Stan leaps from rooftop to rooftop, his coat flapping like wings behind him. Sand trails his every step, swirling with each powerful jump.
Behind him, Tora Olafsdotter gives chase, her breath hitching as she pushes herself harder.
Tora: (shouting) Stanford, STOP!
With a burst of speed, Tora lunges forward and wraps her arms around Stan midair, pulling him into a tight bear hug. The momentum of their bodies sends them crashing down hard onto the top floor of a building rooftop, the concrete cracking beneath them.
Stan grunts and immediately kicks Tora off him, sending her sliding backward across the rough rooftop surface.
Stan: (breathing hard, glaring) Why so desperate to save me?
Tora picks herself up, clutching her chest where his kick landed, her voice trembling but firm.
Tora: (pleading) Stan, listen to me... We can cure you. All you have to do is follow me. No fighting. Please.
Stan's eyes narrow with hatred, his sand swirling angrily around him.
Stan: (shouting) Liar! You're with bitch Waller! You! Fire! You're here to kill me!
Tora: (desperately) No, Stan, that's not—
Before she can finish, Stan thrusts his arm forward, summoning the air around him.
Stan: Wind Blade!
Two sharp, slicing currents of wind shoot toward Tora, one from the left and one from the right, aiming to box her in. Tora's eyes widen, but she rolls to the side just in time, dodging both blades narrowly.
Landing on one knee, Tora retaliates quickly, summoning sharp ice shards in her palms and hurling them straight toward Stan.
Stan blocks Tora's ice shards by summoning a powerful gust with a flick of his arm.
Stan: (glared) Y-Y-You... Stupid... Bitch!
He grits his teeth, furious, and slams his palm forward, unleashing a violent whirlwind straight at Tora. The force pushes her back a few steps. Tora quickly reacts, kneeling down and freezing the rooftop floor beneath her feet, creating a slick surface. She slams her hands onto the ground, sending giant ice spikes erupting toward Stan.
Tora: (shouting) You're using wind energy now! Since when do you have wind power?!
Stan smirks coldly as he steps aside from an ice spike, his sand swirling protectively around him.
Stan: Since from the beginning!
Before Stan could move further, Tora suddenly appears behind him, grabbing him into a chokehold, locking her arms around his neck tightly.
Tora: (pleading) Please, Stan! Come back! You don't have to do this! We can fix everything together!
Stan's eyes darken, his muscles tensing in pure rage.
Stan: (growling) Now I'm angry...
The sand around his body flares violently. Stan channels his power and in an instant, he releases three sharp wind cleaves from his back, slicing through the air. The force sends Tora flying backward, slamming hard against a nearby wall with a pained cry.
Stan doesn't hesitate. His hand molds the swirling sand into a deadly arrow, its tip sharp enough to kill. He raises his arm, aiming it right at the injured Tora pinned against the wall.
Stan: (coldly) Goodbye, Tora.
Just as he's about to launch it, a figure bursts in from the side. Beatriz da Costa "Fire" throws a flaming punch straight into Stan's face, sending him staggering back, the sand arrow dissipating.
Beatriz: (panting) You okay, Tora!?
Tora, wincing, struggles to push herself up from the cracked wall as Stan wipes the blood from his mouth, glaring at the two women with a storm brewing behind his eyes.
Stan, breathing heavily, wipes blood from the corner of his mouth. His glare locks onto Beatriz, confusion flickering across his face.
Stan: How!?
Beatriz stands firm, flames dancing around her fists, her eyes filled with focus and disappointment.
Beatriz: Easy. I figured it out. Your sand clones... they're nothing but fragile copies. Once you know where to strike, it's like cutting paper. You're not invincible, Stan.
Without warning, Beatriz thrusts her arms forward, sending a wave of green fire hurtling toward Stan. He reacts fast, summoning a wall of sand to shield himself. The fire slams into the sand, causing steam and sparks to erupt, but the shield holds for now.
Behind the cover of his sand, Stan's voice cracks, desperation creeping in as he looks toward Tora.
Stan: (shouting) Tora! Help me! You know me! Save me from her!
Tora's hands tremble. Her heart races, torn between duty and friendship. She stares helplessly between Stan and Beatriz.
Beatriz: (shouting) Don't listen to him, Ice! He's manipulating you! We have a job to do! We're heroes, remember!?
Tora's breathing quickens. Panic surges through her, paralyzing her for a moment. Her mind screams for her to choose but her body won't move.
Suddenly, Stan's sand shield starts to thin under the relentless heat. Just as Beatriz prepares for another fire attack, a thick layer of ice suddenly erupts between the fire and Stan, freezing the green flames midair.
Stan peeks from behind his weakening sand shield, seeing the wall of ice protecting him.
Stan: (smirking) Atta girl...
Beatriz's eyes widen, realizing Tora had just chosen at least for now. Tora clutches her chest, trying to steady her breathing, while Stan slowly steps out from behind his cover, a victorious look flashing across his face.
Beatriz's eyes burn with fury as she stares at Tora, her flames simmering with restraint. Her voice is tight, demanding.
Beatriz: (angrily) What is the meaning of this, Tora? You're really going to help him after everything he's done? You can't be serious!
Tora, visibly shaken, trembles as she tries to hold herself together. Her mind races, caught between the bond of friendship and the reality of the situation. She looks down, unable to meet Beatriz's gaze, her voice barely a whisper.
Tora: (quietly) I don't know... I don't know who to choose...
The tension is thick, heavy with the weight of her indecision. The wind howls around them, and before anyone can say more, Stan's voice cuts through the silence, cold and commanding.
Stan: (shouting) Quicksand Waterfall Flow!
A massive wave of sand erupts from the ground beneath them, swirling and cascading like a deadly waterfall. The sand sweeps both Beatriz and Tora off their feet, pushing them with force toward the edge of the building. The wind howls as the sand envelops them, throwing them through the air.
Both women scream in surprise as they are hurled off the rooftop, landing with a heavy crash into a garbage truck below. The sound of metal groaning under their weight fills the air, followed by the sickening thud of their bodies hitting the trash. The truck groans but stays upright, the impact knocking them unconscious, though they are alive.
Stan stands at the edge of the rooftop, looking down at the scene below. His chest rises and falls with labored breaths, but there's no satisfaction in his eyes. He turns his back, ready to leave.
But then.
A voice rings out from behind him.
???: (authoritative) Stop right there!
Stan freezes, irritation flickering across his features. Slowly, he turns, his eyes narrowing as he looks over his shoulder. A figure is emerging from the shadows, and Stan's eyes widen slightly in disbelief.
Stan: (grumbling) You've got to be kidding me...
Standing there, with his limbs contorted and stretching in every direction like a living rubber band, is Plastic Man. His rubbery form bounces slightly as he grins at Stan, undeterred by the chaos.
Plastic Man: (grinning) You know, you're kind of making a mess of things. I was hoping we could talk about this instead of you, y'know, throwing everyone off the roof? But let's see how tough you are against someone you can't squash!
Stan's hand twitches, ready to summon his sand, but he knows he's been forced into yet another standoff. The frustration builds. He was so close to escaping, but now, Plastic Man's here to stop him.
Stan: (sighing) This day just keeps getting better...