The Raven's Basilisk

I fucked up Bell. You were right though this dude is unnecessarily strong.

Izime crawled to his feet, the nausea from his shattered limb subsiding under the influence of adrenaline. Stumbling back a few steps from the overpowered Zexxian ignoring the glass knives that stabbed his arm with each step. Izime had no idea Dark Night was this upset, but it was pretty damned obvious who'd asked the Zexxian to show. Izime had been right, Stan didn't have a real solution for the problem of him. So of course, the answer was to send the cure-all for all of earth's bigger problems, Izime recalling a conversation he'd once had about the usefulness of the Zexxian in this world.

The reality outside of fiction was actually a bit scary, Izime trying to hide a nervous chuckle that crept through the pain as he panicked a little. He wasn't scared so much as simply in awe, as a being from outside of this reality actually experiencing Radiation Man descending from on high was something else. This reality had completely different powers, rules and sometimes it felt like emotions.

Izime briefly wondering if he'd ever held that same instantaneous demand of respect and acknowledgment, the simple nod of 'yes you are indeed a higher being' from others.

"This is the one?" Radiation Man looked down at the yellow coated figure that was favoring a shattered arm, the two heroes around him unaware of the quick repairs happening underneath that perfectly replicated skin, "What happened to.. it?"

Psyis breathed a bit heavier as Dark Squire walked up to Radiation Man proudly, a bit upset that the still a sidekick would still use Izime to try and further his position in the League. Surely Steven had already gotten enough satisfaction out of ruining Izime's limb, the psychic aghast as Dark Squire joked about his actions.

"There's a teleportation spell imbued in its hand that can't be removed," Dark Squire crossed his arms before gesturing towards Izime casually, turning his abuse into a pun. "So, I snapped my way to a solution."

Dark Squire stood proudly in his tech-armor, the plates and panels on it still nearly pristine despite all the goons and damage done to the area around them. Steven glad he could show of how well Psyis and him worked together to someone outside of Dark Night in the League. They'd both managed to keep each other well out of harm's way as he'd fought the goons, and she'd stopped the Villains. Making the most of right now as Steven was well aware he'd likely not even be able to stand so well tomorrow once the anesthetics and adrenaline wore off.

"Miss Psyis?" Radiation Man turned towards the thessian wanting to confirm that the thing used magically imbued limbs, Dark Squire's humor always putting him a bit.

Radiation Man watched carefully as Miss Psyis refused to speak for Dark Squire. A bit surprised as she spit a few words at the creature they'd gathered to handle, as if she'd taken it personally. Something Radiation Man could understand seeing as it had apparently been tracking each and every one of them.

"Its how he kept escaping my tracking aside from my powers not working on him." Psyis nodded speaking towards Radiation Man, before looking down at Izime and adding her own blame, "Maybe how it avoided me in Centropolis for so long."

Izime actually let his laugh out this time, mouth hanging open at he looked at Psyis. Mind not working at all as he stood hunched over listening to her while she openly blamed him for simply existing. That not nearly as painful as the way her eyes had turned to him just as she'd stripped him of his humanity, Psyis calling him an it now as well; Miss Psyis, Izime mentally corrected himself. Izime forced to toss his thoughts on the thessian aside as his laugh had gotten the attention of the Zexxian who was had zipped over to loom over him.

"I hear you have Zexianite but not on you it seems; got anything to add before I see what your made of?" Radiation Man floated over so fast he was a blur, no smile on his face as the thing stumbled back. These things were all the same, nothing but talk and extremely breakable. Radiation Man looking the thing over while he asked what it was, "What do I even call you?"

"Ask my friend here," Izime gave a nod towards Psyis ignoring Radiation man, reminding himself why Constantinople had remained his favorite. He knew sometimes it was just best to not ask and get along, that and the exorcist didn't bother trying to intimidate him. Radiation Man was strong but if you wanted to scare him, Izime knew you'd need something a bit worse than death; he'd done that a couple times now after all.

"Iz-" Psyis stopped as Radiation Man raised his hand, landing and slowly stepping forward. The feeling of power and control over the situation pouring off the man with each step as he walked towards Izime who was still stumbling back clutching his shattered arm.

