JP - Playing with Nero

“Shhh…” Esther whispered and gently stroked Anastasia’s hair. “Rest for now. We’ll help keep you safe and healed.”

Riley kissed the top of Anastasia's head "I won't let him hurt you again." He whispered tears down his face "Your first time should have been special with someone you love not taken by some monster."

Anastasia just clung to him.

Esther stared at Riley. He was not wrong about it being Anastasia’s first time. This body that looked like Loreen had never been touched once - not sexually, anyway. This young woman was innocence personified and her first time with a partner was brutal and horrifying. He had hurt her in the worst way possible, tearing at the sensitive flesh.

“This man who hurt you will suffer a horrible death, Anastasia…” Esther said calmly.

Riley nodded in agreement as he rubbed Anastasia’s back to soothe her. Esther had made him better about Coral but he still blamed himself for Anastasia. He knew he cared about her deeply “I wish River was here” He thought to himself before turning his attention back to her “is there anything I can do to help?” he whispered.

Anastasia shrugged, not sure at the moment.

“You two just need to rest for now, papa…” Esther told him as she got up and went to her desk, opening drawers and putting some things together. “When it’s time, I’ll wake you both up.”

Riley nodded and pulled the blanket over them bother before wrapping his arms back around Anastasia “thanks Esther” he yawned laying back down.

It would be hours before Esther finally woke up Riley. “We’ve gotten Nero trapped in an area where others won’t get hurt…” She told him.

Riley nodded before checking over Anastasia “how are you feeling?”

Anastasia mumbled and tried to hide under a pillow.

“She can keep resting while we deal with Nero.” Esther suggested.

Riley nodded and kissed her cheek before hopping out of bed, a symphony of joint cracks sounding out as he stretched.

“I can heal you further if you need me to, Papa.” Esther offered, watching him.

“Thanks I’m going to need be at my best to fight him” Riley replied.

“Then stand still, you butt.” Esther said with a slight smile and settled a hand on his shoulder. Pulsing some of her power into Riley, she slowly healed him to his full strength.

“Don’t make get the old spray bottle” Riley chuckled as he felt his pain fade away.

“I’ll just turn the nozzle around so you’ll spray yourself.” Esther smirked and wiped a smudge off his face. “There you go. Lets get to Nero.”

Riley smiled and pulled her into a hug, it had been so long since he had laughed with her “lead the way” he chuckled.

Esther returned the hug and they suddenly appeared in a destroyed city where they could see Nero roaring and swiping at shadows in annoyance. The shadows were smart, though, and kept their distance any time he attacked, but they never let him leave the area they had him in.

Riley took in a deep breath to calm himself as the air around him began to almost vibrate as he built up his power. In the blink of an eye he was began with a sonic boom following behind him as he struck Nero Full force.

Nero held up an armor covered arm just as Riley struck him and went flying into the opposite wall because he was not as big or heavy as his original counterpart yet. Groaning as rubble tumbled down around him, he looked up at Riley. “Oh, you wanna play now?” He asked.

“Trust me dealing with you will be child’s play” Riley replied disappearing again as he began to strike him over and over again. Knowing that Anastasia was safe the speedster could go all out.

Nero kept his arms up, the flesh built armor cracking with each hit. “The hell is your problem?!” He snarled and tried to focus, tried grabbing onto the molecules that made up Riley, but the speedster was moving too quickly. “The hell?!” Annoyed, he slashed out with his claws, hiping to hit Riley.

As a teenager, this Nero was nowhere near as powerful as the original. He was strong and could takes hits a lot better - could even have his neck broken and fix it - but he was not as experienced.

“I was fine with being capture, hell I can live with being raped and impregnating Coral” Riley Growled his eyes full of anger “My problem once again I found someone I love at the mercy of that bastard Canestone who stole their innocense and hurt them.” All he could think about was Tzetiel, Megan, Susi, N1kk1, and now Anastasia. “I’m not letting you, Thrane, Canestone, or Tzetiels uncle hurt anyone anymore I’m done pulling my punches.”

A punch to the face made Nero go tumbling to the ground where he pushed up and spat out blood. “Who are all those people…” He asked and wiped the blood from his chin. “I don’t know any of them!”

“They’re my family” Riley replied stand in front of Nero “they’re my strength and the reason I fight I’d live and die for them. What do you fight for Nero?”

Nero blinked and tried to think about what he was fighting for, but came up blank. All he could think of was the threats from Thrane, being locked up for months on end without anyone to see or speak to. “I…” He looked at his hands and shook his head. “I’m following my orders!” Slashing out with his claws, he tried to hit Riley.

Riley stood there letting the claws phase through his body “As long as you do that you’ll always be only Thrane’s monster” he sighed looking at him with a sad face “I knew someone like you who chose to find his own family to fight for you can be like him.”

“There is no one who cares about me!” Nero kept trying to claw and slash at Riley, getting annoyed with how he wasn’t actually hitting him. “Stop running!”

Riley dodged before punching him in the face “I care you idiot” he cried out “I can see through your facade. You’re as much as a victim to Thrane as the rest of us. You don’t to be alone.”

Nero went falling back from the punch and grunted as he sat up. “You don’t know me…” He growled. “You don’t know what it’s like having to eat people or be forced to stay in a dark room for months because you made one small mistake!” His voice was a roar and full of anger, but there was that hint of hurt. It was the same hurt the original Nero always had in his voice before he died.

“You’re right I don’t know that” Riley replied launching a barrage of blows “But I’ve seen too many people hurt or dead at his hands.” His thoughts drifted to Nikki’s haunted look in her eyes as she died, to Tzetiel wrapped up in his hoodie as he saved her from the fall, to Brynns sad smile as she apologized as she bled out in his arms. “I will not allow him to hurt you anymore even if I have to beat some sense into you because I made a promise to Brynn to always help people.”

Nero couldn’t fight off the blows, not at all ready for this onslaught of attack. He eventually landed on his back and finally shot a leg out to kick him away without thinking. “Stop hitting me!”