Goliath relished in the destruction he was causing. Blue hasn't let him rampage like this in so so long!
The only thing that could make this better is if some strong heros showed up for him to fight now that would make this a great day!
But for now he'd have to settle with those here to entertain him.
The old hero Blue sent him out to fight, wasn't as fun as he had initially hoped. Just one blow from him sent him flying through a wall. Goliath couldn't really remember why Blue at sent him in the first place, he agreed to the assignment as soon as Blue said he'd get to fight.
The other tough skinned one put up more of a fight.
He ran out around him making all sorts of a ruckus after he had pushed over some of the shelves on the little ones.
Were they his friends? Goliath hoped so, people usually fought more when you attacked those..
The tough skinned one tried to hit him with some of the beams and pipes that laid scattered around the now dilapidated building. But each blow he made against goliaths skin only bent them.
Goliath was the toughest there was! He raised his two massive arms, clenched all four steel covered hands and slammed them into the ground, it sent out a satisfying explosion of concrete and rubble.
The tuff one lost his footing and was thrown back. Goliath then reached out his hands and gripped him with all four hands. The tuff one fought and pulled at his confinement but Goliath's grip was stronger.
"Let's see how tuff you really are." Goliath questioned out loud.
He began to tighten his grip. And the tough one kicked harder in his iron grip, tighter Goliath squeezed until the man let out a cry of pain as some of his rock-like skin began to crack.
Goliath frowned when the yelling suddenly stopped. Goliath lessened his grip and held the limp body of the tuff one by his head.
"Hmrrr done already..." Goliath said disappointment in his voice.
Blue had told him not to kill anyone here. But he couldn't stop now. Not when he hadn't had a good fight in years!
"I want more!!!" Goliath snarled at the unconscious tuff one, when he didn't respond. His anger only grew.
Weaklings, that's all that were here!
The sound of footsteps on metal turned Goliath's attention away from the disappointment in his hand and towards the back of the building.
One of the little ones had been trying to sneak off. Hiding in the small metal and glass box.
Goliath looked back at the tuff one he held in his hand, when a thought occurred to him.
If he attacked the little ones again, maybe more would come to fight them.
"Yes, bring more!!"
Goliath turned back to the metal box, and with all his strength. He threw the rock man like... Well a rock, right at the metal box that exploded in a satisfying collapse.
"HUAHAHA!! BRING THEM TO ME!!!!!"
"BRING THEM TO ME!!!" Bellowed the villain's loud voice, not even slightly muffled from the metal walls. Just moments prior, something exploded out the back of the building. Collapsing almost the entire back wall. Where Perran knew where Brick Forge's office once stood.
"C-cougi..." Perrans stifling fear was now replaced with worry.
Cougi was in there, he could be hurt. Perran pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the pain of his bad leg he began running to the now open back section of the building. Ignoring the warnings in his head before they had a chance to lock him in place again.
He couldn't just stand by, he had to do something now! He pressed his body against the thoughts that had locked him down before, and at night he was at the bar.
Perran turned the corner with practiced caution. Peaking around all the destruction he saw the giant villain was picking up entire shelves of metal work and bending them like they were paper clips. If he was doing that then where was Jukis?
He didn't see Brick Forge or Tomora either. Had they all gotten out already? Was Cougi even in here anymore? Was he about to charge in here blindly with no reason to be.
He honestly hoped that was the case. He cautiously moved into the building using one of the larger chunks of wall as a hiding spot. He looked to the overhang office that now was a pile of broken beams, scattered paper, and broken furniture.
Perran was just about to leave back out the back when he didn't see anyone until a small patch of red skin was seen sticking out between some of the metal beams.
Cougi was still in there. And he was trapped.
Perran didn't waste what little time both of them had and began to move slowly through the metal scraps. It was like climbing through an oversized kids playset. Except full of broken glass. Perran was grateful he hadn't removed his thick leather gloves or leather coat yet from work; it provided excellent protection from all the sharp edges, allowing him to move a little quicker through the hazards.
Perran winced however, every time his boots crushed some glass under his weight.
But it seemed the Villain was too occupied with his mindless destruction at the other end of the building to notice so far.
