Bunnygirl stood with Apex and Sinephilim.
(Having two protectors is nice.)
(Even better when neither of them is a shape-shifting dragon who wants to kill everything.)
(But still… they want me to sit back while they fight Calamity?)
She clenched her fists.
(Without the Super Squad?)
(No villain or hero would be dumb enough to fight that thing, not without Ultimateman.)
"We should find a bunker," Apex said. "Anything to keep her out of sight."
"The farther from the battle, the better," Sinephilim added. "Veronica and Urithax devised a plan. It's solid. We don't need to worry… unless Bunnygirl gets caught in the crossfire."
(I can't just run. Not again. Blue Zipper-)
Bunnygirl bolted.
"Wait! Where-?"
(I can't run again.)
Tears welled up in her eyes.
(I have the Worldheart? My death means the world ends?)
The tears began to fall.
(Why me?)
She closed her eyes.
(I'm just a street-level hero. I'm nothing. If it's true, then… am I not even supposed to be a hero?)
But she kept running. She didn't stop. Her feet moved on their own.
To the battle. To Calamity.
She opened her eyes.
(I have a purpose.)
(I know it.)
(My fate isn't to be protected. I'm a hero.)
"I'm Bunnygirl!" Yelled. "Everyone's favorite cat savior, and I-"
(Huh?)
(There he is.)
(Charging straight toward a red-haired woman.)
(He's going to kill her!)
"No!" Bunnygirl leapt with everything she had and kicked Calamity in the face.
The kick forced Calamity to miss his target.
"I won't let anyone else die!"
The woman stumbled back, shocked. "Th- thank you."
"I'm Bunnygirl. And I always-"
"Pathetic." A voice grumbled.
She turned, Calamity was already on her.
(No…)
His fist dropped but something glowing caught it.
(A dragon. Rhenvar? No, that's not him. He's not gold.)
The dragon threw Calamity back and pounced like a rabid dog.
"Veronica! Bunnygirl!" Sinephilim landed with Apex, whose jetpack sizzled as he hit the ground.
"My armor's energy is at 50%," Apex muttered, scanning his HUD. "I have enough."
"Then get her out of here!" Sinephilim yelled.
But then they saw it.
The dragon flung like a ragdoll.
Calamity was outputting an insane amount of energy. The air itself was still but the aura of power he was emitting was pushing stronger every second. Then-
An explosion.
"I'll shield!" Sinephilim shouted, raising barriers.
"Rhenvar and Willow too, Sin!" the red-haired woman Veronica screamed, pointing.
Four bodies. Collapsed. Motionless. Only the blood around them moved, it slither to each of the bodies, twisting moving like a river.
Bunnygirl looked at Sinephilim's face, nose bleeding, and jaw tight. It was the face Ultimateman wore when he saved the world.
(This power… Calamity never has shown this before.)
It was like a nuclear bomb had gone off. Everything around them was vaporizing but not instantly, slowly. Like there such in a slow motion bubble.
"He awakened a Worldheart's power," Apex whispered. "No, he awakened them all. Every world he devoured… all that energy's raw now."
(I don't know anything about Worldhearts.)
(But I know one thing.)
His skin is shimmering in a color she couldn't comprehend. To her it looked… beautiful.
But that beauty stared at them.
And they were its target.
And then Calamity charged.
Drones exploded into the scene, firing lasers and bullets.
Shining barriers and blue tentacles coiling through the ground latching onto Calamity's legs. Stopping him mid-rush.
"You stupid girl…" came a voice. One she recognized.
(Variable?)
She turned.
(Oh, one of his androids.)
He walked up beside another man holding a glowing book.
"Aucteros!" Variable snapped. "You said she would be safe!"
"She shouldn't have left them. Something changed her mind, changed her fate," the book man, Aucteros, replied.
Variable scowled. "Now my world hangs in the balance. I deployed everything to stop that monster."
(Wait… Is Variable helping us?)
"We should leave," Aucteros said. "He's awakened the Worldheart powers. We don't stand a chance."
None of them said a word.
Even the air was too scared to breathe.
"I told you," Variable continued. "I want my world alive. I'll die again if it means it's safe."
(He wasn't lying. But… why? He's a villain. Why?)
"Then get ready to die," Aucteros said coldly. "Because Calamity just broke my magic and destroyed your drones."
"We need a chance. Bait." Variable turned.
And looked right at Bunnygirl.
"We'll use you."
(Oh, there's the villain I know.)