There were many different kinds of villains and many different groups. Some villains, such as Metal Gears, were made up entirely of robots. Others, like Bad Timers, were made up entirely of Monsters. Then you had the even stranger groups which were made up entirely of creatures that a villain could summon.
The Crimson Devils was one such group. It had only a single villain that was in it and the rest of its members were made up entirely of villains that she would summon. She also just so happened to be the only villain Hope Lauren liked, though Hope would never admit this and kept that fact as a closely guarded secret.
Down the streets of Lillian, Red Lucy stalked forward, swinging her whip down as hard as she could. "Hahaha! Lillian, I know you're hiding the Lord. Come out and bring it to me!" Red Lucy was a young woman with long red hair that formed the outfit and whip she used. She wore what could only be described as BDSM gear, and each stroke of her hair whip cracked the ground. Behind her, she was flanked by her minions. They were large creatures that, for some reason, looked like backpacks. They were made entirely out of strands of her hair, and they had arms and legs, all of them walking forward and flexing as they did so.
Red Lucy was a very, very odd villain...
Lillian was very similar to Oleander in a lot of ways, having many different skyscrapers and streets that were spread out. Red Lucy had taken the courtesy to start her rampage on a street that was mostly empty. Anyone that had been left behind had quickly ran away when they saw that it was Red Lucy. She was a villain most people didn't want to deal with.
"Someone come fight me!" Red Lucy yelled out, waving her arms back and forth. "Seriously-" One of the little red backpacks ran forward and jumped in front of Red Lucy just in time as a wave of ice blasted out and froze it on the spot. Red Lucy stumbled back, her eyes slightly wide as she watched her creation shatter to dust. "Hey! Who did that."
"I'm really not in the mood today." A cold voice responded. Red Lucy glared up and found a floating board of ice, which Ocean Empress stood upon. The ice board came down slowly, and Ocean Empress landed on the ground in front of the villain. "You picked one of the worst days to piss me off. Instead of sitting at my daughter's bedside waiting for her to wake up or trying to help my father recover, I have to drag my ass out here and deal with you."
Red Lucy took a nervous step back when she saw the look in Ocean Empress's eyes. "W- Well... So what!" The villain let out a laugh and placed her hands on her hips. "I'm evil! Like I care about that!"
Ocean Empress took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Slowly, the woman turned around, not even bothering to look back at Red Lucy. "Get her."
Instantly, a tidal wave crashed down as the rest of team Reservoir appeared. Lillian city was one of the few cities that didn't have a Sub Enforcers team. It wasn't for any budget reason or anything like that. Instead it was simply because of the fact they didn't need any more protection. They were in good hands. Five heroes stepped out of the wave of water which had crashed down, all ready for combat.
The first was an older man dressed how you'd see your everyday fisherman to be. His name also just so happened to be Fisherman, and besides Ocean Empress, he was one of the strongest heroes in Lillian, even above Poseidon. Fisherman placed a hand on Ocean Empress's shoulder and nodded his head. "We'll handle it. You just relax."
"Fisherman is right." Next to Fisherman a massively built doctor stood, with bulging muscles which threatened to tear the lab coat he wore. Mostly strangely about him, though, was his head, which looked like an entire octopus's body, having eight tendrils that squirmed down it. His name was Doctor Kraken and he was one of the first ever monsters that switched to the side of good once the Emperor fell. "We can take care of this small fry."
"Here. Have a banana." Next to Doctor Kraken was Sea Monkey. As the name suggested, he was a straight-up monkey who had some diving gear and swim trunks on. He tried handing a banana to Ocean Empress but she turned it down.
"You're always working so hard to keep Lillian safe, and you're even keeping Oleander safe." Next to Sea Monkey was a young woman who wore a large turtle-looking backpack that had two barrels that jutted out of it. She was Hydro Cannon, and together with Doctor Kraken, they would invent all sorts of issues.
Lastly was Water-Gal, a woman with long blue hair who wore a simple swim suit. Water-Gal gave a thumbs up to Ocean Empress. "While you keep Oleander safe, team Resorvior will keep your city safe. We're an extension of you!"
Ocean Empress managed to give a faint smile, and she nodded her head, recreating her board of ice, which began to rise into the air. "Thank you all. I'm needed in Oleander, so I really appreciate it."
Fisherman slung his fishing pole over his shoulder and smiled. "We'll be waiting for you when you get back." Once Ocean Empress was gone, Fisherman turned to look back at Red Lucy, and he glared at the woman. He wasn't the only one, either. The entire team stared back at the villain in anger, causing the confused girl to take several steps back. "You made our precious team leader mad on a day when she should be with her family."
Sea Monkey took a bite of his banana. "You're about to get one hell of an ass beating lady." The monkey stomped his foot down, and a wave of sand suddenly blasted out as the surrounding area shifted into that of beachfront.
