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Infume wonders sometimes if Sunburst is as oblivious as he acts. The tension between Iridium and him every time they fight is almost palpable, though it also seems strangely one-sided.
And Infume says all this as someone who is almost cultically shipped with his arch-nemesis.
If Iridium and Sunburst are strangers to each other, Forstbite is using his power to run an ice cafe.
No way in hell, Infume thinks, that those two are normal about each other.
Once more, he can only stand back as the two battle it out.
Infume's nullifucation gas relies on his opponent actually breathing it in, which isn't that hard with Frostbite who likes coming in close, can't seem to resist laying his hands on Infume. Iridium, on the other hand, like shooting his lightning from far away. His shots are deadly if he wants them to be, and Iridum often wants just that.
Infume watches from the ground as the two circle each other. Sunburst and his regeneration ability are the only thing Iridium can't kill and the only things he seems to let close, a combination that determines Sunburst as his only true opponent.
Today's fight was instigated by and Iridium-caused a blackout of the four blocks which house the HBG medical facility. He never targets anything unrelated to the HBG. Infume eishes Iridium would manage to leave civillians out of it entirely, not just in the half-hearted way he tends to. Just because HBG is slapped on it in big letters doesn't mean that it is a pure HBG operation!
Infume would be a lot more understanding if Iridium could stop being so high and mighty, going on and on about the corruption in hero society and hurting its most vulnerable members. Infume would care more if Iridium wasn't targeting the very same people he claimed were exploited and preyed on by the HBG this very instance.
But Iridum is. So infume watches as the storm clouds growl and spit out more lightning to dance at Iridium's finger tips, scattering shards of light reflected by the rain like on a disco ball. Hax would probably like it, it seems similair to the fireworks he enjoys. Thunking of Hax brings a smile to Infume's face. He's happy his roommate is safe at home, probably watching some silly show with half an ear whike doing his home work. Recently, Infume finds himself falling in love with the mundanity of his life with Hax. Of his life as Infume, not Incense.
But he can't let himself be distracted. If Sunburst managed to push Iridum in Infume's direction, he'd need to be ready to throw his gas bombs.
Infume squints through the heavy rainfall. Iridium was indeed getting closer. He breathes into one of the capsules he keeps on hand for ling distance fights. Impractical as it is, the nullification gas Infume can breathe loses its power after less than a minute in gas form. Especially annoyingly, its effects once unhaled last up to a day.
As always, Infume can see his lips move, spewing the seemingly constant monologue he keep up whenever he's fighting Sunburst. A strong contrast to his usual stern silence. Today, Iridium's face is pulled apart by emotions. Emotions far to personal for him to not know Sunburst. Quite intimately, from the way the Iridium treats Infume's collegue. Though if the two have any sort of relationship Sunburst is much better at hiding it.
Now.
Infume snaps up out of his crouch and throws.
It shatters just as Sunburst tackles Iridium into Infume's direction and brings their two bodies directly into the splash zone of his gas. He mentally applauds Sunburst for that maneuvering.
Except. The capsules hits Sunburst against the temple and explodes in his face, and Sunburst immediately slumps onto the ground. His grip goes slack around Iridium, who uses his chance to get a distance away. The villain turns around as Infume lands between him and Sunburst. Iridium's costume is soaked, his back muddy from his impact on the floor. He is powerless. But Infume has Sunburst to protect. Iridum doesn't often work with company, but he has proven an interest in kidnapping Sunburst, though none of his attempts have been successful, and he does sometiems work together with other villains. The Mores come to Infume's mind unbidden.
So Infume can't chase Iridium, unless he wants to chance his vulnerable, probably injured, unconcious collegue to get taken hostage. No matter how annoying Sunburst can be at times, that's not something Infume's moral code of Incense's duty by law would allow.
Infume can only watch as Iridium grits his teeth in a look of defeat and storms of, the true storm following him.
As Infume turns around, the sun already starts peaking out between the clouds, illuminating Sunburst's face.
It doens't look good.
Infume kneels beside Sunburst on the wet asphalt. Immediately, the muddy water soaks into his pants.
Infume reaches into the high collar of Sunburst's costume to find his pulse but is only greeted with a shock from the metal reinforcements. Damn static. Instead, he settles for checking Sunburst's pulse at one wrist, then the other. Iridium's electricity can have the side effect of messing up the body's ability to regukate blood flow by over-riding electrical signals, an irregulariry in heart beat or strenght of pulse is often the only sign. Infume would like to measur emore than two places, but Sunburt's entire costume seems to be charged with power-induced static that Infume should minimize contact with, and Sunbrust seems stable enough that Infume doens't want to pull down his pants.
He is glad when this thought is confirmed a moment later. Sunbursts eyes flicker open, then around until landing on Infume's face.
"Incense?", he murmurs with a distant voice. "Wha' 'pend?"
Infume is well-practiced in understanding slurred speach by now, a lesson he never thought he'd need but that battlefields prove to him time and time again
"You fought Iridium and got knocked out by one of my gas capsules. Sorry about that", Infume's attempt at a chuckle does not seem to lighten Sunburst's mood much. "Iridium got away."
"Casualties?", no matter his other failing, Sunburst always has the civillians in mind. It is a quality Infume is still working on and consequently holds great admiration for, though he plans on taking that secret to his grave.
"None", Infume assures Sunburst, "and he won't show up for a good moment, I did hit my target, not only you." Infume consistently fails at making Sunburst even smile at his jokes but this does not seem to make his brain-to-mouth filter any more conpetent in filtering his stupid joeks out. He would like to hit himself as Sunburst only stares at hin with big, round, confused eyes. Wait. Sunburst's eyes were too unfocused to stem only from confusion. In addition, his cheeks were flushed. Infume pressed the back of his hand against Sunburst's forehead.
"You have a fever", he tells Sunburst. He didn't even know that could happen, eith Sunburst's abikity and all.
"What?", Sunburts questions him.
"You have a fever", Infume repeats himself.
They stare at each other. Infume feels more than mildly stupid.
Their staring is interrupted by previously evacuated medical personal arriving on scene. Infume exhales in relief as the duty of first aid is taken off his shoulders. Caring for Sunburst... Infume shudders. He dislikes his collegue on good days, Infume wonders what would happen if he had to to care for Sinburts such that he missed his dinner plans with Hax or something. It woukdn't end well.
Still. He takes one of Sunburst's arms over his shoukder to steady the man, a laramedic takes the other and they walk towards the meudcal facility. There probably isn't a better place to fall sick.
Infume sticks around only long enough to see that Sunburts is being tended to, then turns around to leave as a nurse questions Sunburts behind him.
"When did you last eat?" Infume can't make out Sunburst's reply. "Drink?" "That's not good, Sunburst, then now. Can you drink some water for me?"
And Infume hears nothing more.
Time to see Hax.