What Kind of Pain Hurts Worst
As Delzigade began their worldwide offensive, the MGSA Navy had kept the invasion force at bay. However, Admiral Nolan had a "special" request for support. Standing on the deck of the MGSS Wisconsin was Irongrail Archie. The armor's red and white cape flowed illustriously behind him.
"Admiral."
"Irongrail Archie, welcome aboard the Battleship Wisconsin. Normally, I'd have asked for Perseverance, but you seem like the right person for this task."
The two made their way over to the mapping table before the Admiral began again.
"Delzigade has several destroyer-classed ships in the water, all of which are being escorted by an unknown number of fighters and such. It's rumored that their High Commander is aboard one of the vessels. We know..."
"ADMIRAL, SIR! DELZIGADE VESSELS INCOMING!"
"BATTLE STATIONS! FULL RED ALERT! Ensign, I want all of every goddamn gun on this boat aimed at them."
"Ay, Sir."
As the vessels approached, the crew of the Wisconsin and the MGSS Texas radioed them on every open channel. In addition to their response of silence, their vessels opened fire on the MGSA naval vessels. In moments, several MGSA ships began sinking. It wasn't supposed to happen like this... the MGSA vessels were US ships overhauled and made even better. However, as it became clear that the MGSS Texas and MGSS Wisconsin were the only ships left in the sector, Delzigade revealed their full invasion force.
"Admiral! Pull the ships back... I'll draw their attention."
"Irongrail... they..."
"Sir! Several heavily armored Zeppelins are headed towards us overhead!"
"GET OUT OF HERE ADMIRAL!" Yelled Archie as he launched into the sky with help from the armor's flight pack. The armor's warning system began to drone as Irongrail Archie hovered in front of the now-visible legion of Zeppelins heading for America. On the bow of the lead zeppelin, stood High Commander Titus of Delzigade. He leaped off the bow and joined Irongrail Archie in the air.
"At last, America is within our grasp."
"Far from it. We kneel to no one but the Lord, our God."
"Right... So you plan on fighting us then? Is that really wise?"
"Far wiser than allowing you to step on foot upon our sovereign soil."
Archie dodged an attack from Titus and fired off a punch that caught the fascist by surprise. "On the names of the wife and son I lost, you shall never see let alone set foot on American Soil!" Archie's attacks were fast, but all for show.
"I just hope he gets here soon... Otherwise this will get ugly..." Thought Archie. However, a glint of light caught his eyes. Titus watched as the older man jumped back, and grinned with his wrist blade extended, but as his eyes refocused on Irongrail Archie, the older man dropped out of the sky, having shut off his armor's thrusters, and was replaced by an angered Perseverance, who sent Titus streaking towards space with a power hit from a sledgehammer.
"SO," yelled out the hero, "YOU CAME LOOKING FOR WAR, DIDDYA? WELL! I'D BE HAPPY TO PLAY!" Perseverance locked the hammer on his back and fired himself into the air. The Innovators of Speed vestiges kept pace with him. "Thank you, all of you."
"Just ensure you kick his butt!" Said Amelia Earhart. Perseverance smiled and rocketed towards Titus.
[Flashback: Several Days before the Death of Rothschild]
"You studied me?" Gasped Amelia Earhart as she sat next to Perseverance.
"Of course. I was enthralled by the way you pushed boundaries and shattered expectations. Call it what you will, but I always saw you... felt a kind of connection to you that I couldn't explain. Not to mention your hairstyle reminds me of my grandma's."
Amelia laughed and pushed her hair up. "She must have been some woman to have this kind of special place near and dear to your heart." She suddenly stopped and looked at Perseverance. Tears ran down the hero's cheeks but he had a smile on his face.
"She was... While I really don't understand love as a feeling or as an emotion, I can understand what she gave me. It was pure, and at times disappointed, but never hurtful or empty."
"Well," Smiled Amelia, "I'm glad you experienced that..." The pilot's vestige paused for a moment before then winked at him. "Wanna know the secret to faster flight?"
"Yes! Please, ma'am!"
[End of the Flashback]
As Perseverance caught up with Titus, the word "Now" cut across the radio frequency. Suddenly an explosion rocked them both, tossing Perseverance and Delzigade's Demon aside, revealing a massive fleet of ships from around the globe with a single being hovering before them.
"How predictable. The Alpha Fascist of the Eastern Hemisphere and the Meritocratic Champion of the Western Hemisphere, fighting each other rather than focusing on peace with change. How fitting each of you should be taking your last breaths here." Called out Sundeep and a figure who themselves, Retributive Penance.
"Sundeep... What are you..."
"Seizing my moment. Oh and don't worry, Ottawa was far easier to break than some city in California." The Tech-Tycoon's grin was my by Perseverance's gaze of horror. The Hero was frozen in fear of what his friend had done. "Oh! Perseverance! Allow me to introduce you to my vast number of creations! ENJOY THE HELLFIRE!"
At that moment missiles, bullets, drones, lasers, and a second robot bigger and stronger than Constitution unleashed a seemingly endless onslaught of firepower at Perseverance. The Hero blocked and dodged what he could, doing his best to keep vital organs from being stuck and/or obliterated. The Admiral and Irongrail Archie looked up at the hero with worry. However, with a uniform nod, the USS Wisconsin and Irongrail Archie both launched simultaneous attacks on the two aggressors. The unnamed being turned to face them both, despite Sundeep's warnings to not engage Archie. As the onslaught paused for a moment, Perseverance looked over to see the Admiral, his best friend who had no powers of his own, with his desert eagle hand cannon drawn to protect Archie and the rest of the crew.
"WHAT'S THE MATTER YOU FUCK!? SCARED OF A POWERLESS MAN?! HUH!" COME ON! JUST TRY IT YOU FAKE!"
However, the being's resolve was tested and blocked by Archie taking a hand through the chest... Sundeep needed no power to feel the intense amount of rage exploding through the veins of the hero behind him. "YOU IDIOT! WHAT HAVE YOU..." Sundeep was cut off by Perseverance's roar of seething rage.
"FOLKLORE AND AMERICAN HERITAGE...OVERLOAD PSYCHOSIS!" The hero's neck was pierced by injections of Combination X and his lungs inhaled the Noradrenaline induction chemical as his labored breaths filled the still air.
"You know, Sundeep," said the hero as his body and mind succumbed to the effects of his move, "Marvin Heemeyer... was right... Sometimes Reasonable Men... Must Do Unreasonable Things."