Mudslide

Having decided where his path lies, Sidestep faces the corporate forces, ready to pay the price.
Husk’s complex plot unfolds, dooming many of Los Diablos well-known heroes, starting a familiar scene.
Vernon Brown takes some of the best pictures of his career.

I’m just going to write one more and finish this series, I can’t really keep calling it “Sidestep Origins” anymore after this!

—————

PharmaCore’s forces are holding the line at the base of the tallest of the mounds of dirt and rubble that loom over the ruined suburb, large enough to be almost a hills on their own right. You’ve learned to stay away from them since pieces of rubble and mid can slide off without warning.

Your target is right there in the open, surrounded by her subordinates trying their best to explain it’s not their fault things aren’t working out. Not going spectacular for them, and Aegis looks pissed.

You can’t help feeling dirty about going against PharmaCore, but you’ve already made your mind and sabotage is a game you mastered earlier in your training.

All the bulldozers burning but one, a simple trick done by shoving flaming rags on their gas pipes. Soon after, and while they were shocked by your distraction, the trucks of people they’ve arrested had their locks cut, causing a massive riot of angered civilians who want their homes back. Most of the corporate soldiers are trying to hold them back with a wall of riot shields, but even from her safe position Aegis still had to block a few well-aimed rocks hurled at her using her shield boost.

Must be nice, being able to ward off harm with just a thought. Inconvenient too if you’re her enemy, but you’ve got it figured out already, or at least you hope so.

Joining the exposed wires for the sixth time does the trick, and the bulldozer’s engine comes to life.

“Alright, this is it.” You mutter to yourself, hopping behind the wheel and pressing hard on the accelerator, and pulling a lever to aim the blades low.

“Hey, Aegis! I heard you like bulldozing people’s homes! Wanna know how that feels?”

“Wha…-?” She turns to look at the mechanical blade of the dozer, lifting dirt on its approach, aimed right at her. You see the green aura of her shield come up and…

…you catch her! You hear a curse as the blades lift her up, shielded and all, rolling her and burying her into the dirt as the blade keeps piling it up on top of her, pushing several feet before you jump off the vehicle.

You had concerns that she would dodge since even at top speed the dozer isn’t much faster than a bike, but the surprise factor did the trick. Now you have the tiger by its tail, and there’s no letting go.

The dirt pile flashes with green energy as her shield expands and then explodes, sending dirt and rubble everywhere. Aegis emerges with an enraged growl aimed at you.

“IT WAS YOU! … Did the Marshal send you?”

“Nope, just me. Had to take a look at your work before deciding If I was going to kick your ass.”

“You, kick my ass? Don’t make me laugh. That was your last mistake, kid, you’re dead meat!” she says lounging at you.

“No, I’m Sidestep!” you reply, and then quickly roll to the side, just out of her reach, aiming your gun to shoot twice.

You can hear the crowd cheering in the distance, as they see the enemy leader getting shot at, and the soldier’s shield wall starts to collapse front he renewed efforts. It seems you were correct, and the crowd only needed a sign to charge forward.

Her shield deflects both blasts, of course, you know you can’t really hurt her like this, but that’s not the goal.

“Sneaky bastard!” she curses, not wasting time to throw hands at your face, but you know where they’re coming and it’s easy to evade with some boxer moves, her punches coming inches short each time while you barely move from your spot. She overreaches, coming out of balance, giving you time to step back and zap again at her shiel, causing a few cracks on its green surface.

Fighting a telepath can be frustrating, and since you can’t win, being frustrating is the best you can do.

Your enemy roars, extending her arms and letting her shield grow bright. You’ve seen this before in a video, she is going to set it to explode to try and blast you away. Anticipating just that, you cover yourself with your arms while steading your feet to meet the blast. It pushes you back, and your feet leave a trail on the dirt until you end up tripping on an old pipe that makes you lose balance.

Shit.

She’s on top of you before you can blink sending a boot against your face that you manage to evade by rolling to the side. Now if you could just stand quick enough, you can regain distance and…

Her hand takes a firm grip of your ankle before you can escape, pulling you back through the dirt in one swift movement, lifting and tossing you like a rag-doll against the mound’s rubble.

Your body impacts the mound chest first, the suit taking the brunt of the damage, but still, you are left out of air, as your attacker’s footsteps close in.

“I’m going to enjoy pummeling you to a pulp, you little shit.”

You turn towards her, trying to aim your gun, managing two more shots, before it’s kicked out of your hand, her boot pushing your chest down.

