Cooper leaned forward and pointed to a small apartment complex next to a repair shop. "Can you drop me off in front of that building there?"
Main Street, the heart of the village, was worn down and distressed. Dark stone buildings were rain-stained and sooty, with rusty iron fire escapes leading to apartments above shops and garages. Windows and rooftops lacked the decorative ironwork and crenelations found on upperclass homes, leaving the village looking stark and dingy. Several storefront windows were boarded up. The cracked, uneven cobblestone streets were not suited to carriages, and were in fact barely suited for foot travel due to their roughness.

Lila drove slightly slower over the bumpy road. She nervously looked around at her surroundings, before pulling up in front of the apartment complex. "No offense, but it ain't the prettiest place...you know, I'm moving into an apartment in the middle class section of the city...you'd be welcome to stay with me...it'd be nice to have some company after all." she said, looking back at her passenger with a smile.

@ladyanglaise

@Princeofhearts

Of course she couldn't escape with Maxwell, even if it was her final desperate bid just to be with him a moment longer, it was not possible. She winced a tad at the youth's words, unwittingly uttered at not the best moment, but still truthful and still like a needle pricking her skin something bothersome.

~"That won't be necessary."~ A curt response given after a brief sigh. Daniella's attention was turned from the odd boy, her stylist, with his penchant for women's garments, and rather transfixed to the window beside her as they sat down in the living room on one of the plush leather couches, her hand resting on her cheek as she inclined on it, still the same hurtful expression she adorned her face with. ~"I do not wish to bother my friends any longer with these trivial emotions. Besides, Cooper has returned to the slums where my dear Maxwell now resides, and Marcella, I feel as though I chided her when I turned her away in my melancholic turmoil."~ Yet another sigh, deeper this time, and somewhat tearful, as her misty eyes left the window and turned to the golden haired youth beside her sitting cross legged. ~"Khalil, you've heard me many times say that destiny is shaped by the hands of men and not a predetermined course. Do you think I was lying when I said that? The truth is...I believe I did lie to myself, because a lie is more acceptable than the cold, blatant truth. I guess I wanted to feel comfort in believing in illusions instead of the hard reality before me, that I didn't wish to see nor acknowledge what this day would truly entail. I feel as though I've lost everyone. I will remember them, yes, but...will I even see their faces, hold their hands and feel their gentle warmth...even for once as time is persistent to carry on and not cease its progression...no matter how much I wish for it to? I don't believe so...."~

The tears....they were coming back. Gods how she hated them now. With a fragile breath, Daniella stood from the couch, still a bit weak from her last fit of woe, drying her eyes upon the touch of her hand. ~"I should stop this now. If mother and father were to see me like this, it would just be worse. I'm not as hard hearted as they are, and never will I be, even if it hurts so much to have a weak, tender heart such as mine."~

@Framing A Moose Cooper shook her head as she opened the carriage door. People on the street looked on in surprise at the beautiful, advanced-looking carriage. "Thanks for the offer, Lila, but I can't leave. This is my home, these are my people, and I want to help them." she said, a hopeful crooked-toothed grin on her face. "Anyway, thank you so much for the ride. I hope we see each other again!" she closed the door behind her and dashed up the fire escape, only turning around once and waving goodbye to Lila.

Lila waved goodbye as Cooper scaled the fire escape. She let out a sigh, before muttering, "Come on Alice. Let's go home." and cruising out of Metalheart village. She continued to go at a slow speed even when she got onto a normal, flat road. After about fifteen minutes, she pulled up in front of a fairly middle class looking apartment complex. She jumped off the front of the carriage and entered the complex. She walked up the stairs until she made it to her floor. She was delighted to see that her apartment was the first one on the left. She pulled out her key and opened the door, looking around. It was very...average. That's when it hit her: the averageness of it all. That was the first time she how average her life was going to be. She would drive around average people, maybe one day meet an average man, have average children, averagely grow old, and, eventually, die an average death. She was now part of the middle class, the most unnoticed of society. The upper class was loved, the lower class despised, but the middle class was simply...ignored. She sighed, before tossing herself on a mattress that had been delivered with the rest of her things.

