[center][h1][i][color=lightgoldenrodyellow]Phan[/color][color=magenta]tom[/color][/i][/h1]Mentions: [color=fff200][i]Starbright[/i][/color] [@Jumbus][/center]

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"It grows."[/color]
[color=magenta]"It grows."[/color]

A pair crouched atop a building, peering to the streets of New Athens below. Someone who noticed them might think them some kind of ornament on the building, though the way they were crouched made it a little difficult to determine where their eyes were, and what in particular they were watching for. Part of the streets below had been overtaken by Leftovers, the Ambleweed that had begun to sprout up. Occasionally, a small device would pop out of the pair, or a port would open up and flash some kind of camera as they observed the city floor, before folding away into it's bearer. Though they watched the street so obvious on their roof, those who looked up would only spot one of the pair at a time. Both shared the same silhouette, and neither left the shadow of the other, for they were one. Though both bore the same identity, the same person, they were separate. One had always belonged, and the other had never belonged. They were opposites, however both were the same.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"They will be coming. We must move, must plan our attack and strike from the shadows,"[/color] the brain spoke.
[color=magenta]"They will be coming. We must stay, must taunt them with our confidence and strike them with our strength,"[/color] the computer spoke.

They did neither, but they did both. One remained in position on the roof, a small antenna extending three inches from her shoulder. The other used this, and moved his presence down to the streets. A CCTV camera slowly rotated, facing down the street. A helmet turned, facing up the street. She used his eyes. He used her eyes. They watched the street, waiting. Finally, one broke the balance. She grew impatient, while he remained patient. She dominated, and he submitted. They were no longer shared.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"You forget that we are limited in time."[/color]
[color=magenta]"And why is that?"[/color]
[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"For they may group. I want to remain bold. Your plan of confidence and my plan of strategy must mix. We'll strike."[/color]
[color=magenta]"Will you remain in control?"[/color]
[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I will. Though you will get your chance. We may not obtain a kill today. That is just how the day goes."[/color]

By now, the armoured figure was backing away from the edge of the roof, and dropping into the alleyways below. Skylar had grown used to Phantom being in her mind, through no other option. He guided her, and she guided him. They could read into eachother; flesh into metal, metal into flesh. His computer was hers to use just as her brain was his. Skylar was presently dominating, which meant she called the shots. At any time, Phantom could assume his own domination, however it was a matter of courtesy to eachother that they did not do so. Phantom could support her in many ways, just as she could support him in many ways. They could read eachother like they were the same person. That's because they were. And that's why she could tell what Phantom was going to say.

[color=magenta]"You wish to present us. Shall I find you a target?"[/color]
[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Do [i]not[/i] find us Nova force. You shall retain them for your own delight. I do not want part of them."[/color]
[color=magenta]"They may come."[/color]
[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"And so they may, but we will not face them today."[/color]
[color=magenta]"You hope."[/color]
[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I hope."[/color]

Silence hung once more as Skylar walked through the alleys. A group of thugs soon found itself to be in her presence, none presenting a threat to her - they knew they would not be able to do anything to her, so they left her alone, just as she did to them - for a few moments. Phantom helped her contain her rage, helped her control herself since his inauguration into her mind, however there were times that even he could not hold her back. Phantom tried, just as he always did, but Skylar shoved him and his control all the way into the computer and sealed it shut with an overwhelming mental attack, the same attack that was overtaking her mind. Sometimes they both thought she had a third presence, a third individual living with them other than Skylar and Phantom themselves. They both, however, knew better. They knew this was her, the [i]real[/i] her, trying to break free. They knew she wouldn't, but they knew she tried.

She screamed. She cried. She howled. She roared. She punched. She shrieked. She bellowed. She kicked. She whooped. She lunged. She yelped. She stabbed. She sobbed. She begged. She failed. The thugs did not survive. The mental breakage retreated. Skylar continued to walk. Phantom continued to seek a target. Both were unscathed, both unsurprised, both unfazed. Everything was normal. They both knew what had happened, and they both accepted it. They accepted the cost. Then, Phantom had found a target. He did not say a word to Skylar, but she orientated herself to the new path laid before her.

It did not take long before their target shone before them, the great Starbright himself. Phantom felt the same, human amusement that Skylar did. The street had little in the way of Ambleweeds, yet the 'hero' before them seemed far too confident - in appearance. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"His elimination will greatly boost our plans,"[/color] Skylar says. The 'plan' she was speaking of was barely such a thing; it was the objective in removing the Heroes, for they were the only ones that could remove Phantom from her, the only ones that could change who she was, something they didn't want. They belonged with eachother. They [i]were[/i] eachother.

Phantom did not need explained as to how neutralising Starbright would further their plans - he could, after all, gather the information from Skylar's mind just as she could his. It wasn't so much the neutralisation of Starbright that would assist them, but it would be the public outcry it would cause. Nobody could deny how [i]popular[/i] of a target he was. The pair, with their combined power, computed the most likely result. Fans were selfish, they wanted only the best for their idol. Starbright's fans would weep and cry as they saw him fall. A tiny, irrelevant number may see reason, but the rest would fall to rage. They would demand to know why Starbright had not been backed up efficiently enough, they would scream at H.E.R.O at how much they had mistreated their idol and left him to die, even if others came to help. Such was the stupidity of those with a single mind. And even if she was somehow forced to retreat, most likely due the threat of reinforcements rather than the [i]threat[/i] of Starbright himself, she will still have accomplished her goal of presenting herself. Of reminding the city that she existed. Of creating fear.

A plan was formulated with the speed only the pair could do. One thought of how to fight Starbright, the other thought of how best to approach the situation. Skylar remained dominating, and so Phantom fed everything to her directly. A highlight formed around the best civilian to target based on distance, speed and time, to get Starbright's attention and [i]force[/i] him to act, lest his reputation be damaged. The civilians were fleeing by Starbright's assistance, so she only had a limited window to move for the target. It wasn't like it mattered [i]too[/i] much, however failure to tackle a single lowly civilian would disgruntle the pair.

Skylar leapt out of the alley as the target ran past, tackling him to the ground. Damage was intentional, and that definitely broke a rib or two, because the man started to scream, just was the pair desired. She grabbed the man by the throat, lifting him flawlessly up. She wasn't [i]that[/i] tall, but she was taller than the man enough that she could get his feet off of the ground. Reaching behind her, the armoured woman withdrew the [url=https://i.imgur.com/JL8h9v0.jpg]armour's stun staff[/url], which crackled with electricity. She used it to point at Starbright.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Today, Starbright, you face your end. I will kill you, and nobody is here to save you,"[/color] Skylar bellows, her voice boosted. Skylar, under guidance of Phantom who was presently doing most of the thinking, spoke words that were meant to demean Starbright as much as she could. There were [i]obviously[/i] people that would come to save him, but for all the onlookers knew, he was on his own. She tossed the civilian to the ground, who quickly scampered away. He was yet another witness, she had no need to kill him for he was useful. Then, she started to approach Starbright at a confident yet fast pace, the staff held in both hands, ready to strike at Starbright as soon as she was close enough. She didn't want to push herself. She wanted to make him look [i]weak[/i].