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[center][img]https://s11.postimg.org/bycd1viyb/War_Pulse_Word_Art.png[/img][/center]

	[color=9e0b0f]“War-Pulse, don't let him lure you out of the city.”[/color]

	The merc furrowed his brow to his broker’s advice as he flew through the air, hot on the heels of Evergreen.

	[color=0072bc]“What? Why not?”[/color] War-Pulse said, [color=0072bc]“He’s a hero, he's probably just making sure nobody gets hurt, right?”[/color]

	[color=9e0b0f]“Idiot, most of Maine’s coast outside of Lost Haven is protected forests.   If he can manipulate plants, he will have a massive terrain advantage.  You need to keep him within the city where he is surrounded by primarily steel and concrete.”[/color]

	[color=0072bc]“Right,”[/color] War-Pulse acknowledged, letting another kinetic release carry him towards his target. [color=0072bc]“Let’s see how tough the bark really is.”[/color]

	Evergreen flew as fast as his wings would carry him. He needed to lead the merc some place quiet if he wanted to minimize casualties. Up here in the sky was good but he hadn’t exactly had much practice fighting opponents while up this high so this was very much a double-edged sword. 

	[color=007236]“Partner, he’s gaining on us…”[/color] Gaia warned him, causing the plant man to glance back and see that, sure enough, Pulse was closing the distance between them. [color=007236]“If you’re gonna try and slow him down, think of something quick, but remember, he can absorb most forms of energy, meaning I’m not sure how well direct attacks are gonna work….[/color]

	[color=00a651]“Don’t worry, Gaia…”[/color] He thought back to her, [color=00a651]“I got a plan…”[/color]

	Without hesitating, he tore a bunch of the white rose petals that made up his “hair” out  and with but a thought they mingled and grew into a very large bouquet of white roses. He nodded and chucked the bouquet behind him. Not exactly a very intimidating attack...at least until the bouquet exploded into a giant cloud of shredded white petals so small they looked more like a cloud of powder that spread out in all directions.

	A makeshift smokescreen attack!

	[color=0072bc]“Gah![/color]” Pulse exclaimed, finding himself immersed in a cloud of flower petals before he had time to react. He tumbled slightly, his advance momentarily halted by the overwhelming scent of flowers. [color=0072bc]“It's like being trapped in a Bed, Bath, and Beyond!”[/color]

	The cloud did not hold the mercenary long, however, as he sent a kinetic blast down toward the earth on reflex to propel him above the cloud.  With a quick wipe of his eyes, he managed to get a lock on his target once more, making his way toward the city borders.

	[color=0072bc]“Oh like he'll are you getting away that easily.”[/color] The merc growled, his body radiating with power as he attempts to build up more energy in his back. 

	Another defeating detonation spurred the mercenary forward, screaming through the air like a fighter jet as he managed to close the gap again, this time positioning himself a few hundred feet higher than his quarry. Crackling balls of kinetic energy began to form in his hands , his leg kicking back before hurling the projectiles like like baseballs towards Evergreen’s projected path, sizzling like shooting stars as they descended.  

	Though while the missiles were potent, they weren't what Pulse was counting on to stop him. Locking into his target, he launched himself in a downward dive, intending to use the two projectiles not as direct attacks, but instead corralling the hero into a position where the merc could divebomb tackle Evergreen out of the air.

	Directly into the abandoned building below them.

	The plant warrior had spotted the city borders off in the distance and knew it wouldn’t be long now till he was free to cut loose without worry of collateral damage...at least, that had been the original plan. Instead, he was forced to deal with a pair of kinetic energy blasts courtesy of his pursuer. Knowing he had no way to slow down without Pulse catching him, he morphed one of his arms into a large circular shield.

	He grunted as he barreled through the attack, his shield cracking in several places as he did so. However, he realized too late that he had been misled as he turned to check on Pulse...only for the merc to come crashing into him like a football player. The warrior was sent spiraling out of the sky towards the building below.

