Part 7 – The Diamond Knight

It was a huge shock to everyone when they saw Bruce's face, and it would only grow more as Mercy finished his new artificial arms and legs.

Mercy took some time to examine his face, his skin was smooth like regular skin, but the structure of his face was almost completely solid.

An X-ray would reveal that the bone structure in his face was almost completely same, save for a few cracks from the intense training Talon forced on him.

After a few more tests in which Mercy used a specially customized needle with a point that was as wide as a single atom to take samples from his skin, she came to one conclusion: it was his muscle fibers that had altered the geometry of his face, not the bone structure.

"These are your new limbs," Mercy said as she revealed a pair of arms and legs to replace the Talon limbs.

The arms had special padding on the arms that would mimic the same kind of muscle tissue that a normal human would have in their arms. The hands were covered with a special type of grey alloy that he assumed was tungsten, maybe titanium.

The legs were relatively the same, save for the hydraulic actuators that were covered in a flexible plastic that would mimic the Achilles tendon.

The alloy that would be supporting the limbs was some kind of carbon-fiber and high-carbon metal combination. The muscles were some kind of artificial construct based on a water bladder that would allow Bruce to lift the amount of weight he could with the Talon limbs.

"We tested them as best we could, and we think they're going to work just fine," Mei said.

"Then let's get them strapped on," Bruce said as he removed the arms that Mercy had set him up with.

"Ok," Mercy said as she and Mei each picked up a limb, and as they attached them, there was a very subtle hissing sound.

After attaching the legs, Bruce flexed his fingers, they had a very different feel than the Talon limbs, and it seems Mercy had slipped some artificial feelers underneath the pads on his fingers.

"How do they feel," Mei asked.

"Different," Bruce said, "Just… different."

"I'll consider that a step in the right direction," Mercy said before putting her hand on Bruce's shoulder, "Now, let's get you up."

Mei and Mercy both helped as Bruce stood on his new feet, it still felt natural as he cracked his neck, "How's your motion," Reinhardt asked.

Bruce rotated his arms, and took a few light jumps, "Pretty damn good," he said.

"That's good," Reinhardt said, "You ready for your first piece of work?"

"Work," Mercy asked.

"I've decided to take Bruce on as an apprentice," Reinhardt said as he led Bruce out of the room.

The area Reinhardt led Bruce too was in a small corner of the training grounds where a wooden training sword, and his father's shield.

The shield was in the traditional heater-style, save for the rounded top, was almost solid metal save for the three openings near the top, and the channels that ran down the sides of the shield, and then across the sides.

The shield itself was metal, and but had a metal buffalo on the crest.

The grips on the inside felt pretty comfortable as he slipped his arm through the leather loop, and grabbed onto the handle that would allow him to activate the shield.

"This one's for you dad," Bruce said as he squeezed the shield, activating it.

"I still remember when your father first got that," Reinhardt said, "It was almost bare bones until he added the embellishments."

"It's amazing," Bruce said, "Never thought I'd be the one to wield it."

"He would be happy to see you wielding," Reinhardt said.

"I like to believe that he is happy," Bruce said, "Wherever he is."

"Well believe it," Reinhardt said as he handed Bruce a wooden sword.

In Bruce's hands it was a pretty good sized crusader-style broadsword, but when it was in Reinhardt's it was practically a short-sword.

"How's it feel," Reinhardt asked.

"Feels good," Bruce said as he swung it around in his hand.

"Time to test how much we have to train you," Reinhardt said as he picked up his own version of the sword and shield Bruce was using which was the same thing, except the shield was wooden, and both items were scaled up for Reinhardt's hands, "Let's go."

Bruce walked up to the training mat with Reinhardt, they each took fighting stances.

As Reinhardt swung, Bruce blocked the swing low, then came back in with an overhand chop.

Reinhardt blocked the swing, and went in high, Bruce blocked the chop and tried to stab at Reinhardt.

Reinhardt pinned the sword between his and the floor, and placed his hand on Bruce's shoulder, "Never overextend your reach," he said, "It makes you vulnerable and," he then gave Bruce a slight push on the shoulder, sending him to the back, "Off balanced."

Bruce pushed himself off the ground, and retrieved the sword, "So make sure to keep a good distance between you and your opponent," he asked.

"Yes," Reinhardt said as he pointed at Bruce with his sword, and held it out with his sword extended with a bent elbow, "It's always a good idea to keep at least this much distance between the two of you."

Bruce then came back at Reinhardt and tried to get him with an overhand chop only for Reinhardt to turn around, sweeping his legs out from underneath him.

Then as Bruce turned around, Reinhardt put the wooden sword to his chest, "Never lose your temper," he said, "It's safe to say we don't know how far your invulnerability reaches," he then pointed at the weak points on Bruce's body, "We can repair any damage to your heart, lungs, liver, intestines, and kidneys," he then tapped Bruce's throat with the tip of the sword, "But if your head were to come away from your neck, it's over."

"That's good advice," Bruce said.