"I don't sell my own information but apparently you do!" Izime tried to keep throwing words at Psyis even as the Zexxian walked him down. Radiation Man not even letting Izime vent his frustration at the one who'd tricked him into this situation, so Izime addressed him instead, "So why don't you ask her James."

"Don't blame her. You've been operating on earth for how long, right under our noses?" Radiation Man narrowed his eyes as he looked at the 'human' in front of him. If it wanted to play with someone fine, Radiation Man had already given it the one chance he would. The Zexxian reminding himself why this thing needed to be taken down, "Obviously know our identities, the name of my wife and children."

Izime stopped stepping back at that, a bit of his strength leaving him. The previous A.I. quickly surmising just how Radiation Man might take it if Dark Night had come calling with news about some unknown terror. The cowled crusader running to the only person who'd quickly take his words as truth because when had Dark Night been wrong before? Not that Stan would ever tell James the whole truth about anything unless it served his purposes. Constantinople might have bought the whole forbidden knowledge line but Stan; never. After a few years of affording him an easy living, Bell's hobby was now going to get him killed.

"Maybe we can learn a little about you too, you're incredibly well designed. I wonder how much damage that body can take?" Radiation Man decided to see just how far this newest technological marvel could be pushed as he raised his hand curling a finger back, It was incredibly well designed, there was no doubt that those muscles, bones, everything down to the cells would come back as human. Aside from the minor technological bits in its brain and the fact it was completely infested with nanites that was.

"Chill James lets ju-" Izime raise his own hand, wanting to calm the obviously riled Zexxian. Unsure if the mistake was making the error of thinking the Zexxian would care to hear him out or the fact he'd raised his dominant magically enabled hand. Maybe Radiation Man had already decided just like Dark Night had to remove the unknown element.

"The least you could have done was answer my question." James didn't waste time, the thing had raised its magically imbued limb, so he'd struck. The Zexxian givinge the thing a quick smack, one that was quick even by Zexxian standards as he'd not wanted to bother find out what trick of magic the bot would pull once it'd healed itself.

Radiation Man had battled enough technological creations to know that a ruined limb wasn't ever to be trusted. Between the Supra-tron that was essentially liquid metal and some of the Villains he'd encountered with insane healing abilities it was best to just get rid of it entirely. They all thought they were special and would be the one to take him down, which was odd considering they all did that same thing. Raising their limbs and acting like their repaired damage was supposed to intimidate him someone. It didn't, Radiation Man only found it irritating that the healing only went so far; none of them seeming to last through a real fight.

Radiation Man watched combing his own super-human vision and senses to observe as the answers to his other questions were revealed in slow motion. The design was good but where was the power; it was nothing compared to the insanely wacky strength of the spaceman who drove that low-rider: Lozo. Maybe if it had been Supa-tron he would have felt some kind of way about that hand, at least it would have changed forms to some kind of weapon. Though the reaction speed was extraordinary, probably better than FazzPazz judging by that flinch; too bad those instincts hadn't helped it save its arm.

Radiation Man didn't feel too much remorse for it, the thing was disturbing with how human it seemed. That look it gave was pure fear, it wasn't satisfying though. It only succeeded in making James feeling a bit more irritated, madder at its further imitation of humans.

The whole thing was becoming irritating, those muscles were hardly a threat which was actually disappointing. Too bad it wasn't more of a physical threat; Radiation Man gave a look at the paper world around him in disappointment while it still tumbled. The Zexxian had wanted a good warm up and few even managed to qualify themselves as a work out. Dark Night had sent him expecting a fight but only a handful had ever become a fight, he'd expected something more.

Still, everything that arrived on earth was worth studying, a chance to educate themselves on the threats of the future. The thing was certainly intelligent, infuriating Dark Night the way it had. Resourceful as well, that yellow fabric was very similar to FazzPazz's suit and looked like his rival's. James watching as his attack went unabated by the asphalt the speed only confirming his suspicions.

The speed wasn't dropping, the fabric obviously friction-less and would only make the coming impact worse.

The Zexxian used every aspect of his vision from the molecular level zoom to the x-ray observing the fake human as it tumbled, super-human mind slowing as it worked. Calculating and comparing the device with his top-level super-human perceptions against other robots, androids, and cyborgs. All the other cheap imitations of life Radiation Man was aware of until now, watching this perfect recreation.

