---

Mercury was walking the streets of Sepetiba it was a coastal city in Rio de janeiro. The streets were bustling with music, and dancing as it was that time of year once more. It was Carnival, and Rio was where to be during this time. Mercury was enjoying Agua do coco, which was simply freshly cracked open cold coconut. It was sweet, and refreshing after enjoying a bit of dancing.

He’d had enough time to enjoy himself before he had to get to work. There was a man who stalked girls in this city during this exact time, and murdered them when they were alone. Due to all the partying nobody seemed to notice till they were cleaning up. But, Mercury knew, yes he knew of this man as he’d been hunting him for two years now. Four girls all begging for help with their guts split open kidneys stolen, and then left to bleed to death slowly in the dirty street, like a sick dog. As he knew, and loved the fact their cries would go unheard due to all the music.

But, Mercury had a sort of sixth sense when it came to detecting the dying gasps of someone. It’d been the first sounds he’d heard when he was form, and so knew it well. Yes… Tonight was the night he’d finally catch this sick son of a bitch, and make him suffer every bit as the girls had suffered. In fact he’d been tailing him for the past two hours. Watching him samba, and flirt with girls being as slick as they came. He was hunting for his next prey, and by god Mercury was going to stop it before it happened again. But, he had to wait till they were alone, isolated from help. Before he could pounce on this predator soon to be prey.

The dark skinned black haired 6’1” man with a white tailored suit, and rio mask walked up to a red haired girl. Mercury was standing off to the side glaring as he watched the two talk.
“Hello there chica alone this fine evening? How about I buy you a drink hmm?” The woman matched this man’s prey type perfectly red hair, white, and most importantly a tourist.

Mercury was rubbing his chin trying to think trying to get this poor girl away from this man before she ended up next. He was thankfully wearing his Sly mask knowing he’d need to be able to blend into the crowds at some point. So he walked to the bathrooms in the back, and went into a stall. When he exited he went straight up to the dark skinned man as he flirted away to the Red head.

”Dammit… looks like he found his next victim. I can work with this though. Hopefully before he has a chance to kill her. Dammit… Maybe if I? No, that may backfire. Fuuuking hell.“ Mercury was frustrated, and trying to come up with a solution.

“So tell me your name… Edwina? Quite the pretty name for a pretty girl yes?” The man was fucking slick as grease, and just as slimy. God he hoped this chick wouldn’t fall for this assholes ploys.

---

---

Eddie glanced down at her phone, cursing at Siri, before throwing it back in her bag. She had taken an internship in Rio for the summer, helping her to finish up her degree in physics. But of course, when it was time for her to begin learning Portuguese, she instead watched Orange Is The New Black... The only word she knew, then, happened to be Spanish: puta.

Admittedly, it had come in handy.

"Fuck," Edwina murmured, pulling the English-Portugeuse dictionary out of her bag. It was clunky and annoying, but hey, at least it didn't crash on her and have software bugs. Thumbing her way through the dictionary, she mentally rehearsed over and over again how to ask for a glass of lemonade. Last time, she had accidentally asked for a gorilla. The stares hadn't been great.

"Eu gostaria de uma limonada," Eddie rehearsed, muttering it underneath her breath. Hopefully, she had gotten it right this time- or at least, something close to asking for lemonade.

“Hello there chica alone this fine evening? How about I buy you a drink hmm?”

Edwina glanced up from the dictionary, directly into eyes concealed by a mask. The man was tall, towering over her, in a well made suit that complimented his dark complexion. “So tell me your name…? Edwina? Quite the pretty name for a pretty girl yes?”

Eddie glanced down at the dictionary. There, in large letters, she had indeed written her name. Taking in a deep breath, Eddie counted to ten, going through all of the stress techniques her therapist had taught her. Even now, strange men would give her flashbacks, brief images and memories of what had happened just a year ago.

Come on, Eddie- play along, kick his ass, and move on. Mustering up her courage, Eddie smiled back at the man, hoping that her indecisiveness just came off as nervousness and awe.

"I don't really drink..." Eddie admitted, thinking on her feet. "But I'm dying to get away from all of these crowds."

The man grinned, offering his arm. Eddie took it, attempting to focus, as her head felt like it was spinning. At any moment, she was convinced, she could burst into tears. But summoning up courage from a force stronger than herself, she let the man lead her away from the crowds, and down an alley.

