I'm soo sorry it took so long to updated this but I hope this extra long chapter makes up for my neglect for this story I hope you all enjoying it.
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With Nova
THWIP!!
A glowing blue spine ripped through the night at terrifying speed.
Nova's eyes widened slightly before she twisted sideways in midair, the projectile barely missing her cheek before embedding itself into a nearby rooftop's old water tank.
CRACKLE!
"Phew!" Nova exclaimed while flipping onto another rooftop. "Okay that one was cutting it a little close there!"
Several buildings away, inside the shattered second floor of an abandoned house overlooking the docks, Spike remained perfectly still near a broken window while moonlight illuminated the monstrous silhouette of his body.
He looked less like a man and more like some deep-sea predator dragged onto land against its will.
A massive mane of striped lionfish spines flowed from his forehead all the way down his back, spreading outward like a venomous crown while faint blue light pulsed from the tips. Copper-orange skin stretched over his broad frame and dark zebra-like markings curved along his arms and neck while translucent fins subtly flared near his forearms whenever he adjusted his aim.
His unblinking yellow eyes remained locked onto Nova as she sprinted across the rooftops below.
"Tsh."The sniper loaded another venom spine into the chamber attached to his bracer.
"Simama basi purple mchawi…" he muttered irritably. "You move too much."
THWIP!!
Another shot screamed through the air.
Nova instantly planted one glowing foot against a nearby wall before changing direction completely, launching herself sideways between two buildings while purple neon trailed behind her movement.
The spine narrowly missed.
"Still too slow!" Nova shouted while flipping over a rusted balcony railing. "Maybe try aiming with both eyes open!"
Spike's spines clicked together softly.
The girl was troublesome.
The videos they had gathered beforehand showed impressive mobility, athleticism and flashy movement, but recordings and reality were entirely different things. Most people looked faster on camera than they actually were in battle.
Nova was a lot faster in person.
THWIP! THWIP!
Two more shots tore across the rooftops.
Both missed again.
Spike quietly sucked his teeth while his support bracers reloaded with a heavy metallic click. The mechanisms strapped to his arms helped accelerate and stabilize the venom spines he produced, but overuse caused painful pressure to build along his shoulders and spine.
Against someone this mobile however, the support gear was necessary.
Far below, Nova vaulted over a collapsed rooftop stall before springing onto a higher balcony with far more unnecessary flair than required.
"Persistent little shetani…" Spike muttered.
"Spike came in." His communicator suddenly crackled as a woman's voice echoed through the receiver.
Sharp and confident.
"Yes Madam Barra." Spike pressed two fingers against the communicator attached near his neck.
"How's it going with the girl?"
"The mtoto is more troublesome than anticipated." Spike answered calmly while watching Nova leap across another rooftop gap. "Far too agile."
Far below, Nova cartwheeled over a rooftop gap for absolutely no reason whatsoever before landing atop a railing with one hand.
"She also appears to be enjoying herself."
A brief silence came through the receiver before Zuri clicked her tongue.
"Tch. How many rounds are left?"
"Fourteen."
"That's enough for Plan C?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Good." Zuri answered. "Keep driving her south. I'm already in position."
Spike loaded another spine into the chamber. "Easier said than done the girl is a little
Back with Nova
She landed effortlessly atop a narrow rooftop pole while balancing perfectly despite the dangerous footing.
"Okay seriously!" Nova shouted while cupping her hands around her mouth. "Are you even trying to hit me at this point or do you just have a stormtrooper aim?!"
THWIP!!
Another spine flew directly toward her face.
Nova leaned backward just enough for the projectile to barely skim past her nose before it blasted through a nearby wall.
"Well I guess you…"
THWIP! THWIP!
Two more spikes suddenly embedded themselves into the rooftops ahead of her, cutting off the higher routes.
Nova blinked.
"…Oh."
Another spike landed behind her moments later.
One more to her left.
Her grin slowly faded as she looked around at the placement.
"That's weird."
The shots weren't random anymore.
The sniper wasn't trying to hit her.