Perran moved to the top of the pile and found Cougi under the metal beams that had once been the window panel. He was buried pretty deep with only his scaled hand sticking up just high enough for him to see it.
"cougi... cougi!...." Perran tried to rouse him. He stuck his arm down into the pile but could only reach Cougis' shoulder. He shook him a few times before Cougi let out a cough of dust, the second one burst with some flame as his talent reactivated.
Perran had to flinch away from the burst or else lose his eyebrows.
"Gah kah! Kah! W-what happened?" Cougi tried to move but the metal around him had sealed him in, he could barely even move his head.
"Cougi, are you alright?" Asked Perran, he wanted to make sure he wasn't too injured because that could just worsen the injuries.
"P-perran?... Perran?! What are you doing here? Are the heros here?" Cougis voice seemed to grow with strength as he came more around. He looked around his confinements and tried to move, but he was almost entirely pinned in place.
Perran knew he wasn't gonna get out of there without some serious strength.
When Cougi finally realized his predicament his head layd back down against the ruble.
"Well, that's not good."
"Are you alright?"
"I-I think so, I haven't had my limit break since high school. My head is still a little foggy."
"Can you use your talent?"
Cougi looked up through the twisted metal pretzel that was laying on top of him, he thought about Perrans question and realized he felt cold. He felt the cold night air on his skin which gave him goosebumps. Something he hadn't experienced in years.
"My fire is still out... It took a few minutes for it to return before I could use it again the last time this happened."
Perran nodded his head and began to look around again. Cougi wasn't sure what he was doing up there.
Pressed against the ground Cougi could feel the villain's footsteps, big heavy thumps shifted the metal on him just slightly. It began to press down on him a bit harder.
If the villain was still out there than Perran was still in danger, he shouldn't be here. If Cougi had been slower and quieter he might have been able to call for help, and Perran would be safely outside. He couldn't let Perran get hurt or worse, without a Talent limit that villain would tear him apart like he did to that door.
"P-Perran..." It was a bit harder to speak now as the metal was pressing on his chest.
"I-I didn't get to finish the call... The hero's won't come in time... You need to get out of here...."
But Perran didn't react like he heard him, his head was still moving from side to side, looking for something but Cougi wasn't sure what.
"Perran! There's nothing you can do, you gotta get to safety!"
Once again ignoring him Perran turned around and even through the rubble Cougi could see an Idea appear on his face.
"Hold on cougi, I might know how to get you out."
"Perran No!" But Perran disappeared from the opening without another word and Cougi heard him make his way through the metal.
Damn it, sometimes he thought Perran didn't fully grasp that he was talentless. Working in a place like this was evident enough of that.
Cougi tried to jumpstart his fire inside him. Perhaps now that he was older he could start using his talent a lot sooner now. He tried to let out a fire breath but only a few sparks and heat comparable to a hair dryer left his mouth. He kept trying desperately over and over, each time feeling the temperature increase slightly, and his body began to heat up.
This was gonna take awhile.
Perran saw what he needed to get Cougi out from under the rubble, the only problem was that the ceiling winch wasn't attached to the ceiling anymore.
The large rolled up cable box laid in a heap on the ground just outside the large rubble pile that the office made. He took his time moving over to it, using the more solid pieces to step on and using the now bent and broken forge as cover.
The Giant Villain still was tearing each shelf apart piece by piece, and throwing the carnage through the walls. Most of the other side of the forge looked very similar to the collapsed wall section Perran was at.
He wouldn't have long before he made his way back over to this section.
Perran grabbed the metal box and cursed under his breath when he grabbed at the electrical cable to the box. Two large black and red cables frayed and cut stuck out.
If only you had a electrical talent.
The thought was mocking, and almost made Perran give up on his original idea. If this plan was a dead end, then he'd have to think of something else. There was no way he could pull any of that metal work off Cougi. Maybe Brick Forge and Tomora could, but he wasn't sure where they were. He hoped they were safe, and getting help, but that only left him...
But perhaps the villain could help instead....
Cougi was now gasping for air, the constant taking deep breaths and blowing as hard as he could only made him even more light headed. But on that last one his flame did last a bit longer. The tongue-like shape of it licked the edges of one of the beams with his fire and turned it red hot.