---

Mercury followed Edwina, and the murderer several paces back. He followed them into an alley watching with rage, and then zeroed in on the man as he pulled out his usual tool for murder. The man was fast throwing Eddie against a wall chuckling as the blade pressed to her throat. “God I’m going to enjoy playing with your corpse.” The man drew back the dagger to stab Edwina.

But, before the blade could touch her skin again a fist cracked his chin. ”Not fucking today, or ever again you sick fuck! “ He looked over at the red headed girl his red eyes looking into hers. The reptilian like pupils soon moved back to look at the man as they slowly stood up. “So it’s you… I was told to look out for you. Just didn’t think the Masquerade of Rio de janeiro actually existed, or that it was a person this fucking ugly.” The man spat out a little blood with a tooth.

”Eh, yeah I get that a lot…. Wait no I don’t. Who the hell told you about me, and also I’m not ugly. Ass, I’m gonna enjoy killing you even more than I originally thought.“ Mercury actually seemed to make knuckle cracking sounds as he moved his neck right to left. Then motioned for the man to get up. When he did like an idiot, Mercury roundhouse kicked him in the face sending him back to the ground. ”Hey you girly… Wanna get in on this action? He was after all going to kill you. Figure it’s only right you get a good kick in before he’s wasted.“ As now Mercury was just playing with the man. Like a cat did with a mouse till it died.

---

---

Almost as soon as they entered the alley, the man pinned her up against the wall. Edwina blinked, and in a split second, it all came rushing back to her once more, as if it was a movie that had begun to play. The drinking. The drug. The abduction. The murders. All of it. She gasped a bit, shuddering as the knife was pushed up against her throat.

“God I’m going to enjoy playing with your corpse.”

Edwina spat in his face, breathing shakily. With all of her concentration that she could muster, she started concentrating light in her hands, slowly building an energy ball. The man drew back his dagger, and Edwina's eyes widened, realizing that the energy blast wouldn't be ready in time.

”Not fucking today, or ever again you sick fuck! “ A masked creature shouted, his fist connecting with the man's. The man staggered backwards, spitting out blood as he did so. Edwina relaxed a bit, looking over her shoulder and expecting Jackson.

Shit. That's not Jackson. Biting her lip, she continued to build the energy blasts, an immense and shining light in her hands. “So it’s you… I was told to look out for you. Just didn’t think the Masquerade of Rio de janeiro actually existed, or that it was a person this fucking ugly," the man sneered, a tooth flying out of his mouth.

Unfortunately, the name meant very little to Edwina. She hadn't a clue who this Masquerade person was--but she knew that Jackson would know. If only the ghost would have kept a phone reliably on him...But of course, any attempt for her to use her phone with pure energy in her hands would have only resulted in Eddie needing to save up yet again for another vintage iPhone SE.

”Eh, yeah I get that a lot…. Wait no I don’t. Who the hell told you about me, and also I’m not ugly. Ass, I’m gonna enjoy killing you even more than I originally thought.“ Masquerade kicked the man in the face, sending him to the ground once more. Eddie almost pitied him. ”Hey you girly… Wanna get in on this action? He was after all going to kill you. Figure it’s only right you get a good kick in before he’s wasted.“

Edwina paused, before winding her right arm like she was pitching a baseball, and slamming the ball of pure energy down into the man. On contact with his skin, the energy left severe burns, revealing organs and bones. Dark ash remained where his eyes were, and if the man was lucky, he would only cough up blood when he next inhaled.

"It's not girly," Edwina stated, the energy ball in her left hand continuing to grow. She didn't want to take any chances--for all she knew, she was next on the masked creature's hit list. "I'm Lucifer."

---

Seeing the concentrated light Mercury quickly backed the fuck off. Just being near such concentrated light made his skin itch in discomfort. He was just glad that blast wasn’t meant for him, and instead the murderer’s face ”Yowch that has gotta burn…. Eh, see what I did there?“ He then chuckled softly. Then looked back to Edwina. "It's not girly," Edwina stated, the energy ball in her left hand continuing to grow. She didn't want to take any chances--for all she knew, she was next on the masked creature's hit list. "I'm Lucifer." He shook his head at her. He wasn’t happy about Lucifer pointing that light ball at him. ”Put that light show away Lucifer before someone notices. For fucks sake has no one taught you subtlety? Nor obviously how to thank the guy who just saved your ass. If I wanted you dead I’d have let that monster waste you.“
Then grabbed the dagger at his hip then swung it out to the side it quickly expanded into a sword. Then with quick movements cut the man’s head clean off then the rest of the body. In almost no time at all the man was an unrecognizable pile of flesh. He looked over at the girl swinging his blade removing the blood before putting it away as it collapsed back down. ”As a resident of Rio I believe I should show you a good time. It is Carnival after all it’s no good to be here, and not to dance, and have fun.“ He offered Lucifer his hand his mask’s expression changing to a soft kind smile. ”Come on, I promise I don’t bite.“