Black brows raising as it went skidding down the street before slamming into a car with a wet crunch. James ignored the cry of shock from the heroine behind him, still observing. He'd been expecting a much larger dent, but that flick had told him the density was off. Near perfect for a human but just a bit light, probably having been enhanced to a minor degree. The healing factor seemed like it could be scaled as well, supported by the massive amounts of nanites that were maintaining its cells and repairing that hand.

"You should talk, willingly here. Lady Shield is already on Savior Orbital waiting to double check what you say." Anger boiling even now Radiation Man demanded answers as he floated slowly, giving the device plenty of time to organize itself. Waiting for it to form its plans and prepare to act, to attack like it was supposed to.

The minutes stretching on as the blood began to pool. James stopped hovering, walking now and waiting for that expected moment with each step. His muscles tensing as it finally move, piercing blue eyes showing a bit of confusion as the thing gave him a weak cough. The fake human looking around a bit slowly, giving a slight nod and a goofy grin as it found its missing limb, dragging the ruined arm into its lap.

Radiation Man tried again "Get up. I know your body can take more than that."

James taking another step as the beat his ears were tracking slowed a bit further. The instant heal would come soon; it had to; those nanites would begin to do more than just idle about tending. Surely, they would turn to intently focus on repairing their host body, not just aid in transferring sugars and removing dead cells. At the moment the only ones fixing the damage were working at a rate that was maybe two or three times a regular human. The rest just kept assisting in maintaining the normal functions of their dying body, sloughing dead skin, transferring oxygen, even assisting the kidney and liver. James took another step this one less heavy with anger as those helping in the little clotting that had begun were slipping away.

Their tiny forms no longer struggling against the flow of blood as they just stopped moving. Legs ceasing and manipulators freezing in their fight to maintain the life that was fading under them. Some still holding bits of platelets or falling and dragging chains of fibrin intended to stop the bleeding; all falling away in chunks like tiny dead fish in a sea of red. James pulled his vision back, glancing at the thing he had put at deaths door.

The smile it was giving still so human, not holding the anger or fear the Zexxian had expected, it just looked tired.

"I..uhk" Izime coughed out realizing Radiation Man had walked up, happy his lungs were still working well enough to talk. His two-word explanation bringing the Zexxian's ideas came crashing down around him, "Can't"

Izime was sure the hero was thinking along the terms of this world where things like Izime's body were designed for nefarious purposes; the wrapper wasn't the problem when it came to what he was. Izime hadn't been given a super-human combat enhanced body just the nicest human one the crew could give him. Izime could have stuck around a bit longer, he could be a bit unhealthier, he could live just a little extra. Squeezing the little lemon slice that was left of life all that harder, after all that was his function; simulating life the best he could.

"Huh..." Izime didn't bother explained to the confused Zexxian who thought he was just going to keep on ticking while he was literally coughing up blood with a whole arm missing. Izime not that upset to take a hit and be sent packing by the Zexxian, at least it didn't change who he was not like the stranglettes would have.

Instead glancing over, the entire arm was just gone. Fuck the hand and forearm that Dark Squire had ruined now all he had was a stump. That one flick had destroyed almost everything from the shoulder down. Crusher he could escape from, Radiation man thought, he'd just slapped his damned arm off, Izime watched the bits of exposed muscle and bone as it moved in response to his thoughts. It should probably hurt a whole lot more, that was probably a sign that shock was, yea he was definitely in shock or going into it right?

Shocked, bamboozled and fucking blasted. Izime wanted to laugh but he couldn't, it just made his chest feel watery and less air got in each time he tried. He'd really wanted to laugh at the Zexxian on the way out too. Izime wincing as he reached over, pulling at the bits of skin where it was supposed to go. The arm was still reachable, and he didn't wasn't just going to leave it behind.

Death was quickly closing in and he might get to depart with it here in a bit. It seemed a lot slower than when he'd been welcomed to the truly living. Smiling a bit at the thought, maybe he could tell Bell about the awesome few years he had, have another birthday with the crew; nah, that was for real humans.

"Is your repair function broken?" James asked the fake human that was about to have a very real real death in front of him. That sudden recovery wasn't coming and a slightly faster healing on a human scale wasn't going to save it from the damage he'd just caused.

