Story: The Wayward Girl

The Wayward Girl
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Angel Falls
Midtown (Downtown District)
2013
12:28 PM

This city was overwhelming to her, looking like someone started building things and NEVER stopped. The young lady had come here looking for help with certain problems plaguing her... yet once she got there soon realized she had no idea where to begin. No idea where to start. All she knew that if there were to be help of any kind, any where... it would be in Angel Falls.

Her name was Reiko Winn Yates, and she had a secret. A secret that she found harder and harder to keep with each passing week. A secret that's driven her away from the only home she ever knew. Driven her from town to town trying to better understand her problem. And now her journey has taken her here. Perhaps she should try to find the Headquarters of the Guardians? Someone there is liable to know how to help with her... issues.

Reiko stood about about 5'6", with platinum blonde hair and reasonable features and proportions of a girl her age (18). She was quite beautiful, though the clothes she was wearing hid most of her looks. A large, and old, trenchcoat with worn-out baggy pants. She looked like she had knicked them from the Salvation Army. Since Spring was barely here yet, Reiko's appearance just simply faded into the crowd around her.

The young lady noticed a city map kiosk on the corner of the intersection she was currently approaching. Perhaps that would show her the way to the Guardians' headquarters. The sooner she could get somewhere safe, somewhere where she felt like she wouldn't stand out... the better.

Reiko failed to notice the bank she passed on her way to use this handy kiosk, failed to hear the noises inside. All that mattered to her was getting out of the public eye. Just as she reached this map, just as she began to read it, a large crash was heard. A shower of glass hit the ground behind her. Frozen in place, Reiko didn't know what to do. Then she heard what sounded like heavy (really heavy) footsteps walk in her general direction.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" bellowed a loud voice, sounding as though it were being filtered through a megaphone. Nearby pedestrians screamed, police cars sounded their alarms and officers barked demands to this mysterious individual behind her. It took a great deal of courage and strength to turn around, to face this sudden public menace. What she saw stunned her.

It was a giant mechanical suit of some sort, standing a good 9 or 10 feet tall. It looked like it had stepped out of an early 90's sci-fi action movie, or that recent movie about the guy in the iron suit. In the center of this metal monstrosity was a man, a simple man, handling the contraption with amazing ease. He carried with him a large sack, presumably full of money or gold. Gasping, Reiko tried to think of what to do.

Just walk away... doesn't concern you... don't want to hurt anybody.

The police weren't having any luck with this man, his armored suit providing good protection against their bullets. What little resistance he currently encountered only served to embolden him more. Ripping the banged-up bank door off it's hinges, the metal man chucked the object at a nearby police car... sending it clear through the vehicle's side. Not only did this suit provide protection, it also gave him a considerable strength advantage.

Reiko shook with intensity, part of her wanting to flee, part of her wanting to fight... to stop this man before people really get hurt. Surely someone would be coming soon to handle him... right? Walkiria, her black-haired Russian lover, Mindy Marvel, Firebrandi, that giant lady with the eye-patch, that blue haired (or is it red now?) woman with the pale skin... hell... that guy in the OTHER powered suit (Overdrive? Omnidrive? She couldn't remember). SURELY one of them would arrive soon.

"YOU PIGS THINK YOU CAN STAND BEFORE THE MIGHT OF THE IRONTIDE ARMOR?!" bellowed the perpetrator as he grabbed a nearby police officer. "YOU'RE NOTHING BUT PESTS! YOUR BULLETS NOTHING BUT PEAS!" before tossing his captive into a nearby crowd of people.

Anytime now... anytime...

Amidst a shower of bullets, some of which were ricocheting into nearby pedestrians, this 'Irontide' stomped away from the bank, into the street. Cars swerved and tried to miss him, but this proved futile as he actively tried to hit them. Cars, having innocent civilians within, were sent flying with each swing of the mecha suit's arms. Apparently whatever adrenaline HIGH he was on hadn't been sated yet.

DAMMIT!

As 'Irontide' lifted a nearby taxi cab over his head (laughing aggressively as he went) he suddenly felt a slight tapping on his back. Surprised (and/or maybe expecting company) he turned to see who it was. There stood what looked like (to a man in a giant suit of armor) a tiny young GIRL before him. She was dressed in what looked like a sports bra and jogging shorts... while a heavy trenchcoat sat in a pile not too far from her.

"RUN HOME TO MOMMY AND YOUR TRISTAN REEBAR CDS!" he ordered, chuckling heartily. Unfazed, the girl stood her ground.

"Put the taxi down." she demanded. Irontide's chuckling turned into all out mocking laughter. Was this brat serious?

"OR WHAT? YOU CALL YOUR BIG BROTHER?!" asked the armored thug, bursting out into loud gasping laughter. This was just TOO rich. So preoccupied with his amusement, Irontide failed to notice that the "little girl's" eyes were glowing. It was only when a bright green ball of energy materialized in her right hand did he realize the problem he was suddenly facing.

