What We Fight For

Terra's ears were ringing. Her vision was blurry.

Lobo: The fuck happened to her?!

Tempest: I don't know!

Lobo: Get her into the medbay!

Simon: She had no orders! How did that happen?

Lobo: Everyone out! I have to work on this in the quiet!

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra opened her eyes. She went to stand up. But immediately laid back down. She had one of her arms in a sling, and bandages around her stomach.

Lobo: Don't move.

Lobo was on a computer, reporting Terra's status.

Lobo: I had to heal you. But you aren't going to be throwing kicks for a little while.

Terra: What?

Lobo: You heard me.

Terra: What happened? What day is it?

Lobo: You collapsed at the door a couple days ago. You had severe wounds from gunshots, your chest was nearly caved in, and you had a shitton of arrows wedged into you. What the hell happened? Was it...Artemis related?

Terra: It was. How long were you with Artemis?

Lobo: For about ten years. Why?

Terra: Was there a girl named Delta there?

Lobo: Ugh, old Delta. She was apparently raised by Artemis since she was a baby. A person like that could be very problematic in the future.

Terra: She's the new leader. And I fought her thinking I could beat her.

Lobo: What?! You fought her?! With no plan at all?!

Terra: I did have a backup. That flare gun that Simon gave me saved my life. I never expected Delta to be that powerful. She demolished me. I only landed a couple hits on her.

Lobo: What did she have?

Terra: Dual pistols, new armor, and a gigantic fucking axe.

Lobo: God. She is a lunatic. Who knew what she did to get all that.

Terra: She talked about killing all men.

Lobo: She was taught Artemis's twisted values from birth. It makes sense she is like this. I don't think she'd kill a woman. Unless they are in her way. Or she hates them. You're both, She probably thinks you're done. Or you died on your way back home.

Terra: Maybe. She does seem to destroy anything in her path.

Lobo: She's kind of like you, no offense. She steamrolls in. Thinking she'll just "win." She's never had a real physical challenge in a fight.

Terra: Maybe that's why she freaked out so much when I beat her. That's why I thought it wouldn't be a problem the second time. Even if my armor wasn't enchanted.

Lobo: Let me see if she has a profile in the B.L.A.D.E records.

Lobo typed on the computer. And she saw a picture of Delta, next to a bunch of statistics.

Lobo: Oh my god…

Terra: What?

Lobo: She has over five hundred confirmed kills.

Terra: What?!

Lobo: She was sighted all across the country. With a group of twenty women around her.

Terra: We have to do something about this. We can't let her hurt anymore innocents!

Lobo: You're in no condition to fight. One of your shoulders was shattered from a hit. And your chest is banged up too. Rest. We'll see what T.H.O.R.N can do about this. All this meta shit was a perfect cover for her.

Terra: So good you missed hundreds of kills?

Lobo: We aren't always in the loop. B.L.A.D.E could've already sent someone to take her. I'll get Tempest, The Detonator, and our newbie. We'll end it quickly.

Terra: Be careful.

Lobo: You are permitted to leave. Don't go hard on yourself, you're injured.

Terra: Okay.

Terra slowly sat up and got to her feet. As she walked she could already feel her wounds aching. She opened the door to the main room in the headquarters.

Terra: And Lobo, thank you.

Lobo: Yeah, it's my job.

Terra closed the door. Tempest was sitting outside.

Terra: Hey Tempest.

Tempest: Hello.

Terra felt no response from Tempest. She started walking out.

Tempest: Are you okay, Terra?

Terra: Yes. I'm alright. I guess.

Tempest: You don't look alright. Who'd you fight that fucked you up so bad?

Terra explained her Delta situation to Tempest.

Tempest: She kills out of hate. She's a coward. I agree with Lobo. We will take care of her.

Terra: She isn't a pushover. She did beat me.

Tempest: And?

Terra: How powerful are you, really?

Tempest: As I told you, I'm a weapon. I've been like this as far back as I can remember. I've lost a very little amount of the scuffles I've been in.

Terra: I wish you luck. She won't be easy.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra was walking down the block to her apartment.

Terra: Son of a…

She saw a huge inscription on the apartment, spread across the face of the building. "BRING ME TERRA Lorenz." Terra turned around and walked away. She kept her head down. She looked into a window, and saw a newspaper. She thought she saw something on one of the articles. She went in the store and picked up a newspaper. One of the articles towards the bottom drew her eye. "Themis detective agency"

Terra: Themis is still here?

Terra had pretty much nowhere to stay. She couldn't go near her apartment complex. People would be in more danger. And T.H.O.R.N was doing their own thing, Plus Simon offset Terra a bit. She called Themis's number. He picked up.

Themis: Hello this is Themis speaking. What can I do for you on this fine day?

Terra: It's Terra.

Themis: The fuck do you want?