"I don't even know what's going on." Red Lucy hissed and cracked her whip down. "And I don't care! Why? Because I'm evil!" She declared happily. "Get them!" The backpacks all flexed and then began to charge forward, jumping at the villains.
Fisherman swung his pole out smacking one. "Let's do this team!"
"Yeah!" The others all declared.
Water-Gal's body shifted and twisted, suddenly turning into a wave of water, allowing her to pass through several of the backpack monsters. As she phased through them, she soaked them all in water just in time for Doctor Kraken to pull out one of his gadgets. The squid man fired out a beam of lightning from a gun he had stored away which shocked and stunned several of the creatures. While they spasmed and twisted, Hydro Cannon spun herself in a circle, her cannons aiming down and letting out a thin beam of water that easily sliced through all the constructs, ripping them to shreds. In only a matter of seconds, they had already gotten rid of all of Red Lucy's creations.
The villain yelled out in anger and swung her whip down, but she was stopped as the sand around them twisted and rose up, Sea Monkey turning it into a large hand which gripped tightly onto the woman. Before she could react further she suddenly felt a cutting sensation across her body as Fisherman appeared behind her with inhuman speed and used his pole to tie her up with a super thin razor wire. His wire glowed, and then a moment later, a large shark stabbed its way out of the ground, opening its mouth wide and pulling Red Lucy's lower half in.
"Move an inch, and either my razor wire will slice you to bits, or my pet shark will eat you." The Fisherman tipped his hat again and gave a grin. "What's it going to be, pretty lady?"
Red Lucy's body shook a bit, and tears fell down her face as she let out a loud cry. "F- Fine! I give up you big meanies! I- I hate you all!"
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Team Resorvior successfully kept Lillian safe.
Meanwhile, in the air above the city, Ocean Empress allowed herself to fly toward her destination. Oleander and Lillian really were alike. They had some differences here and there, but both cities relied on one another and were connected through a large bridge that allowed people to come and go as they pleased in either city. The other great cities were mostly separated. Some were near one another, but besides Oleander and Lillian, no other city was connected in the same manner.
Because of that fact, it was only natural for her, that she finds herself protecting both cities when she's able to. After all, it was her duty. Her responsibility. She had the power to do so, and of course, she'd follow through.
She had wanted to head straight for her father. Both her daughter and her dad were now in a hospital. Her father stubbornly refused to leave Oleander, even after the Oleander hospital wasn't in a good condition to hold him anymore. She managed to get him to go back to Lillian, where Boy Genius could treat him, and yet her father was already back in his old ways and staying in a barely functional hospital.
Because of what Zoo and the Bad Timers did, Oleander wasn't in the best state right now. Several of its heroes were running around constantly trying to put out fires and other disasters that had been caused. It had only been a few nights since all the fighting, yet Ghost's rampage was still having an effect. That villain had continued to blow himself up, over and over again, spreading flames everywhere, until he had eventually been stopped.
"I should have come sooner." Ocean Empress floated above the city and stared down at it with a bit of sadness. Smoke was rising up constantly and fire was still spreading. She could create water, so she could have solved all of this a while ago, but instead, she had stayed next to her daughter's side, not helping Oleander or Lillian. "I need to get to work-" She stopped suddenly when she saw something that caught her eye.
Down below on one of the streets, she saw a flicker of gold. The same sort of energy the Victorian was always using. It flared up and then several golden barriers appeared around the flames and squeezed all the oxygen out putting the fires out. Again and again, a golden flash would happen as a golden blur ran through the city. It eventually took a break though, running all the way to the top of a building.
The man in red stood, and breathed, catching his breath as he rubbed his chest and wiped some blood away from his nose.
With a sigh, Ocean Empress lowered herself down from her board and landed on the roof next to the man. He didn't bother to look back at her, and she quietly stood next to him looking down at Oleander. "Where's the rest of your team?" She asked finally.
Battery gave a lazy shrug. "Somewhere. We all split up. Whisper is with Myth, and the kid is with Snowdawn. We're all just trying to put these fires out." He finally looked back at her. "I'm glad you're here."
"You are?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. You can help put out the flames."
"Oh. Oh yeah."
"What? Did you think there was a different reason?" Battery snorted.
Ocean Empress just shrugged and waved her hand out, shooting out several bullets of water, which exploded across the city, putting out several of the fires. "How many have you done so far?" She asked casually.
"How many fires have I managed to put out?"
"Yeah?"
"I dunno, I haven't been keeping track of them all." Battery shrugged. "Why do you want to know?"
Ocean Empress gave him a slight grin. "Because. I'd like to put out more fires than you." Battery made a face at her. "What? What's with that look?" She asked.
"You have water powers. Of course, you'll put out more fires than me." He responded flatly.
"So? You have the same light as the Victorian."
"Not exactly, see it's- Eh, never mind." Battery sighed and closed his eyes before opening them as a golden spark danced across his body. "Okay then. I'll start counting."
