Built Different [Cyborg Superhero ProgFant]

The training dummy split apart, shards of the torso bouncing across the ground behind it. A low whistle escaped the back of my elbow as any residual power syphoned away. I turned and received a small round of applause from the gathered Natural Disasters.

It was inevitable. As soon as they had each arrived, I was the focus of their attentions. All were impressed with Clara's handiwork, and their oohs and aahs eventually led up to the request for a demonstration.

Any desire to discuss the actual important events for why we had even gathered fled as I went and gave them a show.

I now had a t-shirt and shorts on, for the sake of our guests - but still required rest and recovery, so couldn't fully gear up. Rather than exert myself with a show of martial prowess, I had just put some power into a single punch. The results spoke for themselves.

While I gave the group a slight bow, I felt conflicted. For as powerful as my attack had been, it still wasn't my full strength. Barely 75% of a single drive. Clara hadn't specified, but through exploring my own synapse connections, I could feel that the drive used for my gun could vent straight to my elbow, allowing the secondary V-Force burst to go entirely through my fist. Not to mention I could Overcharge both of them.

It left me feeling… shocked. I had my physical limitations still, and repeatedly going all-out with my arm had a chance of just tearing it from my body more than anything - but this was a boost beyond just having another opposable thumb at my disposal.

"Looks like you'd have a chance against Roxy in arm wrestling now," Roy said, beaming.

[No chance.]

The metal was durable, and the force I could exert with my movements was high even without the use of my V-Force, but I wasn't especially stronger. Certainly not in such situations. She'd end up breaking my elbow joint before my forearm or wrist succumbed.

Roxy had the same dim view of the situation and shook her head. "I'm going to check Clara is still okay, and then we'll start this meeting properly."

For the four hours of recovery, I had switched between sparring with the dummy and sitting on the swing seat meditating. The surgery had been traumatic, but not as hard for my body to accept as the leg replacements. Finger movement wasn't completely fluid yet, but my tactile sensors were almost up to speed. Barrel switching and extension were almost an innate process.

I would need to carry a small amount of ammunition for emergencies. That meant loading the open chamber shot-by-shot. Awkward, but not the worst situation. I didn't have much time to think about things, given we were due to do Kingston's bidding tomorrow.

The super went into the house, and the rest of us sat around the garden table. Clara had been in a deep sleep since passing out, and although the vitals reported to us looked fine and stable, she kept checking up on the techie every twenty minutes. After being fed, Warlock had joined her in snoozing on the couch.

[Best get seated. It might be a long evening.]

Belle pulled a face, already somewhat disappointed that drinking wasn't on the menu tonight. "I had a bad feeling once we all received the day off tomorrow."

"There's a very narrow range of reasons why," Ren agreed.

The Captain raised his eyebrows as he took a chair. "Last minute preparation for the Arena?"

I shook my head and sat down to join them. They had done a reasonable job of… some manner of training, even if it wasn't what I had been expecting from them. My new hand was both a help and a hindrance, but our mission would be a decent trial of fire.

Roxy left the house a minute later and came to sit near me. "Still out cold. I'll get her up to date whenever she's back in the land of the living. When you're ready, Dubs."

As the leader of the group, it was my duty to take charge of team meetings. It was usually something Roxy would bite her tongue over and play eager second fiddle, given that the Natural Disasters had been her group of cats to herd until recently. At present, she still bore the exhaustion of the day and seemed content enough for me to fly solo.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts and filled them in on everything.

Starting with the recent attempt on my life, and the new connection courtesy of Director Kingston. The group was more annoyed at everything rather than concerned for my safety. I didn't labor them with the mystery of my mislaid nutritional canister. Without any leads, I might just have to chalk it up to mismanagement on my part. Unrealistic, but not impossible.

Then it was the meat of why we had called a team meeting. The mission Kingston wanted to go on tomorrow.

I was met by a chorus of sighs and groans as soon as the words had left my vocalizer. The short notice, distance from home, and proximity to my Heroism Arena entry were all points of contention. We knew that we'd be called upon to do some dirty work again, eventually. It just felt like poor timing.

Of course, I then pinned on the additional information about my… blood ancestor.

"Immutable is still alive?" Belle asked, leaning forward with her eyes wide. "I mean… that makes some sense, given his abilities, but he's been off the radar for a long time."

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"Not only that," Roy added, "but you have a connection with him. Is there any sort of power you don't have?"

I shrugged. It wasn't as though this was something I had planned or had any prior knowledge of. A hitman with a gun-arm is all I knew. The rest were the machinations of my creators.

[More worrying than my obscure heritage is that Immutable has a faint connection to those from my squad still living. One of them is on their way here, which means one thing.]

"Trouble," Roxy murmured under her breath.

[It's possible the World Government knows about me. At least to the point where they might try to rustle some feathers covertly, either on our mission or at the Arena.]

I was met with more sour looks; the team deflating into their seats with every nail I was adding to the coffin.

Ren was the first to speak up. "Even when we're doing risky covert bullshit, you still find a way to make things more arduous and dangerous."

[That is clearly my superpower.]

"Before you all get into complaining about it," Roxy interrupted. "There is one silver lining to doing this mission."