He was controlling her movement.
Nova's eyes widened slightly before excitement rushed across her face.
"Ohhhhh."
A grin immediately spread across her lips again.
"Okay Mr Storm-Trooper…" She rolled her shoulders. "Now we're talking."
Purple neon suddenly exploded beneath her feet as Nova accelerated sideways across the rooftops.
THWIP!!
Another spine shot toward her landing spot.
Nova instantly kicked off a drainage pipe attached to the building and completely changed direction midair, causing the projectile to narrowly miss her leg before shattering a wooden balcony behind her.
From his sniper nest Spike calmly observed every movement.
"She consistently favors elevated routes." He muttered to himself. "And shifts leftward after landing."
THWIP!!
Another shot screamed toward Nova.
She flipped over it before landing in a crouch atop a collapsed rooftop café catching her breath finally managing to pinpoint the sniper's location through all his loose shots.
"Let me show you how it's done." Her hand began to glow brightly.
"NEON ARTS: LIGHT CANNON!"
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
A concentrated blast of neon energy erupted across the rooftops and slammed directly into Spike's sniper nest, blowing apart the entire upper floor as wood and stone exploded into the night sky.
"Argh!"
Spike landed heavily on the ground with his back smoking due to the attack. It was a good thing he began to run before she launched the attack but he wasn't fast enough to fully evade it
His spines rattled sharply.
"H-How did she pinpoint me so quickly." He spoke into the communicator while reloading another spine.
"You've done enough Spike rest for now and await further orders!" Barra instructed.
Nova landed atop another rooftop nearby while proudly pointing at herself.
"Yes sirrrr!"
Then instinct screamed at her.
CLANG!!
Nova ducked instantly as a massive harpoon tore through the air where her head had been moments earlier before embedding itself into a stone wall behind her.
The attached cable snapped tight.
Before Nova could fully react.
A woman landed directly in front of her hard enough to crack the rooftop beneath her boots.
Tall.
Athletic.
Silver braids flowed behind her while scale-like markings stretched across her dark skin and rows of sharp barracuda-like teeth gleamed beneath a dangerous grin. A massive harpoon spears with blunt edges rested effortlessly in her grip while magnetic cables wrapped around her forearms.
"There you are mtoto."
Nova blinked twice. "…Okay wait you actually look cool as hell and those are some crazy set of teeth."
Barra's hard look softened a bit at the girl's compliment.
"You and your friend have caused my crew enough trouble tonight." Barra rolled her shoulder while pointing the spear toward Nova. "Come quietly and maybe your rafiki gets to breathe tomorrow."
Nova raised an eyebrow. "Lemme guess my mom beat your crew's ass once and now you guys got generational beef?"
Barra stared at the girl for a moment. This child truly didn't understand the danger she was in.
"Mjinga girl." She vanished forward instantly.
The rooftop cracked beneath her acceleration as she crossed the distance in a blur.
Nova barely crossed her arms in time before the impact launched her backward straight through a wooden rooftop shack.
"GAH!"
She rolled through debris before quickly flipping back onto her feet but the harpoon shot toward her again, so she twisted aside just before the weapon embedded itself into the wall behind her.
The cable suddenly tightened.
WHIP!!
The spear violently redirected itself toward Nova's ankle.
"WOAH…"
Purple gas exploded from Nova's feet as she phased sideways at the last second before launching herself directly toward Barra
Her neon-charged kick slammed into Barra's chest hard enough to launch the older woman backward through a wall.
Barra recovered instantly.
No hesitation.
No wasted movement.
She fought like a predator.
Every strike forced Nova into tighter pathways while simultaneously cutting off escape angles.
Nova ducked beneath another spear thrust before backflipping onto a hanging balcony.
"Your aim is just as trash as the storm trouper by the way!"
"You talk too much."
"It boosts morale."
Barra suddenly hurled the harpoon.
Nova twisted sideways as the spear narrowly missed her torso but the attached cable suddenly whipped around toward her ankle.
The magnetic pull activated.