(time jump 2 years)

Max has now become a inventor because of his skill as a metalheart. He now had his own shop on main street. He got quite a few jobs from other people who live in the area and a few jobs from upper class people through messengers. "Things are going better than I thought they would here." He said as he opened his store.

Cooper walked down the fire escape, heading to the shop where Max worked. Her face was unwashed and creased with stress, and her hair was untidy even by her standards. She had been a foreman on a lot of major repair projects in the city since her training, and was heading out to a new one soon. It was a hard job, especially when they were in upperclass neighborhoods. People there tended to be hypercritical of their work; the slightest mistake or inconvenience to them, and their like-minded administrators would slash the Metalhearts' pay.
She walked past the shop and faintly heard Max talking, but couldn't see anyone else in there when she looked through the window. She smiled wearily and went inside. "Talking to yourself again, Maxie?" she asked cheekily.

Max heard her and chuckled "yeah it's become a habit of mine since I started doing this work." He said "so where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"I'm just heading off to work. We're pulling wire at the train station today." Cooper said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a brass pocket watch with intricate floral designs on the front and set it down on the counter. "My old man dropped his watch down the stairs yesterday and now it's running too fast. I've never been too good with clocks, better with bigger stuff, but I think that the hairspring got jostled loose when he dropped it. I told him I could fix it, but he insisted I let you do it." She chuckled lightly and pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "You're building up quite the reputation around here."

How long has it been....

That is what she had wondered in her nostalgic trance, eyes, languid and mournful, transfixed upon the picture of Maxwell and their dear friends, the very same she had kept all this time.

She reached her hand out, slowly to touch it, but then...she drew it back, a bitter sigh crossing her ruby lips. ~"The past is simply that....the past. I can no longer change it..."~ Outside the dressing room door, faintly she could hear the audience awaiting her, their constant chatter and anticipation as they waited for the scarlet beauty to grace the stage, and their doting eyes, once more with her magnificent, larger than life persona.

Two years, that is how long it has been, two years pushing her way through the adversity, the strain and the struggle, to make it here.

Daniella Reindheart, a name that could be heard all over the city and soon...the entire world, a voice that captivated audiences upon gracing every stage and transistor radio. Yes, she was a star, a bright and shining star at that. For just the ripe young age of eighteen, she had done pretty good for herself....but...of all the promises she had kept for that span of time, to become a singer as great as her dearly departed mother, to rise above the ranks to stardom...one...she had broken.... her promise to forget the past.

"Miss Reindheart, it's time." The stage manager gathered her attention from her reflection in the vanity, a brief moment to make sure her hair and makeup were perfect, and that her voice would be up to par for this night. Then, with another sigh, she stood from the vanity and made her way over. ~"Wish me luck."~ On her way out, a sly wink she gave to the lad. And just like that, the mask was on.

No one wanted to see Daniella, the broken, miserable woman. No, they were here to see Daniella, the scarlet beauty, the songbird of the city, their precious, coveted gem. So that is what she gave them, a false, alluring smile painted across her face, sparkling emerald eyes that only held a fictitious glow, and a charisma of a woman who thought she was on top of the world, high above the heavens, instead of festering and writhing in the torment of her personal Hell.

The curtains drew back, the blinding glare of the hot spotlight hitting her so sudden, yet not a cringe or wince she gave, elegantly sauntering across the hardwood stage, tenderly clasping the microphone in her frail, dainty fingers, a tempting smirk crossing her luscious lips, then...the delivery, ~"Hello my darlings, did you miss me?"~

The crowd cheered, applause all around with her sultry voice echoing throughout the concert hall, a few whistles and cat-calls here and there from some of the rowdy sailors and soldier boys up front, indeed enamored with such a femme fatale. ~"Thank you, thank you all. You're very sweet."~ Softly she giggled, a small blush emanating from her pale, porcelain cheeks. ~"I think me and the boys in the band have one more song left, if you would like to hear it."~ They all cheered their loudest, one final song to wrap up this wonderful evening, one final chance to hear that beautiful voice of hers.