---

---

”Yowch that has gotta burn…. Eh, see what I did there?“ Eddie would have chuckled, but instead, it came out as a strangled breath. Looking down at the man on the ground, she still felt trapped, hunted, and caged. Closing her eyes tightly, Eddie attempted to prevent the tears starting to fall down her face. "Fuck," she muttered, wiping her eyes with her free hand.

”Put that light show away Lucifer before someone notices. For fucks sake has no one taught you subtlety? Nor obviously how to thank the guy who just saved your ass. If I wanted you dead I’d have let that monster waste you.“

Eddie was prepared to argue, but feeling weak, she slowly let go of the energy ball, allowing it to vanish. Focusing on her breathing, she mentally went through the streets near her childhood home, waiting for her heart to slow down to something normal. As soon as she calmed down, the monster had finished chopping up the corpse, and Eddie laughed weakly.

”As a resident of Rio I believe I should show you a good time. It is Carnival after all it’s no good to be here, and not to dance, and have fun. Come on, I promise I don’t bite.“

"I'm a bit over the entire being shown a good time, thing..." Eddie said awkwardly, putting her hands in her pocket. "Besides, can you even bite in that thing?" she teased, letting an honest laugh fall from her hips.

"Fuck it, I guess it can't hurt," Eddie said, remembering the way the creature reacted to the light. If it tried anything, she could just shine all of the light at it. It would be alright. She would just need to breathe, concentrate, and remember that not everything guy wanted to rape and murder her. She tossed another glance over at the human corpse, remembering the ghost and the pile of corpses from just a year ago.

At this rate, she'd be abducted on her next birthday as well, only to be saved by an undead spirit. Maybe it would be a vampire next time.

---

"I'm a bit over the entire being shown a good time, thing… Besides, can you even bite in that thing?" she teased, letting an honest laugh fall from her lips. ”That’s good, you can laugh after all. Was worried you were broken for a second.“ Mercury chuckled, and pat Edwina on the shoulder. ”As for biting, I can, I just save that for food.“ "Fuck it, I guess it can't hurt," Eddie said. Hearing those words made Mercury smile bright at her, and he nodded.
He gently took Lucifer’s hand in his leading her towards the busy streets. It was oddly warm, and gentle for a spirit. There was so much dancing, laughing, and music. ”See with this many people around even if I wanted to I couldn’t do anything. Which I seriously don’t, so chill. My name is Masquerade incase you were wondering. Now let’s SAMBA!“ He chuckled some more then began to samba, and began to show Lucifer some of the easiest steps.

After a while Mercury had gotten tired, and ordered some nice cold beer seeing as it was cheaper than water, and had the stand owner hand it to Lucifer. Knowing she probably wasn’t all too trusting of him. So was going to take it slow with her, and with the beers he got some salty meat on a stick before walking towards one of the largest, and busiest streets of all. As that was where the carnival parade was coming from. He motioned for Eddie to take a seat next to him. ”So tell me Lucifer… Just what happened to make you feel so scared of every man you meet? I can tell even after knowing I’d not harm you, you still seem to flinch whenever I get near you.“ His voice was just loud enough for Lucifer to hear. Lifted his mask up, and started eating his meat which just vanished into a wall of darkness. His beer did much the same.

---

---

The spirit patted her on the shoulder, laughing.”That’s good, you can laugh after all. Was worried you were broken for a second.“ Eddie, ever paranoid, couldn't help but tense up. A nearby store's lights began to flicker on and off, causing the shopkeeper to curse, and intend to have a proper fight with the power company as soon as he could. ”As for biting, I can, I just save that for food.“

Eddie raised an eyebrow, hardly being able to believe that the thing could eat. Part of her was convinced that this was either some sort of evil plot, or, a prank. Jackson would be the one to put this elaborate thing together- and it would have explained the harsh treatment of the thug.