	He crashed into the building with such force that he ended up destroying a chunk of the outer wall and through several floors of the structure, kicking up a large cloud of dust and debris.

	But Pulse wasn’t done, he managed to get his arms around the plant warrior’s waist as they slammed through multiple floors, stopping in what used to be a living room apartment several levels down from the entry point.  Pulse landed on top of Evergreen, finding himself straddling the earthen warrior and momentarily pinning him to the ground.  He followed up hard, trying to hold Evergreen down with a free hand and throwing a flurry of kinetically charged punches towards Evergreen’s shield, each blow cracking the bark a little more as he tried to land a successful shot on the hero’s face.

	Evergreen could do little more than bare the brunt of the attacks as he was slammed through floor after floor. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for the fact all his bones and organs had long since been converted into plant matter he knew he would’ve been dead already. He had no time to breathe either as even after landing Pulse refused to relent. 

	His shield was holding for the moment, but he knew it wouldn’t last much longer. He glared up at the merc despite being held down...and then suddenly, before Pulse could get off another shot, Evergreen’s entire body broke apart into a swarm of locust-like creatures that swarmed all over the place briefly before reforming right above the merc. With a scowl on his face, he shifted the density of both his fists and brought them crashing down on top of Pulse. 

	Pulse didn’t even have time to react before he found himself holding nothing but bugs.  Before he could piece together what had happened, he was sent further down the building, crashing through floor after floor, the sound of water pipes bursting as the mercenary was blasted through them before crashing into an old table on ground floor and cratering into the cement foundation.

	[color=0072bc]“Hnnng….fun trick…”[/color]  The mercenary sneering, hoisting rotted wood off of himself before getting to his feet. Not to be outdone, the merc grabbed a large lead pipe that had come down with him, sneering as he looked back up the holes. [color=0072bc]“Luckily I can double as an exterminator.”[/color]

	But he didn’t pursue yet, instead waiting down below for Evergreen to inevitably pursue him, the pipe held like a baseball bat for when Evergreen dropped down the hole for a full baseball swing.  With a lucky shot, perhaps he’d connect hard enough to end this conflict before it really began.

	[color=007236]“He’s baiting you, you know that, right?”[/color] Gaia’s voice echoed as her champion looked down the hole to where Pulse was waiting. 

	[color=00a651]“...I know…” [/color]Evergreen confirmed, [color=00a651]“...But it’s not like we don’t have much of a choice but to take it. We run, he’ll follow...he won’t stop until he gets what he wants...so might as well take him down here and now…” [/color]


	[color=007236]“...Alright then…”[/color] Gaia gave the impression of a nod in his mind, [color=007236]“Go get him partner...show this imbecile why you’re my champion…”[/color]

	With a nod, Evergreen leaped into the hole, the water from the busted pipes raining on him and giving him a small boost to his strength and restoring some of his vitality. He descended faster and faster, and just as he reached the floor before the one Pulse was on...his body changed once again, his legs fusing into the tail of a serpent as his fists became like giant mallets. He descended on his target like a meteor and swung with all his might.

	The pipe gave a furious whistle as the mercenary swung the weapon to connect with one of Evergreen’s fists.  The resulting impact caused a shockwave between the two opposing forces, ripping up the wood flooring around them, the drywalls buckling at the collision of power.  Unsurprisingly, the plant-based metahuman’s strength was more than enough to shatter the pipe, much to the dismay of the mercenary.

	[color=0072bc]“Well...looks like somebody’s been eating their spinach-AUGH!”[/color]  The Mercenary quipped before a hammer cracked across his face, momentarily staggering the merc before he was forced to duck another swing from Gaia’s mighty champion.  Evergreen’s offense was indeed impressive, connecting with a powerful one-two combination with thundering impact that temporarily buckled the mercenary, following with a roundhouse tail slam that bashed the merc through several rooms, tumbling through drywall before burrowing into a pile of debris.  

