MJ's eyes shot open, and she sat up right with a start, looking around to find that the operating room was empty. Checking over her body, MJ couldn't find anything out of the ordinary, which was strange considering how Harry was treating the procedure, 'I thought for a moment that I was going to wake up with a second pair of arms or another set of eyes.'
Stepping out of the Cradle, MJ hissed as her bare feet touched the cold tile, "I can take a bullet point blank, but getting out of bed without socks is beyond the realm of possibility."
Continuing to mutter under her breath, MJ made her way over to the door and pressed her palm against the biometric scanner, only for the screen to flash red.
"What?" MJ lifted her palm and placed it on the scanner once more, only to get the same result, "What the hell is going on?"
MJ raised her head, ready to pound against the faulty door, only for a voice to interrupt her, 'Easy now, no need to go around breaking everything.'
MJ whirled around, expecting to somehow find Harry behind her, only for her eyes to land on empty air, "H-harry...w-where are you?"
'No time to explain, now listen very carefully and don't interrupt, there isn't much time. While you were asleep, a bomb went off in the tower, meaning that everyone was forced to evacuate. Which is exactly what the people who set off the bomb wanted, because now they're making their way into the lab to steal all my very shiny and expensive toys, and you're the only one who can stop them.'
"W-what?!" MJ exclaimed, staring at the door as if a small army was about to come storming in, "Harry, what the hell is going on!? How are you taking to me right now?!"
'Listen, MJ, you wanted to be a hero, right? Well, here you go! If these guys get their hands on my technology, they'll be able to create an army of augmented soldiers, and I promise you they won't use it to make the world a better place. So, stop asking pointless questions and do what you were made to do!'
Harry's words hit MJ like a physical blow as she froze for an entire second before her entire demeanor changed, "You're right, I'm ready."
'Of course I'm right, but before you go charging out there in a hospital gown, I should tell you about your final augment.'
"What can I shoot lasers from my eyes or something?" MJ asked sarcastically as she started to roll her shoulders and neck, preparing for the upcoming fight.
'No, I bonded a symbiotic artificial lifeform to your body. Covering the exact details of what it does would take too long, just know that you're practically invincible when its active.'
"You put a what in me?" MJ scowled as she paused mid-stretch, "Is this thing about to burst out of my chest or something?"
'I promise you it's not nearly as bad as it sounds, and this isn't the time to be joking around. They just stepped onto the elevator and are making their way down.'
"Alright, alright, how do I activate this symbio life thing?" MJ demanded.
'You have to say the trigger phrase.'
MJ's face deadpanned, "What am I, A magical girl?"
'Alright, you don't have to say anything, just clear your mind and imagine the Symbiote coming alive.'
"I swear, Harry, this better not be a chest burster thing," MJ swore under her breath as she exhaled and followed the directions.
A single moment passed before MJ let out a loud gasp as a second heartbeat pounded in her chest. MJ stumbled back as the black and red symbiote oozed her skin, pouring out in an endless tide as it covered her from head to toe. The symbiote hardened and twisted, forming a suit of armor around MJ, turning her into a hulking figure.
Opening her eyes, MJ gazed down at her new appearance, staring at the black and red armor with sharp accents across her shoulders and forearms, which possessed a haunting fluidity despite being completely still.
"What...am I?" MJ asked, her voice coming out in a lowered pitch and with a slight reverberating growl.
'You are Crimson, the first Ascendant, now stop wasting time and go break down the door.'
---
With a soft ding, the elevator doors slid open, and with military precision, a small army of tactically dressed mercenaries in body armor filed into the hallway.
In two coordinated lines, they filed down either side of the hallway, hugging the walls with one hand on the shoulder in front of them and the other resting on the grip of their guns slung across their chests.
Not a word was uttered amongst them as they moved with intent, each of them knowing the purpose of their mission and caring for little else.
But as they moved down the hallway, a distant screech made the lines halt. They had been told the laboratory would be abandoned, but clearly that wasn't the case.
The line leader on the left held up his fist before flashing four and then two fingers that he aimed ahead. In one smooth motion, the last six of the mercenaries in the line broke off and marched down the hallway, sent ahead to investigate the disturbance.
As they rounded the corner, the six mercenaries froze and stared at the large bisected slab of metal that had previously served as a door.
It looked as if a massive blade had forced apart the metal, relying much more on weight and raw brute force and cutting power.
One of the mercenaries reached up to grab the radio on his shoulder, only for a crushing weight to clamp down on his wrist. The man let out a muffled grunt of pain, and he looked over to find a massive clawed hand, with dark red and black plating, slowly grinding his wrist into dust.
A terrified tremor passed through the man's body as he looked up and found himself staring up at an alien visage with two large white slits on an otherwise featureless face that resembled eyes.
"You seem a little lost...do you want me to help you find your way?"
The man's eyes widened as an inhuman voice echoed from within the armor before his other hand suddenly shot down and grabbed his secondary weapon.
In an instant, the mercenary aimed his gun at the armored helmet and pulled the trigger, instantly alerting his comrade, who spun around and stared at the massive armored figure with flowing red hair that had somehow snuck up on them.
Unfortunately for the mercenary, each round bounced off the monster's face plate without leaving behind so much as a scratch.
"Hmmm, I guess you don't want my help then," Crimson muttered before she tightened her grip on the mercenary's wrist and tossed him aside like.
The man was ripped off his feet and thrown against the far wall with a loud crunch before falling to the floor in a limp pile.
"Contact, Contact, Open Fire!!"
One of the mercenaries called out as his rifle snapped up and he started dumping rounds into Crimson, aiming for her center mass, and the other four were quick to follow.
Instead of moving to block or avoid the hail of lead, Crimson stood out in the open, her hands down by her side as she let the bullets ping off her symbiote armor.
'So this is what being an Ascendant feels like, I thought I was powerful before, but this...' Crimson trailed off as she slowly turned her hands over, staring at the armor that encased her body, 'This is something completely different.'
With a final pitter, the last of the bullet casings dropped to the floor, leaving the mercenaries standing in the middle of the hallway, their guns dry and unsure of their next move. No part of their training had ever covered what to do in such a scenario.
"Are you done now?" Crimson asked as she held out her right hand, causing a wave of symbiote to flow into her palm, twisting and solidifying, forming a massive one-headed battle axe.
The mercenaries shared an unsure look between themselves before they reached for the magazines on their utility belts.
"Good, I was hoping that was your answer," Crimson muttered as she bent her knees and launched herself at the men.