Gaslit

    “This is Arche Borkowski to C.A.P. Unit One. Come in.” A loud radio sounded in Matilda’s ear as she made her way around the burning city, and the teen looked around, analyzing her environment. She stopped on top of one of the few untouched buildings to rest, and reply to Arche. 

    “I’m online,” the girl replied, “But I haven’t spotted him yet. I know this suit is just a prototype, but… These heat signatures are so out of whack that I can barely see any people.” It was true - she hadn’t anticipated wearing a robot suit, and her dad didn’t anticipate making one either. He replied a bit slower. 

“... Forget about the helmet’s issues. Nick is on his way over to you instead. Brace yourself-” 

Before he could finish, Matilda’s radio cut off. She had a feeling what was going to come next. 

A swift figure made its way over to the teen, rocketing up onto the building and positioning itself to run right into her. The girl ducked down, using her covered arms to protect her helmet from any  blows- but it wasn’t enough. The figure slowed a bit and delivered a swift kick to Matilda, and the sound of metal clashing rang out. Matilda uncovered her face, staring at her attacker directly. Of course it was Nick. 

Nick wasn’t particularly bigger or stronger than Matilda - he was younger, thinner, and prone to rather disturbing seizures. Despite this, he stood in front of her in a suit made of steel, ready to fight, seemingly without much rhyme or reason. The girl stood up, and shook herself off, before staring at Nick.
“You’ve been alive this whole time… And you didn’t care to tell us?” The boy stood, silent, bracing an attack that wouldn’t come. Matilda continued on.

“There is no reason to do this; you’re attacking innocent people. What did humanity do to you that’s so awful? Can you answer me?!” By this point, the girl was nearly shouting at Nick. He relaxed himself a bit, but only for a moment. 

“I owe nothing to humanity,” He stated plainly. 

“I serve who I have debts to. If I have to hurt who I care about, then it’s my fault for getting attached. And if I have to hurt the rest of the world to do what I need to, then… Then so be it!” Matilda clenched her teeth at his response, and shook her head.
“Fine, then. I’ll do this your way.” The girl dashed at Nick, and he barely dodged her first punch, only to be hit by her second. Nick’s body froze for a second, only to fight back as hard as he could. He went for Matilda’s neck, gripping onto it and trying to force it onto the ground, as if he wanted it to merge with the building they fought on. The sound of metal screeching cried out into the crumbling city as they fought, sending migraines to whatever poor soul heard the battle. The sound was even foul enough to help Matilda thrash and kick at Nick until he flew off of the girl. His body was weighed down by his suit, and plummeted back onto the roof of the building. Nick crashed through part of it, and he lay useless and disarmed, stuck in the rubble. Matilda stood over him, but he didn’t get back up. Luckily, a transmission finally came through her radio, only after Nick had passed out. 

“... Matilda! Come in!!” The teen tapped her helmet, still glancing at her rival. 

“I’m fine. Nick is… Disarmed. He won’t be waking up for a bit, though.” A sigh was heard over her intercom. 

“He’s alive… We don’t have time to rescue him. There’s a bomb located a third of a mile northeast. You know what to do with it.” The girl rolled her eyes. 

“Great… On it.” With that, she turned away from the building, and jumped down into the smokey ruins below.