"Huh?"
"My goal is to put out more flames than you, right?" Battery's entire body glowed, and he grinned. "Good luck keeping up with my speed." And then, in an instant, he was gone, flying down the street and putting out dozens of fires.
Ocean Empress stood there for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle and stepping off the roof. The water danced and twisted off her body, and she launched it out in waves, helping put out all the flames. It took the two of them only a single hour to put out the rest of the flames that had popped up around Oleander. They had covered the entire city, and any time there was someone who was in trouble, they stopped at nothing to save that person.
As if they were real heroes.
By the end of it, Battery had managed to put thirty-three flames. Ocean Empress had stopped counting once she hit the sixties. She had won by a landslide. The real winner, though, was Snowdawn, who somehow put out one hundred and four fires with the help of Whisper and Cinder. However, neither Battery nor Ocean Empress knew of that fact.
Once she was finally done with that, Battery gave a nod to her, and she went back into the air, standing on her block of ice. Eventually Ocean Empress made her way over to the hospital that held her father. It was in need of repairs, and several Cleanup crew members were scattered around it, doing their best to fix it up. Even after everything that had happened, Oleander was putting itself back together, piece by broken piece.
Ocean Empress entered through the window and took a seat next to her father's side. Old Dog, also known as Adam Sini, silently stared up at the roof, not saying anything to her.
"...Dad."
"What?" Adam grunted out, not bothering to look at his daughter.
"Come back to Lillian with me."
"I'll pass." Old Dog pulled the blanket further up his body. "I heard what Boy Genius said. I'm out of time. I'm dying. And if I'm gonna die, it's going to be in Oleander."
"This hospital can't help you right now. Please, come to Lillian; we'll get you a better room and make sure you're more comfortable."
Old Dog snorted and rolled over so he wasn't facing her. "Just let me die. I don't need saving. Not anymore. Not in the world we live in." He closed his eyes and did his best to remember a better time. Fifteen years ago, he had been happy. He had fought alongside Full Monarch and dealt with all manners of threats. He had battled the Beast from Space, Lucifer, the Emperor, you name it, and he fought it alongside the original Enforcers. "When I die I'll tell your mom hello. Actually, I'm going to hell for sure, so I guess I won't be seeing her." The old man snorted and let out a weak laugh at his joke.
"Dad."
Adam slowly managed to turn over and reached out, poking his daughter on the forehead. "Seriously. Stop crying over me. This happens to everyone. I lived a long life. I had you when I was well past my prime. The fact I made it to see you grow up and have children of your own is more then I could have asked for. So please, stop worrying about this old dying mutt and worry about yourself. You have a life ahead of you. Take care of your kids, and find a second husband or something to settle down with and live a happy and long life. That's the only thing you have to do for me."
Ocean Empress reached up and took her father's hand, holding it for several seconds. "Sky isn't okay."
"W- What?" Old Dog sat up instantly and groaned, his weak body struggling to move. "What do you mean she's not okay?"
"She hasn't woken up in two days now..."
Old Dog stayed silent and finally nodded his head. "Alright then." He groaned. "I'll go to Lillian."
"You will?"
"I won't like it... I would like to see them again, though. My sweet granddaughters."
Ocean Empress smiled and stood up. "Thank you."
Old Dog closed his eyes and sighed. "Don't think me. You guilt tripped me into coming with you."
"Maybe." The woman chuckled and stepped out of the room, giving her father some peace. She was about to find a nurse to let them know he'd be transferred, but she stopped when she saw another woman standing outside in the hallway. A woman with raven black hair who stood quietly in front of a door. "Mrs. Lauren? What are you doing here?"
Jane Lauren, mother of Hope Lauren, jumped and let out a squeak when she heard the voice. She spun around and stared with wide eyes at Ocean Empress. "O- Oh Ms. hero." Jane felt her heart settle down, and she cleared her throat. "You're the mother of Paragon, right? I saw you a while ago. Sorry, I- Well, the hospital transferred my husband here." Jane explained.
"Oh. I see. Is he in that room?" Ocean Empress nodded to the door Jane stood in front of.
"Yeah. He is." Jane looked back at the door.
Ocean Empress stepped forward and stood next to the woman. She looked through the glass that was on the door that allowed her to see past it. Inside, a young sixteen-year-old raven haired girl lay in the bed next to Alexander Lauren. The two of them were holding hands and talking about something. Despite how much pain he must have been in, Alexander still had a large smile on his face and laughed as he held his daughter's hand.
"Do you know when Paragon will be able to try again..." Jane asked quietly.
Ocean Empress turned away from the woman, unable to look her in the eyes. "I'll let you know when I can. I'm sorry. So, so sorry..."
And with those words, Ocean Empress left the Lauren's, so they could have a moment to themselves.
A soft beep echoed from her pocket, and she let out a sigh. "About time Tori. I was wondering when you'd call for us all."