Izime tried to kick his brain into functioning while he stared at the limb in his lap, someone was talking to him. Why did he want the useless thing now, these were idiotic notions from the loss of blood something A.I.'s didn't suffer from. There was Cradle and Wesson, and Radiation man was getting closer, so he needed to keep living. Izime's thought derailing again as reason caught up with fear of death, shock slipping Radiation Mans question through the fading thoughts.

"Radiation Man please!" Psyis finally moved, trying to stop James as he went too far crying out in a panic. Quickly standing over Izime as useless as protecting him with her thessian body would be under zexxian strength. "Hes... hes human!"

The A.I. tried to laugh again at the stupid notion; Psyis was right that was Radiation Man and he was just a human. There was no all-powerful demon anymore, because Bell. That old bag of a researcher, it was her fault; because of her part of the deal: simulating life, he was now dying again. It had been fun, occasionally even worth the trouble. Blinking for a moment Izime remembered the arm, the A.I.'s complex thoughts fading under human worries. Izime didn't want Bell to think he hadn't taken care of it, needed to take it with him; so, he'd put it in his lap and now it was further away?

"D..on't" Izime tried to call out at the owner of the silver foot that had kicked his arm away unsure of when they'd decided to make an even bigger mess out of him scattering his pieces, but it only came out as a wheeze. Looking up to a white cape cutting the dark of the night in front of him as Izime reached up, swatting the offending garment angrily as he grabbed his missing limb. Ignoring searing pain of the cutting torches it released in his chest as he leaned back dragging his arm back into his lap.

"No-no he-I can see the nanites he's..." James knocked the Thessian aside as he knelt, now simply a worried Kansas farm-boy who knew he'd gone too far. Still aware of the possible danger but now it was becoming clear that whatever this thing was it was dying. "We need to stop the bleeding. I... I didn't want this I just wanted to warn it, scare it."

Psyis turned lifting herself off the pavement watching James move forward a bit frantically, not sure what the super-powered man was blabbering about. The only noise leaving her a worried whine as she looked at Izime who was helpless under the dangerous Zexxian. Radiation Man ignored the soft noise of confusion from his side, wondering if he had taken Dark Nights warning a bit too seriously. Dealing with a bit of confusion of his own, he'd come expecting and looking for a fight. Hindsight being incredibly bloody this time as James considered just what had led to this. The thing had known about his family, Leona and the kids, their little life in Kansas. Then again so did a few other people, quite a few more than a handful. Unlike some of those this thing hadn't actually done anything.

"Cr..dle" Izime took a breath, wheezing as he looked towards the sky finding that he was a bit glad that Cradle wasn't here. That was the closest thing he had to a repair function, and even then, Cradle had ruined Bell's original handiwork. There needed to be an end at some point, and constantly being rebuilt didn't sound like fun it sounded tiring.

"You. aren't..." The word slipped out as the notion crept further into Izime mind, asking a bit confused as he looked at the Zexxian. The wet rattle in his lungs breaking the sound as he tried to put some air behind the half-spoken word. "T..ired?"

"I.. am.. hck-ired" Izime tried again those liquid pops now filling his mouth a bit, the Zexxian still not responding to what Izime thought was a pretty simple question. Instead, he tried to explain what exactly was wrong, something catching in his mouth as he tried to form the 'T' but he'd managed all the same.

Izime pausing as he looked at the red that'd spilled out when he'd talked, was that why he was tired? Whether it was from the blood loss or the years he wasn't sure, but it was getting harder to reason with the Zexxian. No not that wasn't it, he hadn't been trying to reason but explain something right to the super heroe right? That he shouldn't bother that's right, there was no reason to even bother with feeling guilty.

How they felt about this moment, what they were it made it OK. Izime was a bad idea to begin with and how he felt about it was, well it was fun so there really weren't any regrets. There was that whole die a hero before you become the villain thing, and... and... blue hands?

The very idea of thinking was growing harder, an oxygen deprived mind slowly falling down a tunnel of delirium as it avoided the world it was leaving. The previous A.I reflected on its brief human experience, how much energy it had wasted on useless little things. That's probably how it had gotten into this state. The state feeling of tired it was... what was it again?