Cougi had to rest, less he risked breaking his limit again and passing out.
He still felt the villains step every now and again. Each heart stopping thump makes him fear the next one will finally cause everything to fall down around him and crush him under all the weight.
When Perran didn't come back for a few minutes, he assumed that he had taken his warning and gotten out of there. Leaving him alone.
Cougi was scared.
He's experienced villain attacks before, but heros always showed up just in time. Why weren't they here now? Surely the call and the sudden hang up should have led to some urgency. Cougi wasn't sure how long he'd been out for, but it was no shorter than five minutes. What would happen if they didn't come at all? Was he really gonna die here?
He rested for what felt like a few minutes before returning to his own efforts to free himself. It wasn't like him to just sit around and do nothing. This next breath was much brighter and glowed a white almost blue hue. The bar that pinned his arm to the ground began to glow red hot, and after a few seconds of continual exposure to his heat, began to glow brighter than he'd ever seen before.
Cougi decided to risk it and push him limits, he strained his fire and throat, constricting the flame to a more concentrated flow. It took a few minutes but eventually the metal began to warp from the heat. But it wasn't enough to get his arm free, so he continued to blow at the same spot until, to his own amazement, the beam began to melt.
"Haha!... Cough.. Cough... Ah,, I don't believe it! I can melt steel!!" Brick Forge never let him go as hot as he could, told him to always conserve his strength for endurance over temperature. He also said he's never seen a fire breath talent users ever reach the temperatures required to metal through steel, not even amongst heroes.
I guess the three years of continual use of my talent at this job caused an adaptation. Cougi thought happily to himself.
It took a few minutes and painful movements, but he was able to get his right arm free. The molten slag from the now sliced pipe dripped and cooled around him.
He moved to start working on his other arm when a familiar face appeared over him.
"Perran?! Why are you still here?"
Cougis worries redoubled now as he realized Perran hadn't done what he said to and just left him.
"I know how to get you out... Oh you got your arm out, that's great! Here, tie this around the biggest metal beam." Promptly ignoring Cougis words, again, Perran began lowering down what Cougi recognized as the winch cable Perran used to lift all the pipes onto their shelfs.
Cougi couldn't help but let out a laugh of relief. "Not a bad idea Perran, that thing can lift easily twice this thing's weight, it'll take me out in no time." For the first time since being trapped Cougi started to feel some hope again.
Perrans mouth curled down slightly, before going back to a smile. But Cougi caught it.
"W-whats the matter?" Cougi probed, hoping that maybe he just misjudged Perrans' expression.
"Um.. well the winch isn't really.. 'Working'... But don't worry I have another idea."
"What other idea?"
"The villains gonna pull you out instead." Perran said with a smile that seemed more uncertain than Cougi would have wanted to see.
"I'm sorry, WHAT?!" Cougi asked. Perran couldn't be suggesting getting the villains help to pull him out was he?
"Just stay put, err.. I guess you don't have a choice... Anyways, once the cable goes tight, and you feel it start to lift, you'll need to move fast. The right side has the least rubble so that should be the easiest way out."
"Wait Perran you can't seriously be thinking of getting close to the Villian!! He'll kill you!"
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Perrans face disappeared from the opening. But Cougi heard Perran say something before leaving.
"I already have experience."
Perran moved back to the cable box for the winch. Grabbing a bent metal pipe he pried it open. The rolled up cables were coiled around a rod. Reaching in he tried to lift the bundle of cables, but only managed to move a few of the strands.
"Gahhh! that's like two hundred pounds of cables.." Perran was already out of breath just trying to move what he could.
He was hoping to hold the whole thing to wrap around the villains legs, but now seeing that was a stupid idea, Perran had to change his strategy a bit.
Instead of grabbing the whole thing he found the end where it connected to the rod, and began uncoiling it from the other end. When he had about fifty pounds of cord he slung the bundle over his shoulder like a backpack made of metal.
The weight of the cables were digging into his shoulder and neck and the uneven strands made it hard to move quietly as he stumbled often, but luckily the villain's aggravation only seemed to make him louder and less aware of his surroundings.
