[center][img]https://s11.postimg.org/bycd1viyb/War_Pulse_Word_Art.png[/img][/center] [quote=GamerXZ][color=007236]"Don't underestimate me, Mercenary..."[/color][/quote] [color=0072bc]“Give me a reason not to, then!” [/color] The words of the mercenary were fueled with arrogance, gesturing to Evergreen to bring it on. The plant warrior obliged with a fierce fighting stance, one that the merc took wary note of. It was firm, but lacking, someone who has the groundwork of a martial art, but not as trained. It came to mind that the between was not fighting another veteran, but an amateur. A rookie trying to compensate his training with his powers, like someone he had killed... [color=9e0b0f]“Pulse, focus!”[/color] came the voice of Warden in his ear. [color=9e0b0f]“The boy is coming around for another attack, be ready.” [/color] The merc snapped out of his train of thought as the plant warrior zipped along the sides of buildings, leaping from the walls towards the mercenary in a dynamic leap. The merc prepared in suit, a ball of kinetic energy sizzling between his hands. [color=0072bc]“Alright green bean, time for you to start pushing dais--”[/color] The merc did not get to finish his sentence before he found himself eating a bouquet of roses, another powdery blast from Evergreen. [color=0072bc]“GAH! Again with the fresh scent!”[/color] Pulse lamented, the energy ball going wide and slamming into a nearby ferrari, the impact shattering the vehicle to pieces. [color=0072bc]“Why you li-augh!” [/color] the merc snarled out before a solid earthen fist thudded against his jaw, causing him to stagger to the defensive as the hero followed up with a flurry of blows directed towards the mercenary’s torso and face region. By reflex and muscle memory, Pulse tightened his arms up to his body in a tight guard, retreating backwards to try and sway out of the continued offensive. But before Pulse was able to strike back, Evergreen suddenly halted his advance to leap high into the air. The merc’s brow furrowed, his stance adjusting to keep Evergreen in sight as he continued rising into the air, what was this greenpeace vigilante up to now? As if to answer his train of thought, the hero came whistling back down in a blaze of glory, a twisting knotted mass of wood piloted by Evergreen in a rocket punch maneuver. The merc snickered, an intimidating move to say the least, but a sloppy one. All the mercenary had to do was step out of the way and the hero would leave himself wide open to a counter attack. Or at least he could if he could move his feet. The mercenary found himself immobilized, something was holding onto his legs and preventing him from jumping out of the way. His eyes widened in shock and rage as he glanced down to find that the arms that had broken off during his assault were now wrapped around his legs in a winding array of rope-like vines and roots now tethering him to the ground. He could not move, even if he ripped himself free of the vines he would not be able to get out of the way of Evergreen’s attack in time. He had to think fast, mere seconds were between him and a devastating hit. Drawing on the kinetic strength within him, the force of nature outstretched his arms to the incoming Evergreen, now dangerously close to the point of impact. His arms sizzled and crackled with kinetic power, the force flowing through his body as it snapped to his palms. With a primal scream, the mercenary released a thunderous kinetic blast at the hero, the ground below bring ripped up by the sheer force of the blast as Evergreen came crashing in. The resulting impact was nothing short of a bomb detonation, the windows from nearby buildings shattering to pieces from the sound alone as the two combatants were lost in an explosion of opposing forces, the street being ripped to shreds as concrete was pulverized from the impact, cars overturning from the force. It took several seconds for the smoke to clear, the silence presenting an ominous precedent of the fate of the two fighters. When it finally did, the result of the fight was clear, with both fighters still standing. The enlarged fist was revealed to stop only inches away from the mercenary, dented and cracked from the opposing strike against it. The mercenary had played a dangerous game, choosing to shoot a kinetic blast in an attempt to stop Evergreen’s forward momentum and nullifying the attack. [color=0072bc]“I’ll admit...that was one hell of a shot.”[/color] The kinetic brawler grunted out, taking the momentary lull in combat to yank himself free of the vine, taking a few slow, tired steps to face the man behind the fist. [color=0072bc]“But I’m still standing, sprout. What else you got?”[/color] However, before the two even began to resume their conflict, War-Pulse’s comms went haywire, the voice of Warden suddenly popping onto the comm link. [color=9e0b0f]“Pulse, there is another metahuman fast enclosing on your position.” [/color] Warden said. [color=0072bc]“Uh...one second, lettucehead.”[/color] War-Pulse said, stretching out a finger to Evergreen, his other hand on the commlink in his ear. [color=0072bc]“Yeah, I know, my boy’s comin’ in with a mech, were you not watching?”[/color] [color=9e0b0f]“No, I mean [i]another[/i] metahuman.”[/color] Warden retorted. [color=9e0b0f]“Coming from the north and moving fast, traffic cams picked up someone coming in fast, but it was too blurry to get any confirmation.”[/color] [color=0072bc]“What?!”[/color] War-Pulse said. [color=0072bc]“What do you mean another--”[/color] [quote=Athinar][color=6ecff6]”Metahuman, apparently on its way. Metal manipulator. Trade enemies?”[/color][/quote] Pulse’s eyes widened in shock, Equilibrium’s transmission said all that was needed to be said. Excitedly, the merc spoke into his comes. [color=0072bc]“Did...did he say metal manipulation?”[/color] [color=9e0b0f]“Yes, a power which is consistent with our target.” [/color] Warden said. [color=9e0b0f]“I’m not saying it is Racheli...but it could be.”[/color] With a deep inhale, Pulse turned back to Evergreen, who was now presumably out from behind his fist. [color=0072bc]“Good news, peabody! I’ve just learned I got a new lead!”[/color] He said, the shit-eating grin popping out from behind his facemask. [color=0072bc]“So I’d say let’s let bygones be bygones and call it a draw, eh? You got bigger problems coming your way anyhow.” [/color] Before Evergreen had time to respond, the kinetic brawler gave a small salute before launching into the air, kicking up another spattering of dust and rubble to cover his escape. [color=0072bc]“He’s all yours, tin man.”[/color] Pulse said back to Angel. [color=0072bc]“Just give me a heads-up where you last saw magneto’s lost cousin.”[/color] [color=9e0b0f]“You may want to refuel yourself.”[/color] Warden spoke, interjecting between Angel and Pulse’s channel. [color=9e0b0f]“Your vitals show you ate through a hefty amount of your kinetic reserves fighting Evergreen.”[/color] [color=0072bc]“Right...gimme a sec.”[/color] The mercenary said, slipping back down to the street, tracing back through the battlegrounds that Evergreen and he had been tearing apart. As expected, several live power lines had snapped loose and were now draping across the street, the sparks flying across the ground. [color=0072bc]“We might lose connection for a bit Warden, wish me luck.”[/color] [color=9e0b0f]“Wait, Pulse, I don’t think that’s such a good--”[/color] Warden did not get a chance to finish his sentence before Pulse grabbed a hold of one of the live wires, an involuntary scream of pain rang out as electricity surged through the body of the kinetic brawler. His body shook and convulsed, sinking to one knee as his body was seared with enough voltage to kill any normal man. But Pulse was no normal man, and this jolt was more than enough to re-energize the force of nature. The longer the mercenary held on, the more the electricity seemed to be under Pulse’s control. Eventually, the merc left go, but he was back on his two feet in no time. His body language said it all, standing tall and poised in a re-energized vigor that came with a surge of energy to his being. [color=0072bc]“Alright...back to fighting shape…” [/color] Pulse murmured to himself as he looked back across the battlefield. [color=0072bc]“Now...where’s the newcomer?”[/color]