Nova's eyes widened.
"OH CRA—"
Purple neon exploded outward as she barely phased through the cable before rocketing toward Barra again.
OOOFF!!
Barra slammed through a wall.
Barra coughed as she was launched into a wall. She quickly got up narrowly evading the neon blasts, but Nova zoomed beside her kicking the side of her stomach followed up by twisting her body landing spin kick the back of her head.
The older woman recovered quickly grabbing Nova's leg aggressively swinging her to the ground but Nova quickly shot a neon blast from her feet hitting Barra's face stunning her. The attack boasted her upward so Nova launched six neon balls at her attacker and landed on the remains of the roof of a stone house.
"Dammit." Nova looked at the hole in her shoe. "These were custom made…"
She jumped up dodging an attack from the harpoon but it changed direction about to strike her, however Nova just barely twisted to use the neon blast to redirect herself dodging the harpoon then quickly shot the harpoon out of the sky.
The older woman with her clothes battered suddenly launched forward again like a torpedo from the smoke while Nova was briefly distracted by the harpoon.
BOOOOM!!
A brutal clothesline slammed directly into Nova's stomach and launched both girls higher into the air.
The air exploded from Nova's lungs.
"GHHK!"
Barra followed with another strike but Nova quickly blasted neon from her feet and used Barra's shoulder as a stepping stone before flipping above her.
"NEON ARTS: SPIRAL BEAM"
A rotating concentrated neon blast slammed directly into Barra and launched her through the remains of a flooded stone house.
CRAAAAASH!!
Nova landed atop a damaged rooftop while breathing slightly heavier with purple vapor slowly leaked harder from her skin now.
"S-Spiralling Beam?" Barra shakily stood up from the rubble and even though her body felt very heavy she still forced herself up.
Nova crossed her arms proudly. "Well obviously all great heroes call out their super moves."
"…Heroes." Barra cracked her neck while blood dripped from her mouth and head. "You are still a child. I do not expect you to understand our actions."
Nova tilted her head. "Well you're attacking two kids and trying to kidnap us for leverage against my mom soooo…" She pointed out. "Textbook villain activities."
"You truly never stop talking!"
"It's part of my brand."
Barra launched herself towards Nova how turned herself but she was a slower due to her injuries so Nova had a lot of an easier time dodging her attack and clotted her hands and fists landed an
But suddenly a thorn came straight for Nova and she was barely able to dodge it but the venom caused some numbness in her leg making her lose her footing and almost fall over.
"Oh shit I forgot about the storm-trouper!"
Barra used this chance and unleashed a vicious attack which led to her landing a minor scratch on Nova's cheek and tore her shirt. The messed up magnetic harpoon messily came back on her hand and pointed the sharp edge dangerously close to the girl's throat.
"It's over."
Nova stared at the weapon for a second and grinned.
"Heh…"
Purple light suddenly exploded outward.
FLASH!!
Barra shielded her eyes.
"NEON ARTS: FLASH-STEP BURST!"
Nova transformed into a streak of purple neon and instantly began ricocheting around the battlefield at absurd speed powering but was a bit sloppy due to her slightly numbed leg, though this made her movements more random and unpredictable.
The entire area became covered in glowing haze and vapor trails.
CRACK!!
A punch slammed into Barra's body from the left.
Then behind.
Then above.
Then below.
Nova wasn't fighting normally anymore.
She had become pure momentum.
"Dammit!" Barra growled while struggling to track her. "She was this fast all along?!"
Further away Spike gritted his teeth as he couldn't tell what was going on with all purple in the area making it impossible to pinpoint their position. To make it worse he couldn't afford to waste anymore shoots.
But his bracers began attacking strangely as they began to bend and tightened around his hands so badly that it caused him so much discomfort. Spike's hands were spread out against his will and were sent to the wall sticking him there.
"W-What the…"
"Hey there sir."
Spike looked up and saw the boy who was with Kuyaka's daughter floating on a hoover-board with loose nails, pipes, broken blades and rusted metal scraps slowly floating around the boy like orbiting satellites and holding a body in his left arm. His golden cat eyes seemingly stared right into Spike's soul making his skin turn cold as instincts screamed immediately danger.