Alright, here goes nothing.
Perran moved away from the safe cover of his hiding spot and moved to the backside of the villian. The sheer size of the man made Perran stop for a few moments, Making him really start to consider the risks of his plan.
The villain began to turn to the side where Perran was, Perran quickly limped to stay behind the villain, his slow but heavy movements were easy to predict and didn't cause much trouble to stay in his blind spot.
Perran held the cable tight in his hands now, He only had a few feet left, if this didn't wrap around he'd have to risk going back to loosen more. Watching the villain's movements from behind he waited for him to lift up another pile of pipes before moving in. The villain raised his hands above his head and began crushing the pipes like paper. Twisting and snapping them. All while muttering in his deep voice.
"Heros... Not HERE!.... I destroy stuff.... And they should come... Why aren't they here?!..."
Perran moved forward with as much speed he could manage. He ran in-between his legs and by looking up, just barely moved out of the way intime as one of the broken off parts of a shelf fell and landed with a loud clattering that hurt his ears.
The villain's head was still focused upward, so Perran moved more to his front and wrapped the cable over the villain's metal boot.
He made it back to his back side and was prepared to go for another loop when the cable went tight, with a loud Thwankkkkk as it tightened and hit the metal debris scattered across the floor.
The room suddenly became very silent.
Perran's whole body froze, as he felt something shift behind him.
His head turned slowly, an involuntary action but he couldn't stop himself as he gazed back and up at the monstrous smile that looked down at him.
"Found you..." The villain said, each word filled with malice intent.
Perran swallowed hard. The crushing grip he'd been fighting off this whole time now ceased his entire body once more, locking him in place, in the sight of the monster that was now, most likely going to kill him.
"Finally.... Now they will send the heros for me to fight!"
The villain reaches out its double handed arm. Each fist about half the size of Perran.
Move, Move, Move! You have to move!
Don't. Move.
The thoughts in his mind contradict each other. An argument he didn't even feel he was a part of.
The hands approached slowly, everything felt like it was going in slow motion.
His own memories flashed in his mind, being in a similar situation years back, a repeat of the past.
He just wanted to help, he wanted to save... Cougi... Cougi was still in here!
Move! Move! Duck!!
Perran let his bad leg buckle under his own weight. The hands missed him only by the span of a few inches.
Falling to the side, he tucked and rolled under the cable and holding the other end of it wrapped it around. Tying the fastest knot he could think of.
"Grahhh! Stop moving and die!" The villain's hands moved again towards him, their immense size blocking out the lights over Person's head.
Perran quickly began crawling in-between the villain's leg and moved to his back side again. Trying to stay in his blindspot.
"Grahaha!!! Get back here!" The villain turned looking for Perran but just got angrier when he didn't see him.
Goliath hated being fooled! Why couldn't anyone just fight like he did! Head on.
In his anger he began stomping his foot like a child, sending huge chunks of ground and dust into the air.
"FIGHT ME HEROS!!! FIGHT ME RIGHT NOW!!!!!"
Brick Forge watched and heard the tantrum the villain was having inside the remains of his building.
His old muscles tenses at the invitation to a fight he was demanding. A hero, a hero is what he wanted, but a hero was not what Brick Forge was. Not anymore, he retired.
He held a hand over his bloodied and cracked chest. Breathing was still difficult, but Tamora's quick actions of tying his torn shirt around his chest had stopped the bleeding somewhat, but he would still need to see a doctor soon, preferably a talent user with some sort of healing ability. But even with that, his body just didn't heal like it used to.
Tomora had run off to find a phone to call for some new and fresh heros to come and help. That should sooth the villains' wants. All Brick Forge had to do was sit this one out.
Tomora returned not too long later, out of breath and bending over placing his hands on his knees he gasped out.
"I-- gahh... I got the call out.... Heros should be here.... Gahhh... soon."
"Good work... Tomora." Brick Forge coughed a few times from just trying to speak.
