For just a moment, Mercy could see the face of the stranger as they recoiled from Reggie’s shotgun blast. Their eyes were wide and bloodshot, pupils narrowed with fury. Covering their face with a hand, blood began trickling down their hand, staining their sleeve with crimson hissing in the sunlight.

“YOU!? YOU INSIGNIFICANT, PUTRESCENT WHORE! HOW FUCKING DARE YOU!” Mercy could see the rest of the blockbuster members were shying away from the stranger. 

Keeping the shotgun cradled in one arm, Reggie reached over and gave Henry a reaffirming pat on the shoulder. Both Henry and the knight seemed to recover from whatever the stranger had done to them as they began acting normally again. Mercy watched the stranger tremble with rage, blood pouring down their face. Savagely, they turned to Reggie, loose strips of their torn face swinging through the air. Reggie and the stranger stared each other down, Mercy noticing Reggie’s fur on end and vindictive anger in her eyes. It wasn’t long before the rest of the team emerged from the apartment staircase. In a flash of blue light, Sasha’s zodiac flew up to Mercy from behind, coming through the hole the legion had made. Both teams looked ready to tear each apart, except for Aimee, who looked stunned while staring at the stranger in the wingsuit. 

Bracing for another fight, Mercy wrapped her arms around Patricia, while looking for any debris to use as a makeshift weapon. Even though her team had been roughed up from fighting the legion, they did have a numbers advantage, but for Mercy, the problem was she doubted she could do much and the other side still had three unknowns in terms of fighting ability. Everyone stood ready, waiting for the other side to make a move. As the tension mounted, Mercy felt a shadow cast over her. Looking to see if there was another member of the other group, she saw the clouds from earlier had finally rolled in. The faint smell of sea water poured through the window as it began to drizzle. 

Soon the entire hallway was cast in shadow and the stranger snickered before breaking out into a maniacal cackle. Mercy felt her skin crawl, even before she watched the splattered pieces of flesh start slithering across whatever surface they had been adhered to. Blood peeled away from the walls and carpet in small droplets, floating through the air like crimson marbles. Even the charred remnants began to rejuvenate and join the other parts. All of it made its way back to the stranger’s face, where Mercy could see in the reflection of a nearby window each part seamlessly rejoin their body, repairing it instantly. When they had regenerated, the laughter ended, but Mercy could hear their smirk as they spoke.

“Well… you might have had a chance before, but I think we all know who wins this now.” They spread their arms toward Henry and the rest of the team. “Of course, you’re welcome to try.” Mercy could see Henry grit his teeth, his muzzle wrinkled.

“Just take your fucking bounty and go.” The stranger chuckled.

“You know, I’m feeling a bit charitable today, knowing my favorite puppy is still alive.” They turned toward the vehicle and their helmet reconfigured back into its dome shape. “You can keep any bounty for destroying that thing.” They leapt through the window, turning around and slowly floating back to the vehicle. “Let’s go boys!” They waved with their fingers at Henry. “You should come visit sometime! I’m sure we’ll have a lot to catch up on!” 

The one with the grasshopper legs was the first to follow, leaping over the feline stranger and making it to the ship first. The knight pointed his lance towards Henry, making it clear there would be business to settle before he headed to the window. As he leapt, Mercy saw the stranger make gestures with their glossy red hands and the knight proceeded to float forward. The one in the wingsuit was the last to head for the window, but as they reached the precipice, Aimee called out to them.

“Diego, don’t!” They stopped, their hands tightly gripping the melted window. “Please…please don’t go.” 

The person turned to her, removing their helmet. He was a lemur, with a little tuft of black hair resting between his big round ears that had been styled into a mohawk. It was hard to tell, but he looked about Aimee’s age. In the reflection of the window near him, Mercy could see that his eyes were red like the feline stranger’s. Aimee moved closer to him, trying to reach for his hand, but he pulled it away. He stared at Aimee, leaving an awkward silence in the air as they seemingly held their conversation through SIG. Mercy could see Aimee’s brow furrow and her eyes twinkled with sincere concern for him, but he averted her gaze. Her beady eyes soon glistened. She turned to Henry, who got back on his feet with Reggie’s help. 

“Henry, say something!” Henry and Diego stared at each other, both brandishing an intense scowl. Mercy could hear the creaking of Diego’s helmet in his hand as he and Henry silently conversed. After a few moments, he aggressively put his helmet back on, hitting it a few times to push it fully over his head. After a moment, the speakers of his helmet crackled to life and he coldly spoke.

“Fuck you.” As he turned to the window, Aimee reached out to him but was stopped by Reggie. In one motion he leapt and glided back to the hovering vehicle as it proceeded to close its hatch behind him and flew away. Aimee’s shoulders slumped, her claws no longer changing colors. Mercy could hear her sniffle, but she didn’t cry.