He hadn't felt like this since he first met Mawstrike.
"Is this your man?" Chimzey near the sniper with the smoking body of the tiger-shark man.
"H-How!?" Spike looked at Chuma completely flabbergasted.
"I'm just that guy."
Chimey's right hand began to crackle in blue electricity and formed a small vicious smirk showing off his fangs.
"Now let's have a little chat."
Back with Nova
Seeing Barra finally disoriented, Nova grinned wildly before sprinting toward a leaning electrical pole sticking from the flooded street below.
"WOOHOOO!"
She launched herself towards materializing back to normal with her leg glowing bright.
"Neon Arts: Comet Strike!"
The attack landed on Barra's side, cracking her scales and breaking five of her ribs, launching four unstable houses which were completely brought down.
"Wow, that was so metal!" Nova got up feeling a little dizzy from all the spinning and so all the damage she did. "Oh no not again!"
She ran to her defeated opponent how just laid there fighting to stay conscious
'We underestimated her.' Barra gritted her teeth coughing out some blood. There was no way they could capture her but Chuma must have captured her little friend by now so at least they have some good leverage to take her.
"Was all that spinning really necessary." Chimzey floated down next to Nova on the hoverboard with the other two members of the crew floating next to him with metal restraints.
"Well obviously." Nova crossed her arms proudly . "I needed rotational acceleration for maximum impact."
She almost fell over with her leg still a little numb leading Chimzey to let her use him as support.
"First of all stop using random science terms to sound smart and second you really didn't need to do all that."
"Yes I did."
"No you didn't. You just have to be extra."
"Come on, you have to admit I gained some serious aura points from it right?"
"Well it did look pretty cool so I'll give you that." He admitted making her beam in pride.
"Exactly absolute cinema."
Barra looked up at her two comrades in shock, particularly Chuma. When it came to pure physical prowess he came in third to the crew and he was defeated by a child, and by what she can observe he did have much difficulty.
'Children these days are such monsters.' She thought flinching at her fractured ribs looking up at Spike who was shaking from all the electricity in his system.
Seeing no choice Barra quietly pressed a small distress trigger hidden beneath the scales near her collarbone.
Chimzey then magnetically ripped the cords from her wrists and began inspecting them.
"Magnet huh. These guys must have a good plug if they're getting this kind of support gear." He commented and looked at Nova . "So why were they after you?"
"Huh? How'd you know this was about me?"
"The porcupine dude was hyper-focused on shooting you."
Nova's shoulder shrugged. " I think he's a lionfish Chimzey and they have a score to settle with my mom or something, nothing new really, but…" She remembered what Barra said. "I think we should really get some heroes for this. They have something planned for the festival tomorrow."
"Yeah." Chimwemwe frowned. "Honestly surprised they haven't shown up already with all this noise and how flashy our quirks are."
Nova laughed weakly.
"You know Nyasaland heroes." She shrugged. "Always late for the dramatic entrance."
Chimzey felt someone or something enter his radar but suddenly moved at fast towards their position.
"...Move."
"What?"
Before Nova could react Chimzey instantly grabbed her shirt and yanked her backward.
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
Something massive slammed into the exact spot they had been standing on moments earlier.
The entire flooded street exploded upward.
Water.
Stone.
Steel.
Everything blasted apart from sheer impact force making Nova hold on tighter on Chimzey to prevent her from flying off..
Nova's eyes widened.
"…Okay what the hell?"
Slowly something rose from the crater.
The two saw a spotted fur mixed with thick crocodile scales. Long claws dragged across broken stone while a thick reptilian tail lazily smashed chunks of debris aside behind him.
The man had to be over seven feet tall.
Moonlight reflected against rows of serrated teeth protruding from his elongated jaws while glowing grey eyes stared directly at them with pure animalistic hostility. In full view was an anthro leopard-crocodile hybrid.
