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The building shook from the force of the villain’s attack outside. Quackity clung closely to the table he was crouched under, squeezing his eyes shut until the crumbling and cracking stopped. This place was going to come down if those supers hit it one more time.
Around him, people scrambled and screamed, rushing around in a panic without any real idea of what they were doing. He’d think being in a city where supervillain attacks were the norm would make them used to this shit. He definitely was.
Once the walls stopped quaking, he gingerly moved out from underneath the table. A quick glance told him that the ceiling was cracked to hell and it would be stupid to stay there, so he moved. Hurrying to the front of the store, he peeked outside to see what was happening.
Across the street, the city’s hero ‘Velocity’ was up on a rooftop, a holographic guitar in hand. His fingers danced across the frets and strings at lightning speed. The sound waves that emitted from the magical instrument slammed into the villain with such force that he was sent flying back into the side of a car that crumpled under the impact. They were occupied and far enough away that Quackity could definitely run off to the left and get out of the vicinity.
He opened the door and wasted no time sprinting down the walkway, fumbling for the phone in his pocket. He hurriedly tapped on Wilbur’s contact and raised it up to his ear.
“C’mon, c’mon,” he mumbled, looking over his shoulder worriedly. A good thing he did, because there was suddenly a vehicle flying through the air right towards him.
There was no time to dodge. Quackity gasped and raised his arms over his head as if that would somehow protect him from being squashed, but the impact never came. He looked back up and saw Velocity standing in front of him, having sent the van flying back towards the villain on a ride of sound waves. He got his first close-up of the hero.
His whole body glowed like he was some kind of brilliant neon light, brown hair flowing as if there was a constant breeze gently tussling it. The blue and yellow colours of his outfit cut and curved around the fabrics with purpose and chaos. The cropped jacket he wore over top flared out with the force of his own powers, and matched the colour of his near knee-high boots. The guitar slung over his torso beamed a bright purple, sparkling like a clear night sky. He almost hurt to look at.
“Get to safety!” The hero yelled urgently, turning his head to face Quackity. His white, blank eyes stared at him, and Quackity was only awestruck for a moment before those eyes twisted in pain.
Quackity stepped back in alarm when Velocity crumpled, hands flying to his stomach where they came back red. It was an awful colour on his blue cloth, and an even worse realisation.
A piece of debris had lodged itself in his torso. Not too large, but it was long and sharp, and had been a direct hit. Quackity stared up at the villain that had gone unnoticed for just moments too long, triumphantly hovering in the air just twenty metres away.
“Try sing me a song now, rockstar.” The villain sneered, lowering to the ground to lift a large pack over his shoulder, presumably what he’d been after this whole time. “Fool.”
He didn’t wait for Velocity to react, shooting off into the sky and disappearing in a second.
“Fuck.” The hero coughed, sitting on the ground and hanging his head. His guitar flickered out of existence. His glow dimmed.
“Oh shit,” Quackity gaped at the pool of blood quickly growing around Velocity, “um, fuck, what should I do? Do you need help? What am I saying, of course you need help, you’ve been fucking impaled! Here, uh, I’ll call someone!”
“Don’t!” The hero grasped his wrist with a bloody hand, staring up at Quackity. “Please, don’t. It won’t…” breathing seemed to be extra effort. “It won’t help.”
“I can’t just let you bleed out here! You’ll die!” Quackity protested, wrenching his arm from Velocity’s grasp. “Come on, man, you can’t just give up like that!” He noticed his hands shaking slightly, disturbed from what he had just witnessed. He wasn’t about to watch the city’s top hero die, was he? He’d just sacrificed himself to save Quackity. If he hadn’t run out of that building and on to the street, he wouldn’t have distracted the hero. He wouldn’t have gotten him impaled.
“It’s not going to help,” he insisted, wincing as his hands hovered over the debris still stuck in his stomach. “This fucking hurts like a bitch. Can you just stay here for a moment? I’ll be… fine in a few minutes…” his voice wobbled, and Quackity couldn’t tell if it was due to his weariness or if he was crying.
“I seriously doubt that, dude,” Quackity swallowed a lump in his throat, but stayed nonetheless. He awkwardly crouched next to the hero, resting a hand on his shoulder.
Velocity sighed, slumping over and letting his head fall on Quackity’s shoulder. He seemed to realise what he was doing quickly and readjusted himself to lean against the corner of a building, though reluctantly.
“Quackity?” The hero whispered. Quackity met his eyes, and didn’t even think to question how he knew his name. “I… I’m sorry.”
Quackity frowned. What was he sorry for? Dying? If anything, Quackity should be sorry. He ruined this guy’s day. His whole life, actually.
“You don’t have to… hey,” his frown deepened as he saw the hero’s head slacken, lolling to the side as if he’d suddenly fallen asleep. His once spectacular glow completely dissipated, and the hands by his stomach fell limp in his lap.
He was dead.
Quackity pursed his lips and shakingly rose to his feet, stepping back. He’d just watched a man die. A man that sacrificed himself to save Quackity.
He squeezed his phone so tight he was afraid he might crack it. He turned and ran, mind racing, wanting nothing more than to get home and fall into Wilbur’s arms.