"Nice SWAT cosplay," Orbweaver mockingly asked, "Was that some good ol' fashion policing you did with the Alley Knights?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Nice to see you too, Orbweaver."
Ace Citizen and the guy with the metal mandibles moved in. They worked with a synchronized efficiency that spoke volumes about their experience.
Some circus music started flooding in from unknown crevices. Ba dat dat dat dat ba da da da dah, dah da dat dah, dat dah dat dah...
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" His magician's clothes shifting with a silver band of line revealing a circus master's garb.
The factory around us was replaced with the interior of a top hat. Hundreds of popcorn-eating onlookers filled the chairs around us, cheering and laughing. Hocus and Pocus flew around punching tickets of the guests. Spectacle collected the vouchers and disappeared in smoke.
From somewhere unknown, "Tonight's show! A bout of Two versus One! The Star-spangled Boy scout from Empire City and Bluff's own Durable Rising Star! Face off against the dastardliest of bastards! Gravity's Owner! A man almost taken down by Michael Pembrose... Nicky Coleman! Without further ado..."
A spotlight burned onto Crepuscule. He blocked the beam with his hands. Another highlight landed around me. Then, one illuminated Ace Citizen. A web thwipped across the staging area, seemingly innocuous.
"Everyone alright?" Ace Citizen asked, his eyes scanning the group.
I was the only response, "Peachy-keen."
"Muncher? Quartzica? Orbweaver?" Ace called out.
"Guess it's just you, me, and ugly over there." I said.
Ace Citizen's stars floated around him, shimmering like celestial bodies. With a flick of his wrist, he sent them into motion, each star growing or shrinking as he needed.
"Ready for this?" Ace asked.
"Let's do it," I replied, feeling the adrenaline surge through my veins.
Ace's stars provided platforms and barriers, giving him the high ground and allowing him to dart in and out with precision strikes.
Crepuscule started some narcissistic rant, but I blocked it out.
I focused on speed and power, charging directly at Crepuscule.
The villain reacted, his purple gravity field flaring up. Tendrils of violet reached into the dirt below us. Chunks of debris and pieces of the ground lifted and hurled towards us.
Time seemed to slow as I entered super speed, the world around me reduced to a crawl. A ring of white air stretched out around me. I moved in a blur, jumping off the flying sections of earth with ease.
I could see Ace Citizen moving deliberately, his stars swimming like slow-motion comets. Crepuscule appeared frozen in place.
More gossamer slowly sprouted from odd angles, seemingly without rhyme or reason, adding to the surreal landscape. Orbweaver was here, somewhere, not included in this illusion.
Ace Citizen positioned his stars as a staircase to heaven. Forcing himself upwards with his own strength amplified by the pointed platforms moving in sync with his steps.
A massive chunk of debris crawled towards me. I bear-hugged it out of the air, using my strength to wretch and redirect it back at Crepuscule. He deflected it with an outstretch of his finger, slamming the hunk into Ace.
Ace missed his footing. Skidding off the edge of his star, floating down toward a spire of rebar growing from the dirt. I spun on my heels and lunged across the arena. The ground beneath my feet quaked. The pressure on me mounted and Ace began falling quicker; I moved proportionately slower.
My muscles strained against the increasing gravity, each step feeling like I was wading through molasses. I refused to let it stop me.
Ace twisted in midair, eyes wide with panic as he plummeted toward the jagged metal. I pushed harder, every ounce of strength and speed focused on preventing the loss of another idol of justice.
Each step was a battle, my muscles burning, but I knew I couldn't let Ace fall. With a final, desperate leap, I stretched out my arms, fingers brushing against the serrated death. I bent the end over, curling the point away from the falling hero.
I grunted, twisting in midair. I slanted my body, allowing Ace to slide off me and roll into a crater beside us. He impacted hard, the impact reverberating through every bone in my body, but Ace was safe, slowly standing in the crater.
I resumed normal time to catch my breath after the impulse of overexertion.
"Thanks, " Ace said, his voice strained but grateful.
"Don't mention it," I replied, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
Crepuscule roared, his gravity field intensifying. He raised his arms, the purple aura around him glowing brighter.
"We need to disrupt him," I said, trying to formulate a plan. "Can you create a distraction? I'll go for the knockout."
Ace nodded, "You got it."
He launched himself into the air, his stars whizzing around him in a dazzling display. Crepuscule's attention shifted to Ace, his gravity field pulsating with renewed intensity. The pressure on me lessened slightly, and I took the opportunity to move, weaving through the debris and rubble.
Ace danced through the air, his stars providing platforms for him to leap from. He dodged Crepuscule's attacks with skill, but I could see the strain on his face. He interlocked every star, providing a massive shield for me to work behind.
I closed the distance between Crepuscule and myself. My muscles ached, but I pushed through the pain.
Crepuscule's attention wavered, and I seized the moment. With a burst of speed, I lunged forward, aiming a powerful punch at his side. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, and Crepuscule staggered, his gravity field flickering.
I pressed the attack, landing blow after blow. Crepuscule's gravity field sputtered and weakened, the purple aura around him fading. Ace's stars continued their relentless assault, and I could see the fear growing in Crepuscule's eyes.
"It's over, Crepuscule!" I shouted.
Instead of my fist connecting, a pulse of purple light sent me crashing into Ace. We tumbled through the air into the bleacher, glitching through several members of the audience.