The Climb

You felt more than alive just getting into the city, the four of you were like shadows stalking into the unseen corners right under everybody's noses, the rain concealed you; protected you from sight, and together we climbed a fire exit, trying not to let the rain slip everybody away into a painful fall, as we ascended to a tall apartment rooftop.

It was a different place, a different world for you up here where the rooftops resembled an endless **** course, the way it dipped and bent, every point an opportunity, every drop a temptation of danger, this was your playground.

"I trust I don't need to give any instructions." Black Shuck chuckled at the look in your eyes, the rain splashing against your hood and glasses.

"What... I can just, go...?" You asked, crazy ninja assassin parkour, hell yeah let's fucking go!

Artorias lent in, "not too heavy on Overdrive, the way we move, the way we fight, we're shadows, don't forget that, the time for full-powered Overdrive will come, you will know."

"But when-" you asked in a soft tone.

"You will know." He repeated swiftly. Hilde's body sparked as she lept to life, standing on an electrical box high above. Diana to, alit with crimson power, her eyes blazing with searing heat.

"Move it or lose it!" Your sister's cry echoed through the night as she shot away from the ground, leaping fiercely over the rooftops, clearing a good 50 yards of space as she flipped into a safe landing, Hilde followed but she was faster, sleeker, it was like watching the wind weave among the cityscape.

"Take a leap of Faith, Grandson. You're in for a hell of a ride!" Artorias roared, suddenly bursting over the edge, sending his heavy form flying with a heavy kick. You watched with amazed eyes as your Pop's, skipped and flew across the roof on all fours, galloping like a relentless hound.

Your family looked back at you, their golden eyes expectant. "Leap of Faith, Chip!" Diana called.

This was crazy... but... amazing, if this was the family legacy, then you intended to embrace it for as long as you could.

"OVERDRIVE!"

It wasn't a power, this incredible thing to be held on a pedestal, no... this power was a part of you, and like a muscle, it could be trained; controlled.

Energy flourished in your bones, the fire blazing as the strength to travel flooded into reality, Artorias wasn't kidding: You knew.

Guns strapped tightly to your ribs, feeling the lightning course through the veins of your heel, digging into the ground, and with a powerful roar of joy, you fired like a cannonball, staggering through the air momentarily as it dashed past you, your form flying towards a water tower.

But you were the master of this place, your fate here was of your creation, and so agily, you sharpened into a dart, tucking in as you shot through the crosshatched stand unharmed, rolling into a clumsy although successful stop.

Adrenaline plucked at the strings of your being, its symphony at that moment was unlike anything you'd ever felt; this was true freedom "HOOOLY SHIT!! HAHA!" You cried boyishly, your kin shared a chuckle as you celebrated, hyping up as your smile deepened. "Something Fun indeed."

The Drakes watched you boom into action, somersaulting and weaving masterfully, Hilde hadn't ever seen anything like it, how you almost seemed to dance across the field, a mocking control over the landscape. "You really think He's the Heir huh?" Hilde asked.

Artorias' houndish head nodded subtly, "I know he is, look at the way he moves, no fear."

"I could put him to the test?" Diana asked.

Though they could not see it, Pop's let slip a mischievous smile. "Now that is an idea, come on, let's not let him get too ahead of himself."

The Drakes raced to catch up with you.

If they were under the impression that you hadn't been paying attention, then they'd be very wrong, every part of you was enhanced, pushed to its fullest extent, and further, still you could push it, this was nearly nothing compared to the power you held within.

You darted across the Eastside, over the Central bank and towards the high street where the buildings would be bunched together. "You need to be able to focus on multiple things at once!" Diana called, suddenly catching up to your pace.

"Talk and do this, you're crazy!"

"You just gotta get used to it. Come on, Grandpa is testing you, we're heading towards the MedCore building." She called, twisting across a light post, the both of you leaping furiously over the bustling road above and clearing smoothly to the other side.