To the band behind her, an ensemble of fine, talented musicians, she gave a nod and a wink, signal for them to begin playing.

The music, an intimate, tender melody, a perfect composition to accompany her vocals. A deep breath Daniella took...and then...

...magic

Max took the watch and said "yeah that's for sure" He then walked over to his work bench to look at the watch. He turned on his radio while he passed it. He sat down and began to take it apart when he heard Daniella singing over the radio. He froze for a second but then he continued working on the clock.

Ten.

Ten was the number of patients she had exhibiting symptoms of the strange illness. Ten was the number she had failed to cure.

Marcella leaned back in her chair, her dark eyes piercing the coughing child seated before her. It was a little girl, no older than three. Once, perhaps, she had been rosy-cheeked and healthy. But now the child was nothing more than a pale, shivering shell. Dark circles hung beneath the little girl's dull eyes and her thin body trembled with each cough. It wasn't fever or a simple cold. Marcella had checked multiple times. No...this was new, and while it hadn't claimed any lives yet, she wanted it gone and gone fast.

"Dr. Biancardi, thank you so much..." the girl's mother said. "You can't understand how hard this has been for us...no other doctors would treat a Metalheart family."

Marcella gave the woman a tight smile as she checked the girl. "Don't thank me until she's healthy again," she dismissed as she pulled back. "Until I find the exact source of the illness, I can't do much but give you basic cough medicine. I'm sorry..."

The woman shook her head and embraced the young doctor. "It's alright. You've done so much for us already."

Marcella watched as the woman gathered the medicine and girl before hurrying back out. An exhausted sigh surged from her lips as she closed her eyes and leaned back. Two years. Hard to believe that that much time has passed. She'd been so sure that becoming a doctor would change lives and make things better, but now...now she felt as helpless as anything, what with the new disease raging about. Marcella gathered her long hair into a tight bun, a few white strands standing out despite her being only twenty, and grabbed her coat. Frustration bubbles beneath her skin as she thought back to the little girl. So many were sick, especially in the slums where hygiene was the last thing on everyone's list. Now it was time to take action and go to the source, even if it meant getting ill.

Marcella rushed out of her office/house and waved at the passing carriages for a ride.

@Dmessenger Cooper smiled warmly when she heard her old friend on the radio. "How about that! Daniella really made it big!" she exclaimed. She hadn't seen Daniella since graduation, and didn't listen to the radio all too much, so she didn't know how successful her friend had been as a singer.

@ladyanglaise Max nodded and kept focusing on the clock trying to not think about her. He had done his best to move on, but the only way he could is by working.

That was it. The show was over. Time for the curtain to fall, and everything to end.

With one last bow to her adoring audience, a thunderous round of applause and cheers echoing to and fro and all about the packed music hall, she blew a few kisses, giving a few beaming, lovely smiles here and there....before the curtain closed, the spotlights dimmed....and the mask fell off, revealing the true Daniella.

It brought her nothing anymore, the singing, the fame, the hundreds of men and women who treated her as though she were a goddess among them, no joy whatsoever.

She sighed, deeply, quick to return to her dressing room and pull the ribbons from her hair, the tacky, gaudy jewelry she hastily yanked off of her as though it were ablaze with flames or coated in some sort of corrosive liquid searing into her flesh. Then that dress, so tight, so constricting, like some sort of serpent or living creature that tried to swallow her, crushing her bones and grinding them into nothing...nothing but ashes. Oh how it felt to finally be rid of it, now just sitting at her vanity, only wearing her pale lavender slip she had underneath the dress. Yes, Khalil designed it, and grateful she was for the sweet young man, but....it was what she felt when she was wearing the dress....not herself...

There was knock at her door, startling her somewhat, Daniella pulling on a silk robe, designed with influence from one of the eastern countries. ~"C-come in."~ Softly she replied to the knocking. The door opened, slowly, with a creak of the old hinges, and there he stood... Magnus Carthenwald, one of the most trusted names in the railroad and shipping industries, and...her father.

