I gave him a kick, like a soccer ball, aiming for a field far east of my current position. The resulting crack as my foot connected caused a sonic backlash and more damage to the surrounding structures.

The Muerte soared, ass over elbows, towards the field I’d aimed for, and another burst of super sonic flight had me waiting for the monster like a batter waiting for just the right pitch. As it came into range, I rotated a full three hundred and sixty degrees in the air, lashing out with an axe handle kick, that sent the Muerte streaking into the ground like a comet, causing a crater in the once beautiful field.

I hovered down to the crater. To it’s credit, the Muerte was trying to struggle to get out of it, but I could see the micro-fractures in its exoskeletal carapace. One good hit, and this THING would splatter in a gush of so much green goop.

The rush of air, and sound of propulsion told me someone else had arrived, and I turned to regard who it was, not recognizing the costume, “Are you wanting a free hit before I destroy this pile of shit?” I asked the black and gold-clad stranger.

The helmeted head shook, and a metallic robot-like voice came out of it, “No, I just came to watch you throw away your morals, like the criminals you normally put in prison do.”

 I froze, and floated slowly to the ground. Was what I was doing wrong? Muerte is a dangerous and homicidal creature, that threatens the people of Dream Haven and the West End, if not the planet. I was pretty sure it should be destroyed, but...was I the one to make that decision?

”Who are you to stop me from ending this filth? It and it’s ilk have killed hundreds, and they will continue to spread unless they are stopped. For good.” I jerked around to glare at the Muerte, ”I’m gonna destroy every last one of them, so they NEVER hurt another person again!” I yelled in outrage at the abomination in front of me. I was crying now. It was all too much. Too much loss in too short a time.

The helmeted head cocked to the side and the figure stepped in front of me, “Me? I’m Golden Condor, but I’m nobody to stop you. I couldn’t if I tried, though I might be able to delay you a bit. No, I’m not here to stop you. I’m here to make you remember why you started doing this to begin with. Was it to kill monsters? Uphold the law? Or was it to help people, and give them something to believe in? Something to admire? A standard to try and live up to. A hero?”

I nodded my head and hung it in shame. I had let my anger, worry, and broken heart get in the way of what mattered most. “I...I don’t know if I can get back to what I was...” I whispered, and slumped to the ground.

The helmet nodded, and squatted down, “It will take some time. You’ll have to earn their trust again, but people will see you for who you are. A good person, and a hero. But not if you go around killing things. It doesn’t matter if they are aliens, demons, faeries, or the boogie man, if you go on some kind of crusade killing things, that’s all you’ll be known for. Not the hero you want to be.”

”Who are you that you know so much about me?” I asked this Golden Condor who seemed so familiar.

”Let’s just say we have some mutual friends who wouldn’t want you giving up on them just yet.” He stood up from his crouch and offered a hand, which I accepted and stood. “Oh, and you may want to cover those up. They are quite spectacular, but I doubt the general public needs to see your girls in such a fashion.” 

I looked down, and saw that my uniform, if that’s what it could be called at this point, was barely hanging on, and my boobs were on display for God and everyone to see. I gasped and covered myself with my arms and hands, “Shit! Um... I don’t suppose you have an extra shirt or something in that belt of yours?”

Condor laughed, which sounded all the more strange with the robotic voice modulation, “Uh, no, sorry. And even if I did, I don’t think I’d have one that would fit you and those puppies.”

”HEY!” I screeched, “They aren’t THAT big!”

“Sweetheart, those are pornstar tits. And anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.” The humor in his voice was obvious, but he was also not the type to pull his punches, which meant he was being honest, *brutally* so.

”Fine, then instead of tipping me with dollar bills you can use that fancy suit of yours to fly back to town and get me a shirt and some pants.” I smiled.

“From where? Do I look like I carry wallet and ID around in this thing?” His posture genuinely made him seem dumbfounded, so I gave it to him the easy way.

“Go to the Rads and Radicals building. Land on top and wait. Within about 2.6 minutes a squad of security will show up asking about your business. Tell them you want to speak to Ms. Brooks on Lady Quantum’s behalf. Once she gets there she will ask you for a code word. Tell her Queen Amazing. Then she will help you with whatever you need. Which in this case is getting me a change of clothes.”

He sighed, “Okay fine, but you owe me one, and I’m going to collect, probably soon.” He turned and golden wings spread from a section on his back. A moment later he was a spec on the horizon back towards the city.

I turned to the Muerte nearby, “And you, my grotesque friend, are going into a tube for study. So that we will never have to deal with you again.”

* * * * *

Condor made it back without a hitch, though according to him Kendra was extremely amused by my loss of uniform, and said that it served me right for all the damage I’d caused.

I have to say, I wish I would have been more attentive to the cries of the innocents, or the damage I was causing, but I was focused on the Muerte' and the fact that it had killed Anne, and possibly Alessia, and that drove me past the point of rational thought into the blind rage I found myself in. I suppose I have a better insight into how a person might just snap and become a criminal in a moment of unclear thought now. I’m not particularly sure I liked having that information.

 I took the Muerte back to Rads and Radicals to be put into a cryo stasis tube for study. The fact that Golden Condor followed me meant that he was probably gonna call in his favor sooner than I expected, but that also meant that I could mess with him.

Sure enough after the Muerte was put away; “We need to talk.” the helmeted head told me matter-of-factly.

”Yeah yeah, I was wondering when the other shoe was gonna drop. What do you want? Because I’m not doing nude pictures for you. You’ll put that shit up on the internet and it’ll be there forever!” I grumped.

”What?! NO! Not that nude pictures of you wouldn’t be cool, but NO, that is NOT what I want. I want you to help me find Professor Rupert Stearns."
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See also these that have led up to this:

   

Mature Content

 

Mature Content

 

Mature Content

 

 Judgement and also...;

Back to Life 01,  Back to Life 02,  Back to Life 03 

Anne Friedland aka Network, Alessia Bellina Troisi aka Tyche, and Professor Rupert Stearns are care of  and are used with permission.

Art, story, Muerte', Golden Condor, and Lady Quantum is care of yours truly  and can only be used with express permission. They can normally be found roaming the streets and skies of  in the city of  causing trouble. All rights reserved.

Protecting the Multiverse, one battle at a time.

From left to right:

The buff and beautiful, prescient Tyche by

The time and dimension-hopping, powerhouse Lady Quantum by

The furry, muscled, super soldier, Tora the Tigress by

The heart-stopping Warrior of Beauty Viona by

and last but certainly not least, 

The lady in red, Enchantress of Heartshorn Aura Lockhaven by

Art is care of yours truly and can only be used with express permission.