Out of all his workers Brick Forge liked Tomora the most. He did what he asked and always gave it his all. Not to mention he was smart, and his talent was very similar to his. Unlike Kazuki or Jukis who had rock skin, Tomoras skin was more of a dark clay like his. Perfect for the heat, and didn't scrape the metal like the others did.
He would have given the company to him if he stuck around long enough.... But now... now he had nothing.
That damn Blue... he was gonna... He'd...
Brick Forge let out another sigh, watching the villain continually tear the building apart, he burst through one of the walls. Bellowing a roar like a wild animal.
What could he do? He was an old geezer, well past his prime, who just lost his only source of income. He wasn't sure how things could possibly get worse for him.
And then, in the dust and debris, he saw him. Perran. Holding his arm, and running for his life from the villian.
"That's Perran!!" exclaimed Tomora.
That Talentless IDIOT! Brick Forge thought.
And just like that, things got worse.
Perran held his broken arm close to his body. And did his best to not trip as he ran for his literal life.
While the cable was tied around the villain's leg, there was another 20-40 feet of cable still wrapped up around where Cougi was buried that needed to be pulled tight before Cougi could escape.
So Perran did what he could and tried leading the villain into the work yard, where Brick Forge kept the much larger orders and piles. It was a big dirt patch with metal struts usually used for building skyscrapers or other large construction. These piles were stacked almost as high as a three story building. Even towering over the villain's two story height.
"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ME!! I WILL CRUSH YOU INTO NOTHING!!" The villain todeled towards him, his heavy bulky frame slowing him down, but his long stride more than made up for his lack of dexterity. Perran felt each steel boot crash just a few feet behind him, each step the angered villain took.
The ground and the tall piles shook from each step.
Perran couldn't keep the pace for much longer, but he had to keep going, he had to ensure he got Cougi out at least. He just needed to keep going, just for a bit longer.
"I'LL KILL YOU-!" The monster's threats were cut short as the cable around his foot finally tightened again with a metallic Thwankkkk and caught his foot.
The villain with all his strength and rage pulled his leg with such force that the ruble Cougi had been under was torn up and away from the pile, and sent crashing through another one of the walls.
Perran couldn't see if Cougi was able to get out because the villain was now charged towards Perran now. Anger twisting his face into a more horrifying version. The murderer's smile is now replaced with bared teeth. And bulging veins.
"I'LL CRUSH YOU AND THEN KILL YOU!!!"
The villain twisted back, curled up his fingers into two fists and took a swing at the ground where Perran was standing. Perran broke from his previous pattern of running in a straight line to maximize the cable spreading, now not having to worry about the cable Perran began to limp through the maze of piles of steel beams in an attempt to have the villain lose sight of him.
But the Villain in his charging rage just continued to gain on Perran. Every corner Perran turned the villain ran straight into it and toppled the pile of beams. Snapping their stabilization cord, which were designed to withstand strong winds and earthquakes like a thin cord of twine.
Very quickly Perrans options of escape were running out. Each escape route he moved to the villain blocked with another toppled pile.
There was only one way left Perran saw as a potential escape.
Between two of the largest towers was a small tight gap he might be able to squeeze through, so with as much haste as he could muster he moved for it.
"I WON'T LET YOU HIDE!!" The villain yelled, he was slowed by the mess of steel beams he had made, but with little ease he cleared his way through it.
Perran reached the gap and had to take a deep breath to pull in his chest a bit to just barely squeeze between the sharp metal edges. His broken arm was painfully pulled through the gap, unable to support it with his other arm it hung limply behind him as he took each slow slide step. A heavy metal punch from the villain sent Perran through the widening gap as the two piles slid sideways.
Perran was sent flying to the ground on the other side. his body did a barrel roll and he had the wind knocked out of him. Perran struggled to breathe again. His chest felt like a massive weight was keeping his lungs from working. Painfully he managed to roll on to his side and he wrapped his arm around his chest. His side was cut with a deep gash and his shirt was stained red.
Looking towards his exit. He saw the villain's gaze peering down at him through the slit. Where he had been a few moments ago was now a twisted mess of metal, concave in from the giant's massive fists.
There wasn't anything Perran could really do now except lay there.
In an odd sense Perran didn't really feel scared anymore. He did what he hoped to and freed Cougi. He also managed to stall the villain long enough that maybe police or heros would show up to save the rest.