"There she is!" With a hearty laugh he hugged Daniella, one of his famous bear hugs. If that damn dress didn't squeeze the life out of her, he certainly did. It may have been fine when she was what, three or four years old, back before she saw the man for who he was under his pristine, sharp suit and his fine groomed looks. But now, Daniella a full blossomed woman, it just felt...mortifying. Reluctant, she returned the hug, ~"Hello father. Did you enjoy the show?"~

"Did I enjoy it?" Jovially he replied clapping his hands together. "You were splendid, Daniella! The crowd loved you! Oh...if only your mother could be here to see it. She would be so damn proud of you, as am I?"

Her mother, yes, the one who molded her into the beautiful and talented person she is now....no longer with them. There wasn't much Daniella remembered of the day her mother passed on, other than her sporadic coughing fits, seeing the life....fade from her very eyes, and...gods...all that blood she hacked up. She could remember half the maids fainting from the sight of it, a bit of dark humor...for such a mournful experience. She did love her mother, but one thing Daniella could recall.....no tears, none she shed, even at her memorial service her own daughter was stoic, emotionless...about as vacant expression as the very cold and withered marble statues of the cemetery. It wasn't because she hated her, no, it was simply....the girl was without any tears, having wasted them on so many other things.

Ah...and that brought up something else. Her mother's doctor she didn't expect to be a long lost companion of hers, @Fubsy Marcella. But Daniella, even when she was met by the dark, urgent eyes of the lovely Italian, she too having blossomed into a refined young woman, nary a word she spoke to her... Not a single conversation carried, just...silence between the two. Daniella...she wondered if she had come off as snooty, a rich celebrity with no need for friends, no need for the past. She wondered...if it hurt Marcella...as much as it hurt her inside to be so callous.

~"I'm sure mother enjoyed it, father, from her own special place in the heavens above."~ She sighed, a small frown as if to indicate sadness, when really there was no emotion left within her. Her father nodded, "Yes, I believe she did, my daughter. Well then, I best be off. Got to be well rested, because bright and early tomorrow, my campaign begins!" That last bit he added with such arrogant flair. Daniella, her brow furrowed to him. ~"Campaign?"~ She inquired. ~"What campaign?"~

"Oh, you haven't heard, dear?" Magnus returned quite surprised. "Surely you have. It's been broadcasted all over the radio." Then, the bombshell, delivered with such a pompous attitude she could only expect from him. "Magnus T. Carthenwald, a name of trust, stability, and pride for this fair state, is running for the office of Governor. I should be a shoo-in too. The only competition is some brat, a metalheart sympathizer. Pah! I can't even recall what the imbecile's name was. Wait. Ah yes! Matthew ([@Slendy}] was his name, Matthew L. Siege the Fourth. Heh, the boy thinks he can bring about change to this city? He speaks nonsense! The people don't want change! They want honesty, integrity, and above all else not some limp wristed fool who will cower to any demand those grubby creatures give him! They want a man who will clean up the filth and muck those bastards have tainted our fair city with, all that damn smog and refuse from their factories and foundries littering our streets, defiling every inch of our grand community! And worse, they're out in the streets, demanding equal rights. They think they deserve what the rich have acquired after such a long, harrowing struggle. Well I say no. The Metalhearts need to learn their place, beneath our feet."

Ill....that is how she felt listening to this...this... How wretched, how cruel his words, even towards his own daughter. Daniella didn't see them as such. The metalhearts, they were only good honest workers, unlike the fat, greedy bastard before her, who rather than work with his so called honesty and integrity, cheated his way to the top, crushing hearts and souls beneath his feet just to rise above the ranks. The metalhearts were not the filth of the city. No...it was people like her father, people like the pompous and haughty aristocrats who never worked an honest day in their life, and they claim they're better than them?

But Daniella...as much as she wanted to. As much as she wanted to lash out at the bigotry spouted from his putrid lips, she let it all simply brush by her ears like a glancing bullet, sharp and painful...but it didn't wound her....well in some way it had.

For while she had no ill word nor thought towards all metalhearts. In her heart, there was still a special place for one in particular.

She wondered...where was he?