We waited with bated breath, as even I couldn't come up with much past the basic joy of violence.

She reveled in the attention being on her and whatever she said next for a moment before continuing. "We can't go kick the shit out of mutants in our hero costumes, to put it bluntly. Especially now that we are more famous and on the rise. The Meteor has enough cloaking to where we can get to the location without being on the radar, but once we get there - we can't be the Natural Disasters."

[What's the alternative?]

"This would have been a better reveal if I had them here already, but we're getting new suits tomorrow morning." Roxy grinned. "Actual covert ops shit. Head to toe black tactical gear. It's not the perfect disguise, but it'll help a little."

If there was one thing every hero loved, it was new uniforms. Even if it was something basic just to hide who we really were, it set a spark of interest around the group. Roy and I already had the dark tactical look, but I saw the necessity of it.

[Sounds like something Clara would have come up with.]

Roxy turned her head to me, still smiling, as the others tried to guess at how their costumes would look. "It came from Kingston, naturally. I wouldn't be surprised if the gremlin hadn't put the idea forward on an earlier date. She has all our measurements, after all."

It was enough to round off the edges of our thoughts for the next few days. Any apprehension the group had over the mission took a back seat to the novelty of getting dressed up. A decent distraction from whoever wanted to kill me, as well as the struggles coming up in the Heroism Arena.

Our meeting devolved into our usual casual chatting. I allowed it. Partly because my mind had started to grow weary of being awake and active so soon after my surgery, but I also just wanted this. The times where I could be carefree and just enjoy existing were few and far between, so with the looming threats on the horizon, I didn't feel like pressing the gang into form. We could do that on the ride over.

Much to Belle's delight, we rounded off our gathering with some light drinking and more energetic conversation. I declined any further shows of strength using my arm, opting to allow it further rest for now. Practice for tomorrow would be worth its weight in gold, but injuring myself could also ruin the mission.

Not that I felt I was carrying the team, of course.

Roxy carried that mantle better, and could replace me as needed - but any malady that affected me would have knock-on effects. Turning up to the Arena with one arm out of action was… not something I could abide. My success or failure would guide the Natural Disasters for how we went up the rankings as well.

With such an important event tomorrow, we didn't hang out for too long. As soon as they had left for their own homes, Roxy stepped over and pulled me in for a hug.

[You seem exhausted. Heading to sleep now?]

She grunted and leaned back so we were face to face. "Soon, yeah. You probably need it too. Will probably run a bath first, after I know that the gremlin will be-"

"I'm fine, sister."

We turned to see the techie standing in the doorway. She didn't look fine, despite the declaration. If she had regular eyes, perhaps they'd be strained and bloodshot, but her cybernetic ones just glowed a much duller green than usual.

"You should not be awake this soon," Roxy replied, letting go of me so that she could put her hands on her hips.

"Only two of the vials were necessary for saving my life and ensuring recovery. The third was a different stimulant to ensure I didn't sleep for too long."

The super murmured a long string of expletives, and the air between us felt a lot warmer. Rather than allow them to trade barbs, I diffused the situation.

[Perfect. Now that you're conscious, Roxy can have a bath as I update you on everything discussed during the meeting.]

She continued grumbling, but Roxy nodded. After giving me a peck on the cheek, she went off into the house, scowling at the techie all the way. Clara waited for her to be out of view before deflating and dragging her feet over to the table.

I sat as she half buried her face in her hands.

"I owe you an apology or two, Gunquake."

[You needed my brain to be active as possible. It's water under the bridge.]

"Still." She lowered her hands so that she could give me an exhausted, glum look. "You deserve better than to be messed around. I realized a lot of things about myself over the… arduous process."

I gestured for her to continue, and she held out a hand - requesting my own. After laying it gently on the table, she ran her fingers across my metallic ones, her right eye briefly turning red before switching back to green.

"As expected, things are progressing well, Gunquake." Clara looked up from the limb. "Due to my preferences, I had anticipated a greater attraction to you once the process was complete. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. Perhaps I am just emotionally spent, having created what might be the pinnacle of my career, never to be surpassed. I have fulfilled my singular purpose, Gunquake."

With a sigh, I rolled my eyes. If anyone had gripes about being built for one task, it would be me.

[If I have to lose another limb to get you back in peak form, then I will.]

"No." Her immediate frown switched to a tired smile. "But thank you. My apologies for disappointing on the carnal side of our relationship, but feel I am content just to use you for my occasional emotion needs—as fleeting as they are—and for winding Rockslide up."

[Acceptable.]

"Great. Being on the same page is necessary for our professional bond." She sunk back in the chair, her eyes half-closed. "You are going to need to show me what that hand can do, though."

[Want to watch me punch a training dummy in half?]

"Music to my ears… Gunquake."

Clara finished closing her eyes and fell back asleep with a smile on her face.

I didn't get a chance to tell her about the team meeting or properly thank her for my new hand. Time was about to fly and we'd be powering through the desert toward our target before I knew it. As much as it felt like it had been ages since we saw some proper action, I was still apprehensive about the whole ordeal.

My arm would get a good workout tomorrow, and we'd see just how powerful I'd become.