Before he could react, Irontide felt himself flying back, with a large fist-sized dent in the protective chest-piece. Floating above him was the 'little girl', holding up the taxi cab he had just had possession of. Gently she lowered to the ground, putting the car safely back on the street. The cabbie didn't need any incentive to leave, he peeled out of there... leaving the two combatants staring at each other.

"Your move Tin-Man." said Reiko, taking an impromptu defensive stance. She hoped this would be enough of a show to deter the power armor-clad villain. Because the fact was simple... she didn't really have much control over her powers. Hell half of the time they seemed to manifest themselves randomly. Probably a side effect of having mostly neglected them since this whole mess of hers began. So Reiko didn't know how long she could keep this up.

"STUPID LITTLE BITCH! THAT WAS A LUCKY SHOT!" said a now enraged Irontide, getting to his feet. With speed that belied his suit's heaviness, he bum-rushed the would-be heroine.

Awwww.... shit....

A large metal fist came crashing towards her face, Reiko meeped... holding her hands up in some seemingly vain attempt to defend from the attack. An attack which never came. Took her a few second to have the courage to open her eyes... and saw that she was atop a building.

"Huh?" she asked, looking around confusedly.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!? YOU SIMPERING LITTLE BRAT!" came that familiar megaphone-esque voice of Irontide. Reiko peeked over the side of the large structure she was on... noticing that she was standing atop the very bank the villain had robbed. How had she come to be up here?

Never the less... she needed to stop this guy. The young would-be heroine looked to her side, spotting a large air-conditioning unit.

Alright... alright... you can do this...

Grabbing ahold of the metal box, Reiko grinded her teeth as she tried to lift it. Nothing.

"Oh... come on." she groaned, trying to lift again. Reaching deep down inside herself, the young lady growled... unaware that her eyes were glowing again as the metal strained... trying to resist. Then suddenly the unit was ripped from it's supports, Reiko meeping again as she wasn't prepared for it feeling so lighter than before.

Alright... alright... don't freak out... we got this... we got this...

Down below, Irontide was still supremely pissed at being humiliated by such a fresh face... a newbie. It's operator had gone to great lengths to secure these old 'dinosaur' armor plans (via underworld black market) from the early 90s. He had hoped to succeed where many other Irontide operators had failed. Hard to do that when you can barely handle ONE bratty bimbo. Walkiria or one of the big names he could understand... but some newgirl? That's simply embarrasing.

When he was sure the would-be hero was gone, Irontide stomped over towards the bag of valuables he had dropped when the 'pup' had floored him. As he bent down to pick up his ill-gotten gains once more, the armored criminal couldn't help but notice his shadow looked WAY bigger than usual.

Realizing too late, he looked up just in time to see a large air-conditioning unit speed down towards him... thrown courtesy of his young opponent. Yelling in rage and fear, Irontide lifted his arms up to try and catch it... but the timing was off. Metal met metal as the two objects collided. The leg and arm supports in the armor buckled, sending the armored crook flat on his back. Unable to move, the thick shell of the suit just BARELY keeping it's occupant from being crushed.

Sighing, panting, Reiko descended gently (more or less) to the ground. She had expended a great deal of energy, and was now thoroughly exhausted. The young lady wanted to apprehend the criminal, (and maybe get him out from underneath all that heavy metal) but she could barely stand. Her body wasn't properly conditioned, trained, for this kind of stress. It was like overworking muscles she never knew she had. The sound of police reinforcements could be heard in the distance as the would-be heroine leaned up against a lightpost.

At least... at least I stopped the bad guy... I guess...

The crackle of energy was heard, and as Reiko looked up she saw a tall chalk-skinned woman with flame-colored red hair descending from the sky. It was the heroine named Ms. Blitzen.

Huh... she really does have red hair. Oh well... better late than never.

The young Guardian surveyed the scene, shocked at what she saw. When Emily got the call, from what they told her... she was expecting a fight. Her electrical powers had made her more than qualified to deal with someone like Irontide. "Are... are you okay?" asked the seemingly gigantic heroine. Sighing, Reiko nodded.

"Yes. Yes I'm fine." she replied, slowly (wearily) trying to stand up. Blitzen looked over at the giant mechanical-suit. Was that an air conditioning unit on top of it? As police officers secured the area, Emily turned back to the younger lady in front of her.

"So... what happened here?" she asked, wondering if this stranger needed help. The shorter woman was covered in sweat, and looked completely spent.

"I... I happened." blurted out Reiko as she fell forward, passing out on top of Ms. Blitzen... her head resting just above the Guardian's bountiful chest. The tall heroine blushed, holding her sudden passenger in her arms (whose muscular stature made this a simple task)... keeping her from falling further onto the ground.

"Oh boy..." she gasped, left wondering what to do.