaked figure's head turned to Epsilon, as indicated by the slight movement of their hood.
"We've still a purpose for her, nonetheless. It's merely less long term."
The Present
Clearly, Arabelle wasn't going to win this on the rooftops. She ran for the building's edge, leaping off, and spreading her wings with a loud crack, swooping up from a dive. The clone followed her, leaping off the building as her wings of Force Metal formed out of a golden yellow light, snapping open with a metallic crack, and swooping after Arabelle.
Ara swerved around to face her clone, launching another bolt of kinetic power from one hand. This was responded to differently, as this time, the bolt of energy clearly hit something. Something that exploded brightly. "SHIT." Ara cursed swooping around with heavy motions of her wings, fine, she'll do it the good old fasioned brute force way.
She slammed into the copy's body with an unhindered force, plowing HER into a skyscraper wall. Arabelle swerved up before crashing into it with her.
She flicked open a panel on her left arm. "This is Goldenwing to Professor Cain! I NEED BACKUP OUT HERE, and PRONTO."
Static was the only response.
Last Night
"State your name." Epsilon was one of few who towered over Arabelle, and the clone was no different in this case, he looked down at her.
"I am Raax, Servant of Epsilon, agent and horseman of Death in your name." She stood up straight. Most of the psychic implantations were temporary at best, given her chaotic mind, it'd eventually break them down.
"Your purpose?"
"To act.." She laughed, halfway. That was apparently a seeping through of the original Raax's insanity, "In your name and orders."
"Your first assignment will be to take down the member of the X-men from which you were cloned. Arabelle, otherwise known as Goldenwing. You will take her down, and bring her here." Epsilon waited a moment, to let this information sink in. Raax merely grinned sharply. This was something she originally wanted to do...
Epsilon raised an eyebrow, but continued just the same, "We will be blocking communications on their frequencies, however, we will not be sending you assistance either, as we've other matters at hand."
"Heheh. Yes, Lord Epsilon."
"We have made you better than her in many ways. Do not be afraid to take advantage of the tools that which you have been given." A pause. "However. We want her alive."
The Present
"Shit, I'm on my own on this one." Arabelle flicked the panel shut with a sharp twist of her arm, adjusting her postion in the air as Raax pulled herself from the side of the building, "An' fuck, she looks pissed."
Raax had to deactivate her wings to free herself from the rubble. Once free, she lept off of the side of the building, wings reforming in mid-air, "I'll show you, I'm BETTER!" She screamed, and cracked one wing in Arabelle's direction. Ordinarily, this would, in fact, be bad, as it'd throw Raax off balance.
But, this had a far different effect than normal. One of the razor edged feathers launched free of Raax's metal wing, screaming towards Arabelle. She knew that was probably what exploded earlier, and moved to dodge.
She wasn't fast enough. A sharp slicing sound echoed even over all the noise of the traffic on the streets below. Arabelle's HUD schematic was flashing at her, and she made a sharp noise as well, shocked that she was hit (and that it didn't explode). Goldenwing luck, hanging by a thread was probably what saved it from piercing flesh.
Instead, it sliced her left cybernetic arm at what would ordinarily be in the middle of her left upper arm. It came free as it succumbed to gravity, and dropped to the sidewalk below, exploding on impact as the power cell in Ara's arm overloaded, as well. It left a black, marred scar on the sidewalk, forcing onlookers to scatter.
Shocked. She could, in fact only watch it fall, the shoulder and part of her upper arm remained attached, but occasionally sparked. She came out of it quickly. Realizing THAT was the arm with the PINpoint as well. Looks like convienently vanishing was officially out of the picture. She glared at Raax, who was grinning as the launched feather regenerated in a similar golden light as before.
"Do you have ANY FUCKIN' CLUE how much of a BITCH that's gonna be to fix?" Arabelle shouted.
Elsewhere
"This just in, a special report coming to you live from twelfth street. It would appear that there's some sort of mutant activity going on up above us as two winged figures appear to be having something of a dogfight." The TV showed several shots from the fight, up until the sharp metallic sound of metal slicing metal, and then running away, and the sound of an explosion. "And just a few seconds ago, I was lucky enough to avoid an explosive device that one of them apparently dropped!"
Hecate narrowed her eyes, looking up from the report she was working on. "The Goldenwing...? And..?" She didn't recognize the other's uniform design. What she did recognize was the wings. In particular, what they were made of...
The reporter continued, "We believe one of the winged individuals to be the woman who was attempting to pose as Arabelle Kintotech, going on a crime spree and attempting to ruin her name--" He cut off as there was something happening, the camera moving up sharply, "Hold on, there appears to be more activitiy, the black one's diving for the one with more red!"
"..." It would seem, that despite all her attempts, the Nexus got itself involved anyway. That was about the only viable explination, but how did she get what was obviously an Epsilon powered upgrade? An alternate? Epsilon certianly couldn't've known.
Could he?
12th Street
"No, not really." Raax cackled, "But then there's the point that--" she made for a sharp turn, sharper than Ara was expecting, "--I don't CARE" And Ara was slammed broadside by Raax plowing into her. Arabelle kicked at her, knocking her away, but this was becoming harder to fight off, with only one arm even remotely in fighting condition.
...Unless... Hell it's a total loss anyway. "Left. Voice command, release connector." There was a click as Ara kept herself moving, now. Raax had too many advantages to even try and win. Running like hell was about her best option. "Self destruct sequence, on contact." The reminant of the left arm chirped in a field of static.
Raax should've known she was attempting something when she started fleeing. Unfortantely, when Goldenwing Luck collides with another subset of it, it's a messy business. Arabelle had slung something back at her. Something dark grey, and beeping. beeping.
She didn't have time to react as the device exploded right on top of her. It wasn't a fatal explosion, but more than enough to knock her unconcious, and send her dropping into a dumpster, which slammed shut after she landed in it.
Arabelle didn't have time to savor her victory. She was already getting the hell out of dodge.
It seems, things have gotten more complicated now, mm?
Elsewhere
"She preformed better than we expected, Lord Epsilon."
"Retrieve her. If you don't get her before the authorities, realize there will be punishment for this failure."
"Yes, Lord Epsilon." A salute, and he was gone.