A dark ring began to form around Perrans vision. The exhaustion and pain had finally caught up to him, and all Perran could do was curl up on the ground, and wait.
As his adrenaline rush began to dwindle Perran felt the cold breeze of the night touch his skin and face. He could smell the not so distant shore. It was rather nice. But the cooling sensation was suddenly overpowered by an intense heat.
"p----ran!---" Someone was talking.
"Ar------ k?------ Pe---an?"
Perran had to force his eyes open, it took a lot of effort.
Near one of the piles that still blocked the villain, he saw a red scaled person with a bright light emanating from his mouth. Heat poured from that way, so hot that Perran felt he was laying right next to the forge.
He blinked his eyes a few times to clear his vision.
Cougi stood next to the wall, and was blowing a blowtorch with a thin blade of fire on one of the steel stabilizing cables for the pile.
Perran wanted to tell him to leave, but his mouth wouldn't open. He was still struggling to even breathe. Each breath was painful and restricted.
Cougi maintained the flame on the cable for a few more moments until the cable melted and snapped upward with crashing Twang! as it shut upward and retracted back into the main hub. Cougi moved on the other cable and likewise blew on it until it followed suit and shut upward, melted at the holding bolt.
The tall tower creaked as the opposing straps on the side of the villain, now no longer being pulled back into alignment, began to tilt dangerously backwards over the villain.
Cougi moved to the second pile and repeated the process. While the Villian on the other side continued to try to claw his way through to him and Cougi. The punch he had delivered early, while it had opened the gap wider on Perrans end, had almost sealed it on the villains. Only allowing some of his fingers through.
Perran couldn't understand what the villain was yelling. It had devolved into just angry grunts and threats mixed with spit.
Cougi continued his work, ignoring the threats of the villain and snapped another cord. Perran watched as Cougi stumbled over to the last cable. He had to place his hand on the wall, and his shoulders moved up and down as he tried to catch his breath.
After a few deep breaths. Cougi shook his head and proceeded to produce another white hot flame from his mouth.
The last cable took longer to melt, but Cougi managed to sever it from its holding. When the cable sored upward and collided with its holding box it rung like a bell, then the whole work yard fell silent.
The only sounds Perran could hear was that of rusling dirt as Cougi slowly backed away, and the sound of Steel creaking.
The towers waved back and forth. But with each tip they leaned further back towards the opposite direction of Perran and Cougi.
The villain seemingly unaware of the danger over his head. Gave the two tower piles another double fisted punch to their bases.
Which was what finally caused their collapse.
The two piles, the tallest in all the yard, once standing three stories tall, now tumbled downwards, their massive steel beams crushing the villain under their weight and an explosion of dirt.
When Perran closed his eyes he found he was unable to open them again. He felt someone grab him however.
A strong stone like grip that had been worn down from age.
BrickForge cursed himself as he rushed towards the collapsing towers. Cougi laid unconscious on the ground a few feet away from Perran.
Fools both of them! Acting like they were some heros. They didn't know what real hero work was like. It wasn't all glamor and show, it left its mark on you. But in some Ironic realization BrickForge guessed he wasn't a hero anymore either. He'd been retired for five years now. He shouldn't even be in the area of an active villain attack.
Nevertheless he grabbed them both by the collars of their shirts and hauled them out as the piles fell not only on the villain, burying him under 200 tons of months of hard work. But also fell back towards them.
If Brick Forge hadn't intervened then they both would have died, Talent Limit or not.
He stopped running when he was certain he was clear of the collapse. It took some time but when the dust settled Brick Forge didn't see the villain get back up. He couldn't even see him at all in the mess of steel beams.
His once well organized work yard looked like an entire building collapsed. Leaving only a mess of jangled metal.
Brick Forge felt one of them start to stir in his grasp, Perrans head moved up slightly and moved side to side as he tried to figure out what had happened.
Brick Forge leaned Cougi's unconscious body against the fence, he knew he was fine, just had some cuts and bruises, but his limit break wont allow him to wake up for some time. But Perran on the other hand... He was coming to his senses quite quickly. What Brick Forge was gonna do next had to be quick. Perran was a problem that needed to be dealt with.