Barra visibly relaxed despite her injuries.
"Mawstrike…"
The pressure in the air changed instantly.
"Losing to children. Pathetic." He sneered at her, making her look away in both fear and shame.
Unlike Barra's calculated aggression or Spike's cold precision, this felt violent and primal.
Like standing near a wild animal barely restraining itself from tearing everything apart.
Mawstrike's gaze slowly shifted toward the two back particularly to Chimzey, making interest flickered in his eyes.
Then he vanished as the street exploded beneath him.
Nova's body froze.
Even with her speed she barely tracked the movement.
One second he was there and the next thing she knew he stood directly in front of them.
His massive frame cast a shadow over both of them.
Nova immediately began sweating.
"…O-Oh nah…" She slowly looked at Chimwemwe. "Chimzey is that your cousin or something?"
Mawstrike growled softly.
The sound alone vibrated through the flooded street.
Nova's numbed leg trembled slightly, tightening her hold on her friend, and even at full power she wasn't sure she could outrun this thing.
Chimwemwe gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes at him. His radar was still able to track him, but tracking didn't matter if the body couldn't react fast enough. Now wasn't the best place to fight this guy especially with Nova's numb leg.
Without warning Mawstrike swung his claw.
BOOOOOOOOM!!
Chimzey instantly shoved Nova aside as the claw strike obliterated the stone building behind them.
Chunks of debris flew everywhere.
"TIME TO GO!" Chimzey shouted.
Nova instantly understood the assignment and her body began to glow and before Mawstrike could attack again…
"NEON ARTS: SOLAR FLASH!"
Blinding neon exploded across the battlefield causing Mawstrike to recoil with a furious roar while shielding his grabbed Nova bridal-style against his chest before launching away with the hoverboard, with their captives floating near them.
Nova's face turned bright red instantly. "W-WAIT WHY ARE YOU CARRYING ME LIKE THIS?!"
"Your leg's numb dumbass. Stop complaining!"
"YOU COULD HAVE FOUND A BETT- Oh no." Nova saw that the Leopard-crocodile was still locked on them.
The massive heteromorph hopped and exploded through buildings in pursuit, closing the distance fast.
"FASTER!"
"This is as fast as it can go with the damage and extra passengers! Just blast his ass!"
Mawstrike lunged with his mouth wide open about to a large chomp out of Chimezy's head but this gave Nova a chance for a clear shot for a blast landing a direct hit sending him crushing to the road.
"Here you can have one of them back his just useless overweight cargo anyway!" Chimzey jumped up kicking Chuma using magnetism to launch him towards Mawstrike.
The leopard-Crocodile was caught by his crew member but he was dragged across the road though he still kept to his feet.
"Interesting." He growled and grabbed Chuma looking at him in disappointment and went to get the Barra.
Back with Chimwemwe and Nova the two let out a sigh.
"Holy shit that was insane!" Nova buried her head into the nip of his neck, getting her breathing under control.
"I thought you were into that kind of stuff."
"Barely…" She looked at the sniper. "So you brought him…"
"What did I say about grounding that thing?!" They heard a female voice from a megaphone yell at them and a transparent barrier blocked their path.
They looked down and saw a Short woman wearing a colorful, graffiti-patterned poncho and a headset microphone.
"Oh hey it's the hero lady who yelled at you." Chimzey pointed
"Oh lucky us. Now I'm going to get ready for a lecture from my mom" Nova rolled eyes.
Chimzey lowered them towards the hero whose eyes widened at the unconscious man and narrowed her eyes at the two.
"Well, well," The hero mutters, stepping forward as the sound barrier hums behind her. "Not only is this your second offense with that thing, but you've got a hostage. Looks like you kids aren't just a public nuisance. You're both coming with me for questioning!"
Chimzey turned to Nova.
"Hey you can handle the talking right? I'm not good with this stuff."
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Thank you for reading this far, and like always don't be afraid to leave chapter comments from what you like, dislike or wish could be expanded on or improved. Also don't be scared to leave a review on your honest thoughts of the overall story.