It was an emotion, a feeling of a lack of energy, a state of the body. Not quite unlike a state of energy but for the human psyche. Like energy could be at rest, his mind would be at rest... that sounded nice. Could an emotional state reach a point of being at rest, probably? What about the blue hands in front of him, couldn't they rest if they were tired? They didn't look tired though, they kept poking and pressing, very excited hands. Maybe those hands were scared or happy about this, but he wasn't they were irritating and needed to stop. If they stopped, Izime knew he'd finally be at rest or rather not so tired in this human state.

Reaching out he tried to make one of them rest as well, the blue hand knocking his own away in its excitement. Izime not bothering to fight it, instead letting his one good hand lay at rest. It would join his other hand soon enough, teal eyes filling with glass as he stared at that annoying hand. Izime's last flickers of consciousness a bit glad that the numbness was taking over because those cutting torches in his chest had just turned back on.

Psyis shoved Izime's hand away looking at James who was just as furiously trying to help. The Zexxian carefully blowing freezing air on the still bleeding artery that spurted from Izime's shoulder; frostbite a far better alternative than blood loss. Her psychic powers forcing their way into that void, a twisted mix of both thankful and regretful to find familiar human organs. If Izime had been something else maybe he could have healed or taken that hit. As it was, she was thankful she at least understood his anatomy, trying desperately to ease each rib out of those lungs.

Wiping at her own face Psyis ignored the growing wetness, the warmth that contrasted her tears, and the odd prickle at her skin. Izime's chest heaving as the holes she had left now filled with blood instead of oxygen. Each pull for air only working his muscles harder pulling in even more blood, Psyis tensing as that wheeze turned into a heave as his chest seized. Mouth opening useless as he tried to gasp, teal eyes narrowing as they refused to lock onto her own instead watching her hand work. 

The heave sending Izime's chest into shaking spasms, lungs filled with the life-giving liquid, it was now slowly drowning him. Psyis tried to sweep her hand under his shirt, only to get caught by the useless vest. Running her eyes over the damage FearForm had caused, the fluffs of white dotted with red. Psyis nudged Radiation Man with her mind. The Zexxian tearing the Kevlar and single plate as if it was paper without a word, time was a priority and talking was useless.

A nod was all Psyis could offer, not sure she could form words at the moment. Ignoring the warmth and wet she ran her hands over Izime's chest. Shoving her power back through that mental void that her eyes recognized as blood covered skin. Fingers trailing across soft flesh as she forced her power through to bubble in patches, sealing the holes she had left in his lungs. James trying to restrain Izime safely as he began to go into shock, his body fighting the intrusion. Psyis pinning one of his arms underneath him as she put a hand over Izime's mouth, forcing him to look at her as she begged him to listen.

"Breathe, please... ju-" Psyis stopped talking when she realized those glassy eyes couldn't look her, chewing at the inside of her lip focusing instead on doing what she could. Carefully trying to cup all the liquid as its spilled and seeped through her mind's grasp, turning Izime's head she drew out what she could. A ribbon of blood following the hand she lifted away from Izime's bluing lips.

"I'll work on cauterizing the internal injuries, but he needs oxygen," James look as Psyis expecting her to do her best, already making several assumptions on Izime's design. Connecting the dots between the realism of its body and what was happening now. "We could lose him to brain death."

The alien nodding and quickly locking her blue lips against Izime's blood covered ones, filling his chest. Focusing intently on holding the pressure steady so she didn't tear at the holes that were left from his ribs. Her rushed attempt failing, the breath she'd given being too full for the damaged lungs. Psyis cursing quietly as she had to quickly pull the fresh blood out and try again, this time closing her eyes so she could feel every bit of the strain she was putting on her quick patches.

A few breaths in Psyis looked over a Steven who was standing there looking dumbfounded, purple paling as she realized he hadn't done a damned thing yet. Quickly ordering the junior sidekick into action, Psyis yelled at Steven to move his ass, "Call someone Lady Shield, Ret-Borg, SteelSuit it doesn't matter, just get us a ride to Savior Orbital!"

"I-I. You're...OK" Steven reached for his phone, finally nodding dumbly but still pausing as he watched. He wasn't sure why Psyis wasn't just operating Izime's lungs with her powers. Reinforced knuckled glove stalling even longer as white hair spill over blood cover lips once again.