“Hnnh… The crowd… it’s going to rip you to pieces if you stay.” You speak, trying to fill back your lungs against the pressure of the added weight.

“What?” she chuckles looking at the crowd as they push. “Not going to happen. I called reinforcements already. The Mayor is sending the City Guardians to impose order. You think those people will want to stand against them? I’m honestly hoping they do”

The Guardians are an Enhanced team that answers only to the Mayor, probably just as strong as the rangers are. That means you lost. You lost and she’s going to capture you… and then everyone will know what you are.

You knew it was stupid, but you wanted to play the hero.

Of course, it wasn’t going to last you always knew that. Now you’re going to be recycled for sure.

“And you wanted to be a ranger?” you ask, glaring at her. “You’re just a thug, taking people’s homes at gunpoint. You’re no better than the villains.”

She pushes down harder, asphyxiating you.

“These people are worthless, Sidestep. They’re parasites and outcasts that contribute nothing. Only idiots like you refuse to see that!”

“You can’t do this…” you gasp

“The companies own this piece of land kid. They can do whatever they want to anyone they want, and I’m going to be a part of that!”

You see figures landing behind her.

It’s the Guardians, so she wasn’t bluffing. Half of their team are fliers and didn’t waste time showing up.

There are two more figures landing to the side… not Guardians. It’s…

“Any last words?”

“Yes… look behind you…”

“Pathetic” She cackles, raising a fist engulfed in green energy to crush your skull.

“Told ya.” You gasp, as Charge’s foot connects with her face, sending her spinning to the side. Then Steel follows it up with a kick to her chest, sending straight into the mud.

“You ok?” Charge says, quickly pulling you back on your feet

“Had it under… control.” you groan.

“Get ready,” Steel says “This is going to get ugly.”

“Help!” Aegis she asks, as the Guardians surround her. “They’re attacking me!”

You stand on a defensive stance, as the Guardian’s captain approaches, looking at Aegis, then at Charge.

“Stop, Guardians! We are not here to fight you. You and I know Hood made an agreement with all the companies so that the forced resettlements would stop. We are just here to make sure that agreement stands.”

None of them stop, and you can see them readying their powers and weapons.

The Guardian’s Captain takes a step forward, theatrically wrapped in her cape.

“We work for the Mayor,” She says. “And Hood has been buried for a while. The three of you can’t fight us. Leave, or we will make you leave.”

“Not a chance” Charge replies, his body pulsing with electricity.

Even with help, there’s no way to win against all of the guardians and Aegis but you’re not going to give up now.

Instead, you focus on expanding your mind, preparing to support Charge.

———————-

“You promised and delivered. Guardian and Rangers, all the ducks are lined up. ” Psychopathor said over the radio in his helmet. “Almost time for my big entrance.”

“You get what you pay for,” Husk snorted from the other end, still using Linda Goodman’s voice.

“Are you keeping Linda Goodman? We could have more jobs for her and she’s a perfect mole.”

“Can’t keep her shape if there’s nothing to feed on. I drained too much, she’s almost another husk for the police to find now, stashed at her apartment.”

“Pitty. But it’s time. Detonate in ten seconds”

“Counting” Husk replied.

———————-

You had barely started your attempts at infiltrating their minds when a loud crack makes everyone’s head turn.

You can’t help look up as well, wondering if it’s one of the guardian’s powers… but it’s coming from the rubble mount. The entire hill is trembling, as is the ground under your feet…

“MUDSLIDE!” Steel yells, and you can barely understand what’s going on, as he pulls both you and Ortega back with his modded reflexes and armor thrusters. It’s only then that you understand that the top of the hill is coming down, a wave of mud and rubble coming hard and fast, washing the Guardians over like ants.

“We have to help them!” you gasp, but Steel won’t let go.

“Nothing we can do for them, we’ll die if we stay,” he says, aiming his thrusters low, and getting the three of you airborne and out of the way of the mudslide.

“Everyone, get back!” Ortega yells to the crowd below. The people stampede their way back as the wave advances toppling some of the lower buildings and engulfing PharmaCore soldiers standing in its way. Miraculously, it stops short of reaching the point of the clash between both factions.

“I’ll try to land there” Steel announces, aiming for the roof of one of the surviving buildings.

“I can track the survivors,” you say quickly, starting a scan.

You can’t feel that many, and it’s not looking good. Did all of the Guardians just…

…there is someone else.

Someone about to shoot you!

“WATCH OUT!” you yell, trying to make sense, but it’s too late. A white blast explodes, and you find yourself in freefall. It’s a combination of sheer luck with some skill that allows you to roll and avoid the brunt of the impact.