(time to complicate the plot) Max suddenly dropped his tools, his eyes were full of shock. He had just heard the announcement on the radio about Daniella's father running for governor, but that isn't the thing that scared him. What scared him is that a few days ago he was asked to make something he only does on rare occasions. He was told by his buyer that it was to get rid of a man who could destroy what little peace the metalhearts and other lower class have. He just muttered "they wouldn't go that far would they?"



(thank you whoever made this drawing, it's awesome)

Cooper wanted to hit something. She knew Magnus T. Carthenwald all too well, had heard his traditionalist diatribes against Metalhearts on the radio and then heard them parroted by her wealthy employers. She had no respect for him, and wanted nothing more than for people to wake up and realize how toxic his ideals were. She stomped out of the shop and headed to work, wanting to get this day over with as quickly as possible. She heard Max say something but don't give it much thought as she headed down the road to the train station.

Birds chirping and the light from outside was the various things that counted as Matt's alarm clock. He woke up with a yawn looking around his room. "You did it..." He whispered to himself as he got up and begin his everyday morning schedule of washing up and making his way to breakfast. Over the two years Matt has done the most he's ever done for the lower class citizens. He even had his family imprisoned for their inhumane crimes against the people. Matt was becoming what you may call the people's champion. And the defacing of his families company was just the beginning. Matt had finished his preparation for the day to come and walked to the dining room of the mansion.

Matt could walk through the mansion blindfolded and get to every plalce in the house without bumping into anything. For this mansion wasn't anything new, it was his families old estate that he bought. The once safe heaven from the poor was now a safe heaven from the corrupted rich. Ever since Matt made a name for himself more and more wealthy people stopped working along side him. Some even tried to treat as if he was a lower class citizen playing to big of a role for his status. But through the criticism and threats Matt climbed the latter and became a powerful speaker of the people. He reached the dinning room and sat at the head of the table. He'd prepare his own food but someone would always stop him.

That someone was named Dawn, a young beautiful woman who was Matt's secretary. This would seem weird to others but Matt personally requested that she comes and live with him for her safety. They weren't intimate they seemed more like siblings. Not to long and Dawn entered the dinning room with two plates filled with eggs, bacon, and toast. Matt smiled. "Keep this up and the media is gonna think we're an old married couple." Dawn chuckled at the statement and sat to the left of him slowly eating her food. It was a bit of silence before she spoke. "Matt...look I know you've made it...big and all..but be careful....what if there's people like your family out there that literally aims to kill the competition."

Matt stopped eating and smiled. He knew that he was gonna face things like this and he was ready for them. "There's nothing to worry about Dawn. If I ever do I'll just fight the best last fight I'll ever have." Dawn wasn't to excited about his response. She just exhaled heavily and finished her meal. After Matt finished his they left the mansion and went out to help himself get the lead on running for Governer. This was his next and important step in helping the lower class citizens. He just had to win the election.

Lila's life ended up not being as average as she thought it would be. Sure, her job was fairly average at first, but then something happened. About five months after graduation, Alice, as in the carriage, confessed her feelings for Lila. It only took another four months for Lila to propose to her beloved carriage. But they knew that society would look down on their relationship, so they kept it a secret. Because of this, they haven't yet found anyone to officially marry them. But they still wore the rings, which were matching, simple bronze bands, proudly. And those were all the events leading up to where she was now, staring at the carriage which had a mix of steam and smoke rising from it. The machine made a loud whining sound. Lila stepped onto the front platform of her sweet machine and held the lever with the ring on it, comforting the carriage. "Shhhh...I know it hurts...but I have a friend who might be able to help you..." she said. It had been a while since she had talked to Cooper, who's name still somehow came easily to her. But in her mind, @Dmessengerthe girl owed her at least a bit of a discount. And so, she walked to the Metalheart Village, she wasn't completely sure where she might be now, but she knew someone who would. She walked around the village until she found a clock shop which she had only heard of. She entered to see the Max kid, the lawyers' son. "Hey," she said upon coming in. "Do you know where I could find Cooper?"

@Dmessenger