It's not the worst he's ever had. In his time, Albert has been cut, stabbed, punched, kicked, hit with bullets, lasers, electricity, flame, ice, avalanches, bombs, and even was thrown bodily at tanks more than once. The life of a cyborg soldier isn't ever easy or boring. He's faced giant robots and giant beasts alike. He even was able to take down a enormous, mutated crocodile with some kind of supersonic power that had shredded Pyunma to ribbons, cybernetics and all. It was a miracle Doctor Gilmore was able to save him, but Albert managed to kill the monster without too much injury to himself. A gash across the face, impact of stone to his back?
This is not the worst he's ever had. Physically.
Mentally, emotionally, the altercation takes its toll already because he's been where Initiate is. He knows the grief that drives you to hurt everyone around you, to make the world that took what little good you'd found in it away pay, and pay in spades. His grief had never manifested so blindly, though. Albert's had always come into sharp focus incredibly quickly, giving him an almost surgical precision in his vengeance. Von Bagoot hadn't lasted more than a few minutes after he'd killed Biina and her sisters. Perry Kelvin had a grand total of a few days after Albert had found Jet bleeding out in their first Arena. The understanding of why Initiate has lost it takes much of a willingness out of him.
He struggles, but not overmuch. He wouldn't be able to break away anyway, and for all he doesn't want to fight Initiate, the blows also daze him enough to effect his reaction time. He's dazed. Or at least, he is for long enough that Jet makes the scene. His husband's voice brings Albert's mind back to razor sharpness, but his body is still too sluggish to react, his cybernetics rebelling against Albert treating them as if they should be his original ones, actually useful and not just for decoration. He's dropped and he can't rise immediately despite his efforts. It takes some time for the blood in his eyes and the pain in his back and sides.
By the time Albert's on his knees, scrambling for his sidearm, Initiate's back is to him and his snarling face is trained on Jet like he's intent on squashing a particularly irritating bug.
Initiate's back is to him.
Albert raises his handgun, ignoring the pounding in his head and every pinpoint of pain that tries to slowly creep towards agony with each movement, and aims at the through-and-through wound on Initiate's shoulder that Jet had caused.
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This is not the worst he's ever had. Physically.
Mentally, emotionally, the altercation takes its toll already because he's been where Initiate is. He knows the grief that drives you to hurt everyone around you, to make the world that took what little good you'd found in it away pay, and pay in spades. His grief had never manifested so blindly, though. Albert's had always come into sharp focus incredibly quickly, giving him an almost surgical precision in his vengeance. Von Bagoot hadn't lasted more than a few minutes after he'd killed Biina and her sisters. Perry Kelvin had a grand total of a few days after Albert had found Jet bleeding out in their first Arena. The understanding of why Initiate has lost it takes much of a willingness out of him.
He struggles, but not overmuch. He wouldn't be able to break away anyway, and for all he doesn't want to fight Initiate, the blows also daze him enough to effect his reaction time. He's dazed. Or at least, he is for long enough that Jet makes the scene. His husband's voice brings Albert's mind back to razor sharpness, but his body is still too sluggish to react, his cybernetics rebelling against Albert treating them as if they should be his original ones, actually useful and not just for decoration. He's dropped and he can't rise immediately despite his efforts. It takes some time for the blood in his eyes and the pain in his back and sides.
By the time Albert's on his knees, scrambling for his sidearm, Initiate's back is to him and his snarling face is trained on Jet like he's intent on squashing a particularly irritating bug.
Initiate's back is to him.
Albert raises his handgun, ignoring the pounding in his head and every pinpoint of pain that tries to slowly creep towards agony with each movement, and aims at the through-and-through wound on Initiate's shoulder that Jet had caused.
Exhaling, hating himself, he pulls the trigger.