With not as much caution as he had shown to Cougi, Brick Forge let Perran go and dropped him to the ground.
Talentless fool let out a painful gasp as he contorted on the ground.
"Look at what you've done." Brick Forge couldn't hold the edge back in his voice now.
"Brick Forge?... Where..."
"Everything. Everything I worked for was Gone! Because of you!" Brick Forge turned away from him as he truly began to survey what remained of his life's work.
The insurance company would cover the warehouse, yes. But the large steel order for the new multi housing tower being built in Niigata lay in ruin. That order was the only chance Brick Forge had to pull this company out of the red, and maybe pay off his debts.
His Damn Debts...
Brick Forge heard Perran struggle to stand up behind him. In a quiet yet firm tone Brick Forge had never heard Perran used before he spoke back to him.
"I-- Was-- Helping.-- Cougi."
"Help.... Is this what you think helping is Perran?! Your idiotic self sacrifice cost me the one chance I had to turn my life around!"
Brick Forge turned back to face him, the action made Perran shrink back and hunch in on himself, grasping his arm close to his chest.
"I--- I just want to help..." Perran said in a much lower and defeated tone.
"Help?! Like some Hero? Is that how you see yourself Perran?! Some brave hero ready to risk his life to save someone. Well Perran you're not! You know why?! Because heros have talents, and talent they can use in a fight and limits that protect them!" Brick Forge pounded his fist into his bloodied chest, to emphasize his point.
"You don't have that protection, all you do is put yourself at risk, where anyone else would be fine. Your body simply is simply to frail to handle it."
"B-but Cougi.. was in danger. he could have died."
Brick Forges anger was rising. What wasn't this kid getting?
"Perran! Cougi is strong, his body survived what would have killed you. The only reason your even alive right now was because Cougi had to come and save you by sacrificing my companies profits! The job wasn't even the worse part, you are talentless Perran the legal ramifications from this will ruin me!"
"W-what?" Perran asked his eyes going wide now.
"In order for a company to hire a talentless person 'legally' the company has to have a specialized and expensive insurance to cover any potential medical injuries that the talentless person will incur while working a job that someone with a talent wouldn't get. I never got that insurance, Perran, I couldn't afford it, but I let that damn Hikari talk me into doing a favor for him by hiring you. I thought putting you on inventory would keep you out of trouble, but I guess you were a disaster just waiting to happen."
Brickforge placed his hands on a large container and his shoulders slumped in defeat.
"It was a mistake to let you work here."
"I-I...." Perran didn't know what he was hoping to get out of his actions tonight, deep down maybe he did because he thought Brick Forge would see him more than just a talentless worker. He had heard words like this his whole life. Everyone tried to protect him, always treated him like he was made of glass. Had he really gotten so blinded by trying to prove that he's not as fragile as everything thinks that he really didn't think about what would happen if he got hurt at work?
He peered at his broken arm and cuts. Maybe he could hide them like the other times? But that wouldn't help with the damage he had inadvertently caused. Perran wasn't thinking when leading the villain through the large piles, he was just trying to get Cougi free, and escape the villain. He didn't mean to cause all this damage. He shouldn't have done anything, he messed everything up.
"I'm... Sorry Brick Forge.... I... Guess I wasn't thinking... I-" Brick Forge raised his hand up signaling Perran to stop talking.
"For once Perran do everyone a favor and just leave and don't let anyone see you go. You'll just make it worse for us. I'll just tell the police you had the day off.... And Perran. Don't come back."
Brick Forge began walking back to the police line that had formed around the remains of his destroyed factory. He heard some slight shuffling from behind him. At first he thought it was Perran following him back to the line. He had hoped his words would have been enough to finally drive off that nuisance, but clearly he still didn't get it.
Brick Forge turned around again, ready to chew the kid out again. But when he turned back, Perran wasn't there. The only sign he had ever been there was a trail of small drops of red blood leading to the fence line.
Brick Forge let out a heavy breath like a bull as if to say good radiance, taking one last precaution, he kicked the sand over the blood trail.