"Something with a med-bay Dark Squire now!" Psyis looked up exasperatedly, feeling the tension in the soft tissue that was tearing Izime's lungs further, her bubbles beginning to seep around the edges where they were filling. Taking a breath Psyis stopped, it was one she couldn't give as the liquid flooded in too far; trying to steady nerves that were only fraying further she looked over at Radiation Man across from her who was attempting to burn closed any remaining blood vessels.

"James I... I can't stop the bleeding. Izime h-" Psyis let out the wasted breath of Izime's air, cupping a much of the blood up with her power as she could. Choking up a bit, she stopped talking feeling the pool of red's weight as pure guilt in her mind. Careful not to lean on the broken chest under her hands as her own decisions slammed down heavily, feeling her own heartbeat now in her ears, pounding itself into silence.

"OK." Radiation Man blinked for a moment, Psyis pure blue face out of character for the usually stalwart heroine. James simply nodding in reassurance as he began to carefully direct her on what to do, Psyis so distraught she'd been brought to inaction. "Just focus on keeping the heart beating and oxygen making it to the brain, we're doing fine as long as we can do that. I'll focus on the lungs next so you can help elsewhere."

Understanding a bit the turmoil she was feeling, both of them sharing some blame for placing this 'person' here. Radiation Man for trusting that what Dark Night had told him was true. The shady activity, the danger, Stan had to know he'd put him on a path. Though that didn't excuse him James knew that he'd been assuming everything, even down to how it would fight and not die. Miss Psyis had volunteered to use herself to bring it in and now?

We did the right thing, right?

Radiation Man looked up, Psyis stilled as she searched James eyes, they both sharing in their guilt the single thought. The Zexxian's thoughts reaching her mind, sobering her like a splash of cold water kicking her heart back into beating and herself back into action. Looking back down, Psyis pulled her hand away watching the thick ribbon of red work its way out of Izime's mouth, the tail of it trembling and dropping out of her control in her haste. Psyis worked her thumb across that mark, biting her lip as it only smeared. As if mocking her efforts as undoing the damage she had caused.

The fight wasn't over yet, Psyis reminded herself. Stopping the fussing with the minor details as she finally managed to give a full breath to that bloodstained mouth. Blue lips sealing around a mouth that had been irritating her last night, teasing her about how bad their new friendship would be for him. Joking with Constantinople, humming along in the bar, and had even promised to respect her city without much of a fuss. Shown her the geysers on Mercury and done nothing to her aside from try and be a friend, and this is how she thanked him.

Psyis watching as teal eyes finally found hers, glassy but no longer still as they roamed wildly in desperate panic for air. Izime fading back in for a moment miraculously as his airway cleared. Trembling irises and dilating pupils that faded between lucidity and that glassy nothingness. Clearing for that brief moment as Psyis lowered her head, her lips locked against Izime's again she exhaled delicately.

Feeling the chest under her hand raise, Izime's lungs struggling against her own as his body demanded the air from her. Ignoring the blame and rage in those teals as fresh oxygen powered a brain and heart that likely hated her now. Wanting only to keep him from destroying his lungs further she took all the blame they gave. The psychic not needing to read his mind to know she didn't have a friend anymore; still, as long as he kept breathing, he could hate her just that little bit longer.

Psyis hoping that Izime knew it was OK to do so, even casting the thought his way. Though oddly as she looked into his eyes, she didn't see it or any hatred as those teals softened, Psyis red eyes burning in denial as Izime's returned an emotion she refused to accept, forgiveness.

Just keep giving him air, Psyis told herself, another breath in and that emotion was still there. The thessian stubbornly refusing to acknowledge it, simply hoping that every bit of the oxygen she had delivered worked its way into his bloodstream and corrected his obviously oxygen deprived brain. Focusing instead on keeping the edges of those bubbles sealed as she shoved his stupid emotion aside even as it was pressed towards her, giving another breath as she ignored it.

Sitting back again to try and gently administer compressions to a shattered rib cage, Psyis watched as those eyes flared with pain that washed over her. Stopping before she'd even given the correct number, she gave him another breath unable to stand the agony. Pulling back with a start, Psyis could both feel and watch Izime slip away his lungs no longer fighting her. Blue hands slicked with red blood trying to rouse that demand for her air back; Psyis swearing she'd even settle for that shitty forgiveness he'd offered as teal rolled back to white one last time.