Terra: I know I sound like an asshole asking this, But can I stay with you for a little while. I can't go to my apartment.

Themis: Sounds like more of a you problem. You left behind the universe when it needed you. Seems like a small price for me to forget about you.

Terra: Look! I'm sorry I didn't go to skyland! I need your help. It's about Artemis.

Themis: That's why my business started to pop back up...There have been sightings of women with Artemis style bows.

Terra: So you believe me? Let me stay, please.

Themis: Fine. Get your sorry ass over here.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra found Themis's office. She walked in. He was on the phone pacing around. Terra went and sat at Themis's desk. She felt like she couldn't bear to stand for another hour. She rested her arm that was in a sling on the desk. Themis got off the phone.

Themis: Now what in the hell happened to you?

Terra: You remember Delta?

Themis: Oh yeah, the bitch that petrified me. She did that to you?

Terra: She was stronger than I thought.

Themis: Even I would bet on you winning. She was a pushover in your fight, wasn't she?

Terra: I wouldn't go that far. But I won.

Themis: Well, I have a couple investigations that need to be done. I got a job for you while I'm gone.

Terra: I'm injured. I can't really do much.

Themis: But you can organize my desk!

Terra: I don't even know where anything goes.

Themis: Don't worry I'll explain it to you.

Themis gave Terra a long, drawn out explanation of where to put all his miscellaneous papers and folders spread throughout his desk.

Themis: You got all that?

Terra: Huh? Yeah, I got it.

Themis: Alright. I'll be back in a jiffy.

Terra spent almost all afternoon organizing. She slid around on Themis's chair. And only really used one hand. Pure shitwork wasn't something Terra was used too.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Back at T.H.O.R.N, Lobo came into the main room. She sat down next to Tempest.

Lobo: You look like you're lost in thought as normal.

Tempest: What makes you think that?

Lobo: You thinking of your dreams?

Tempest: Not right now, no.

Lobo: Are you thinking of...someone?

Tempest: Why do you want to know?

Lobo: Well, you've acted differently since Terra showed up.

Tempest: What are you talking about?

Lobo: You seem more open around her, you know?

Tempest: No. I don't know.

Lobo: Like right now, you're acting like your edgy self.

Tempest: I did share a dream with her, or we had a very similar dream. She may be the missing puzzle piece to my past.

Lobo: You should probably tell her you don't remember anything then.

Tempest: She already knows.

Lobo: See? You told her that shit the first time you hung out! That's not normal!

Tempest: I'm going to kill that Delta person.

Lobo: To protect her? Awww! I wish you would do that for me…

Tempest: A puzzle missing one piece is useless.

Simon came down from his office. The main room had a flight of stairs that led to Simon's office from the side.

Simon: From what I know, Delta is a tough one. And she must be another one of those meta filth. I'm assigning The Detonator over.

The Detonator came behind Lobo and touched her shoulder. She jumped. He waved to her.

Simon: And I found a new member, meet Millie! Or "Repulse" if you like.

Millie came out of Simon's office.

Millie: Nice to meet all of you!

Lobo: Ha! Another girl on the team!

Millie came around and shook hands with everyone. She then stood next to Lobo.

Simon: Unlike Detonator, sadly. She'll be working closely with you. She's new to B.L.A.D.E. So push her limits.

Tempest: Don't slow us down.

Lobo: This is your first mission. This'll show you how the job is always going to be like.

Millie: Right.

Simon: Delta is one of the worst metas. I want you to bring her back here, dead or alive.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Themis walked into the office. It was a little bit cleaner than earlier. Terra was standing up. She put some papers and files away. She walked back to Themis's chair. And slowly sat back down.

Themis: Terra, can't you heal yourself?

Terra: I don't think so.

Themis: I'm pretty sure you're powerful enough to heal.

Terra: I can use the power of olympus. But I'm limited. With my old armor I could do anything in my toolkit.

Themis: You need to do something about those wounds. You can't just be dead weight.

Terra: It's my fault. I even thought I had a plan that time. But it was barely anything. I was mad at Artemis, at Delta. If I didn't use that flare I would've been dead. But I could've gotten out with a good arm, and less bullet holes.

Themis: I saw the way you use your powers. Reckless. You think you can blow through anything. Like a tank. That's not always going to work.

Terra: It's the reason Krilla died, the reason Donny died, the reason Mike, and Amala…

Themis: Tell yourself that if you want. The past is the past. You can't do bullshit about it. So do something about it in the present. To pay back those you've lost.

Terra: Themis. Did something happen to…

Themis: Something did happen to my friends. They were all violently burnt to death in the bottom of hell.

Terra: I'm sorry.

Themis: Look at this. Another case. You'll like it. It involves Psyche, remember her?

Terra: Yeah.

Themis: She's been causing anomalies. Let's go take care of it.

Terra: You want me to come? I can't do anything!

Themis: I have a plan. Watch and learn.