"Here's some more," Reinhardt said as he walked up to Bruce, he moved his left foot forward, "Keep your left foot forward, and keep your hips facing forward: it keeps your weight balanced," he then stood next to Bruce, "When you swing your sword, step into the swing," he swung his sword downwards, changing his stance from keeping his left foot forward to moving his right foot forward, "But make sure to keep your sword forward so you don't drop your guard."

Bruce stepped into his swing, and swung in a downwards, diagonal motion, he then on instinct brought it up to his shoulder.

"How was that," Bruce asked.

"Pretty decent," Reinhardt said as he pointed out at the training yard, "Now… continue."

Bruce walked out to the training grounds, and picked up his father's shield, "Go time," he said.

"Wait," Reinhardt said as he walked up to Bruce carrying something, "You're going to need a sword," what he put down on the table was a large sword handle with what appeared to be a horse head pommel, "Pick it up."

As Bruce grasped the handle, a thirty-six-inch blade sprung from the guard, "Its light," he said.

"Indeed," Reinhardt said, "The blade is made from a combination of san-mai and Damascus forging using about two hundred and eighty layers of titanium, this blade is guaranteed to almost never break."

"How does it fold," Bruce asked.

"It works like an extending ruler," Reinhardt said, "When you grip it, the blade will spring forth, and it'll only work for you."

"Thanks, grandfather," Bruce said as he tapped Reinhardt on the shoulder with the side of the sword.

"Anytime," Reinhardt said before pointing at the training grounds, "Hop to it."

Bruce stepped down off of the platform and marched up to the beginning of the course.

Weight room…

Brigitte was working on the pull-down weight machine as she looked out to see Bruce outside in the yard attacking the training guards.

She let the weights flop upwards to lean forward, and wipe the sweat off her forehead.

She watched as Bruce activated his father's shield, and proceeded forward with his shield extended, allowing the blasts to be absorbed by the energy the shield was using.

As he got close enough to the bots, he slashed the first one twice across the chest, splitting him in four pieces.

He then bashed his shield into the second, lowered the top of the shield and ran his sword through the center of the bot's head, nearly splitting it in half.

As he removed his sword, he extended the shield, and watched as the bot exploded.

He then lowered the shield to test out the speed of his new legs as he ran up the stairs to the next level of the course to very quickly defend an incoming swing from one of the attack robots that tried to knock him onto his back.

He swung downwards, slicing the robot's arm off, then bunted the robot against the skull with the pommel of his sword, and sliced the robot's head in half, diagonally.

He then went into the building, completely disappearing from Brigitte's sight.

Mercy walked into the room, and over to the weight bench before seeing Brigitte looking out the window, she walked over to her and looked out to see Bruce practicing, "How's Bruce doing out there," she asked.

Brigitte jumped slightly, "Fuck," she cursed before looking back at Mercy, "For someone with wings you sure are sneaky."

"Sorry," Mercy said, "Why are you gawking at Bruce?"

"I'm not gawking," Brigitte exclaimed, "I'm observing."

"Ok," Mercy said as she walked over to the weight bench, and picked up two fifty-pound weights before walking back to the bench, and beginning her workout, "Whatever you say."

"What's that supposed to mean," Brigitte asked.

"Come on," Mercy said as she began lifting the weights, "Bruce is a fine young man. You're a fine young woman."

"I'm not attracted to him," Brigitte exclaimed, "He's my godfather's grandson! That would be like being attracted to my godbrother!"

Mercy chuckled, "I'm surprised to hear you make that analogy," she said.

"I'm an engineer," Brigitte said as she stood up, the yoga shorts she wore to workout in making a very subtle 'squeak' as she stood up, and walked over to take a drink from her water bottle, "It's natural that I would have a high I.Q."

"So does he," Mercy said, "When he was a child he had an I.Q. of 127 when he was a child."

"I had a 132," Brigitte said, "I was eighteen when I graduated college."

"Not to mention you're both in your early twenties," Mercy said.

"He's not really that handsome," Brigitte said.

"Oh come on," Mercy said, "If it weren't for the diamonds they shoved under his skin he'd look very appealing."

"Then maybe you should date him then," Brigitte said.

"I'm already dating someone," Mercy said.

"I know," Brigitte said, "Maybe you can have two special friends. Isn't polygamy accepted in Switzerland from case-to-case?"

"That differs," Mercy said as she switched arms, "I'm not a polygamist."

"And I'm not attracted to Bruce," Brigitte said as she walked out of the room.

"Honey," Mercy said, "Just because you can't see what's going on doesn't mean everyone else can't see what's going on!"

"Shut up," Brigitte called down the hall.

Brigitte walked back to her room whereupon changing into her overalls and 'I like to work out because I like to eat' shirt she looked over to see the picture her mother took of her and Bruce when they were kids.

Brigitte picked up the picture, and observed it: it was showed Bruce when he was two inches shorter than Brigitte who was holding his hand over Brigitte's head.

He asked her, "If I get taller than you I get to marry you, right?" To which she responded, "Sure thing, small fry."

Brigitte chuckled before realizing what she was doing, practically slammed the picture face-down on the table, and walked out of the room.

Sorry for the hiatus guys… school & summer…