	[color=00a651]“Had enough?”[/color]  Evergreen called out into the hole, a scowl plastered across his face.

	[color=0072bc]“Unnngh...Hmmm….let me think about it…”[/color]  Came Pulse’s pained response, a brief pause indicating he was considering the offer.  However, Pulse’s decision came with a kinetic blast screaming back through the hole to connect with Evergreen’s stenum, sending him crashing through yet more drywall.  The mercenary was already in pursuit Before the plant-warrior had time to recover, advancing on Evergreen with a vicious series of kinetically-charged jabs, a few impacting into Evergreen’s rips and chest before the plant-warrior retaliated with his arm morphing into a vine, wrapping around Pulse’s leg and whipping him into the floor and slamming him into the wall, dragging the mercenary through several windows and debris before tossing Pulse into a hanging beam and sending him bouncing into another abandoned room.

	But the kinetic berserker was resourceful, this exchange only lasted as long as War-Pulse wanted to before seeing the opportunity to gain the advantage with a loose piece of rebar sticking out of the foundation.  Snagging the rebar, the mercenary charged the plant-warrior, with Evergreen preparing to counter with his vine arm.  Like a whip, the vine came hissing out to try and once more snag the merc, but the clever Pulse was one step ahead, using a kinetic burst from his legs to leap over the attack and Evergreen.  Before Evergreen had time to turn around, a firm stab downward drove the rebar through Evergreen’s tail and into the ground below, pinning the plant warrior to the ground.  Judging by the power of Evergreen, it would not be enough to hold Gaia’s champion for long, but that would be enough.  

	[color=0072bc]“Alright kid, you want to keep playing?”[/color]  The merc quipped, whirling on his heel to face the temporarily trapped Evergreen. [color=0072bc]“Let's see how you handle some real weed killer!”[/color]

	As he whirled around, it was clear that his fist was wreathed in kinetic energy, a wild glint was in his eyes as his arm pulsated with raw kinetic power.  With a blood-curdling cry, War-Pulse threw all his weight behind a vicious haymaker, the fist rocketing at Evergreen with enough velocity to shake the building itself.

	The result was deafening, the bottom level of the building bursting outward as the kinetic payload ripped through the outward layer of bricks, following with Evergreen’s body spiraling out of the building.  The plant-warriors frame crashed through a truck parked in front of the building, imploding the metal as the body bounced off of its hull before bouncing and cratering into the street.

	As Evergreen staggered to his feet, he could see the glowing, illuminated figure of War-Pulse coming out to meet him, slowly walking to the edge of his own destruction.

	The merc sneered, gesturing to Evergreen as he spoke. [color=0072bc]“You ready to talk yet, Jolly Green Jackass?”[/color]  He called out. [color=0072bc]“Or am I going have to keep chopping at the trunk?”[/color]

	Evergreen regained his composure and snapped his neck back into place. Surprisingly, even after being slammed through a gosh darn building, the most he had was scratches and bruises...and what little damage he had was already starting to vanish as his body slowly regenerated. [color=00a651]“I’ll give you this much...you definitely live up to your reputation…but..”[/color]

	He showed no fear to the merc as he worked out the remaining kinks, [color=00a651]“If you think that a little spanking is gonna get me to talk...you got another thing coming…and besides..”[/color] The eyeholes in his mask glowed once again as his voice warped briefly to something inhuman, [color=00a651]“You don’t have the first clue what kind of power you’re up against...so let me give you a taste…” [/color]

	He rose his arms as the wooden debris from the building flew towards him and attached to his body, giving him several extra pairs of arms,  the hands becoming various weapons and the remaining wood forming into what looked to be a bunch of small and fragile constructs like serpents and wolves that surrounded the area.

	[color=00a651]“Prepare yourself, War-Pulse...cause from here on out...I’m gonna get serious!!!”[/color]