"What are we waiting for?" You asked with a devilish grin.

The MedCore Hammer, that's what they called the hammer-shaped building belonging to the one and only: MedCore Science Incorporated, the tallest and biggest sky-scraper in the Grey District, taller but slimmer than the legendary Crucible where Diana once worked.

It was hardly a race, Diana was fast but she wasn't tricky, untactful, she served better as a crowd-pleaser, facing multiple challenges at once, not the careful grace that duelling or travelling by rooftop demanded, still the both of you halted on one of the smaller office buildings, overlooking the Greys and its swarm of beautiful lights.

Bodies appeared beside you, Shuck and the Rabbit had joined in looking up at the grandious sight, the MedCore Hammer, tall and imposing with its silver letters engraved into its humungous body.

"We must reach the top." Shuck whispered

"That's like... 500 meters up!?" You reminded them, this was fun and all but splatting like a bug wasn't exactly on your bucket list.

"567 Meters up actually, you don't think you can do it?" The Rabbit asked.

"No, not really." You admitted

"Pussy. I'll be the first to the top as always." Your Aunt nudged as Artorias cracked his neck.

"The Hound always beats the Hare in a hunt." Pop's chuckled.

"Yeah well, the Dawn rises above all." Diana cut in, the three sharing a familial laugh.

"You know kid, your sister could teach you a few things about-" The Old man didn't get a word in.

"Teach this." Your voice an ominous whisper.

"Let's show these lemmings how it's done."

Sometimes... you have to learn to fly before you can walk

The power that built within flourished as you fell down to your knees, fingers curling into the concrete below; Dragonfire dancing in Your bones.

There was a limit, you could feel the cap, before you had streamed the gargantuan energy into one general place, one source; your entire physicality... but what if it could be split?

Now you had managed to control the output, slightly unstable as it was, that came with practice. Still your theory was, that instead of allowing the energy to flood into everything at once, blowing the fuse, what if you divided it, focused it into certain nodes around the body... for example your legs.

Conclusion: Sustained low-power Overdrive, Equals: quazi-safe use... but focused Overdrive split between avenues; your lower body, Equals...

As a cannon explodes from it's chamber, you took off from that rooftop like the Steaming bolt of a streaking railgun shot, roaring in shock, surprise, joy... take your pick.

You saw the sky draw nearer, your shadowed form reflecting in the rapidly passing windows, and as the wind screamed past you, the only (frankly foolish) thing to do, was to look down.

100 Metres, that was your estimate... before... you know, squish. But as the earth grew further and further away, as if you were an angel rising to the black heavens, the feeling was nothing less than utterly exhilarating.

Dawn blinked, Shuck and the Rabbit too seemed slightly enamoured, as they watched the prodigal son, scream up into the sky "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"It doesn't bother you that he's the Heir right?" the Rabbit asked, leaning in.

Dawn folded her arms, scoffing like a whale's blowhole. "All our lives, he's been the Black sheep... I think I've been on top for long enough."

"That's what she said." The Rabbit sniggered, nudging a very unamused Niece in her ribs.

Shuck's terrifying metal visage turned to his daughter "I will destroy you beyond repair and banish your classless self again, girl."

The Rabbit took a deep breath, Dawn noticed just how lightly laboured it was, still she sparked to life, muscles bulging, poised and ready, it was incredible how easily she wielded Overdrive so, naturally, a true testament to her power. "That's what she said." She said, winking at her father through her mask as she vanished like a ghost, landing lightfootedly on the face of the Medcore building and sprinting up the glass like a dark bullet.

Shuck sighed "Come on then, I'd rather have somebody sensible by my side anyhow." He took her arm with the kindness of a grandfather "Shall we?"

Dawn smiled from behind her mask "It would be my pleasure, Mr Hound."

With the Strength of two, Grandaughter and Grandfather flew at that building, her clambering up towards the top and him charging up on all fours, the two rising together to meet with their family at the summit.