Charge lands on his feet next to you, while Steel hits the ground heavily, his armor smoking as he stands up, pointing all of his guns at the unknown attacker.

Your eyes follow the green trail of energy of the weapon that attacked you… a plasma weapon.

“Rangers! Been waiting a long time for this!” It’s Psychopathor, wearing a full armor suit, much bulkier than the one he had last time. A giant plasma cannon sits at the back, and you can feel some sort of telepathic presence around it.

———————————————————–

Vernon cursed as the miniature camera ran out of battle again, interrupting his recording of Psychopathor entering the field.

The building he had used as a hiding spot was solid and had withstood the mudslide for the most part, even if the facade had been utterly destroyed.

He cursed again as he tried to make his way out through the demolished front of one of the ground-level apartments, hearing the explosions.

“You’re missing the action Verny” he sighed, finally finding a way out through a crack in the wall.

There was desolation outside, and he had to look through his belongings for proper googles because of the dust cloud. People were asking for help, and he did stop to help a couple of them on their feet as he continued walking towards the battle. He could see the green explosions now, closer.

“Shit!” he muttered. Too close, he could feel the heat of the last one.

Psychopathor kept laughing as he blasted away.

“How do you like my new armor, Charge?”

“Loving it! Can hardly wait to run you over with a truck again!” the response came from the side, and a green blast immediately followed as Psychopathor tried to shoot him down again.

“Stay back!” a hand reached out to pull at his feet, and he turned to see Sergeant Steel, half-buried in the mud, with his armor powered down, still flaming with green flames. “This is no place for civilians”

“You’re the one who should stay back pal,” he said, helping put down the fire by kicking some dirt over it.

“Thanks, for that… but I’m serious. You’re going to get blasted.”

Vernon shrugged. “We chose dangerous lives”

He stood and kept on walking, taking cover behind an old car. He could see Charge and Sidestep, taking cover themselves behind another vehicle, as Psychopathor loomed tall in the middle of the flames.

The stupid camera kept giving him the “Low Battery” message every time he tried to engage in video recording, so he turned to pictures instead.

He aimed it, just in time to see Sidestep spring out of his hiding place, circling around Psychopathor.

“There you are, you little shit!” he cackles, sending blast after blast against him.

True to his name, Sidestep evades each one, and Vernon can’t help cursing again that he’s just getting pictures and not actual footage.

Charge is nowhere to be seen, and the younger hero takes cover from the blasts behind a car… but it quickly proves to be a mistake as a new blast hits the gas tank, causing an explosion, tossing him to the side. The burning car spins in the air, falls and then rolls, trapping Sidestep’s leg against the ground.

Sidestep doesn’t scream in pain, nor does he seem to pass out, just frantically trying to free himself, as Psychopathor laughs, approaching him.

Nothing that Vernon can do but keep snapping pictures. Chronicle the heroe’s death at the hands of the old monster…

The villain’s cannon powers up, ready to hit Sidestep at point-blank range… before he is hit by a lightning blast from behind, Charge stabbing his armor with a techno-blade, before sending a blinding zap against the opening.

Psychopathor gurgles something unintelligible, his cannon shooting and blasting the only surviving tree in the vicinity. He just stands there for a brief moment, before falling heavily, on top of Sidestep.

Vernon sighs in relief, taking more pictures, as Charge pushes the unconscious enemy to the side, pulling the wreckage of Sidestep.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

There is still dust in the air, making the pictures blurry, but he won’t stop.

Charge kneeling by Sidestep’s side.

Snap.

Checking on his leg…

Snap.

Gently taking off his mask. The face underneath almost makes him jump… until he realizes it¿s far too young to be the one that had kept him awake at night for so many years.

Far too young to be him.

Snap.

They keep looking at each other…

Snap.

And then Charge leans over and kisses Sidestep. Didn’t see that one coming.

Snap.

———
My Fanfiction:https://chaniters.tumblr.com/post/181692759294/my-fanfiction-for-fallen-heroDISCLAIMER: This is a work of fan fiction using characters and the setting of the Fallen Hero: Rebirth and upcoming Fallen Hero: Retribution games written by Malin Riden. I do not claim ownership of any characters from the Fallen Hero world. These stories are a work of my imagination, and I do not ascribe them to the official story canon. These works are intended for entertainment outside the official storyline owned by the author. I am not profiting financially from the creation of these stories, and thank the author for his wonderful game/s, without which these works would not exist.