”See with this many people around even if I wanted to I couldn’t do anything. Which I seriously don’t, so chill. My name is Masquerade incase you were wondering. Now let’s SAMBA!“

"I know- the dead guy called you that. I'm assuming it isn't your real name," Eddie commented idly, trying to put off the samba. Dancing wasn't exactly her thing. Mostly, it was because she hadn't a bloody clue as to how it worked. As far as she could tell, it was shaking limbs in suggestive manners all over the place, occasionally accompanied with large circles of people and cheering.

Somehow, the creature began doing the basic steps. Eddie stared for a moment, contemplating refusing to dance, and generally being moody. However, her psychiatrist's recommendations came back to her, and she let herself be guided through the motions and the steps.

"That only kind of sucked," Edwina commented, as Masquerade ordered beers and meat. The stand owner handed the beer to her, and she gripped it tightly, her knuckles turning white. She had made a policy of not drinking in public ever since her 21st birthday. It kept her safe.

”So tell me Lucifer… Just what happened to make you feel so scared of every man you meet? I can tell even after knowing I’d not harm you, you still seem to flinch whenever I get near you.“

Sitting down next to him, Eddie left the beer untouched. Instead, she watched as the meat seemed to vanish into nothingness. There's no way he's getting any nutrients or anything from that...

"That's between me, my diary, and a dead guy in America," Eddie chuckled, before pausing. "Oh, and I suppose my psychiatrist, but she's got cancer and won't be around much longer..."

---

"That's between me, my diary, and a dead guy in America," Eddie chuckled, before pausing. "Oh, and I suppose my psychiatrist, but she's got cancer and won't be around much longer..." At hearing that Mercury almost choked on the piece of meat he was eating. ”Damn… Are you sure that’s healthy keeping all of yourself bottled up like that? I could tell you the way I was born to show you there are far darker things to come across… But, I doubt that’d help you would it?“ He lowered his mask back down, and slowly stood up dusting his pants off. ”I think the only one that can light your way out of this darkness you’ve surrounded yourself in is yourself Lucifer. The lightbringer, before you end up falling so far down you don’t remember which way is up or down. As I know all too well what that feels like, the feeling of fear of those around you. I live with it every day of my life, hell I even fear the sunrise. For half of my life I let that fear consume me, drive every single action I did. But, because of that I missed the beauty, and life around me. Something, I refuse to let to ever happen again… Something I refuse to let consume someone else I can help.“ He looked down at Her then sighed shaking his head before looking up at one of the very tall parade floats with dozens of girls dancing around on it.
Then looked back down at Eddie, and smiled at her with kindness. Then offered his hand to her once more. ”Why don’t we go someplace a little quieter? I want to show you something, and don’t worry you’ve the power to kill me in your possession. I fear you more than you could ever possibly fear me. But, as I said. I’m not going to let my fear dictate my actions.“

---

---

”Damn… Are you sure that’s healthy keeping all of yourself bottled up like that? I could tell you the way I was born to show you there are far darker things to come across… But, I doubt that’d help you would it?“

She giggled a bit, watching as the creature seemed to choke on the meat. Once more, she couldn't help but wonder how choking actually worked-- were there a pair of lungs there? a throat? digestive system? Her eyes allowed her to see more than most, especially with her unique power over light. Yet even Eddie couldn't see anything underneath the quote.

Eddie listened as he continued on, content to receive advice from a stranger. Of course, he didn't know her situation--he couldn't have known about all of those things. But it hardly mattered anyways. The advice would be the same, no matter what. She couldn't live in fear of other people-sure, she could be annoyed by some of them... But freaking out each time a man approached her wasn't the best way to live.

”Why don’t we go someplace a little quieter? I want to show you something, and don’t worry you’ve the power to kill me in your possession. I fear you more than you could ever possibly fear me. But, as I said. I’m not going to let my fear dictate my actions.“

Eddie raised an eyebrow. "Look, this is all very nice... But I don't need therapy from a stranger," she laughed awkwardly. "I'm not some... some damsel in distress, waiting for you to come to the right castle, okay?"

But then again, she had agreed to go wander around with the thing. And it was certainly more interesting than anyone she had met before--anyone normal, that is. If his planned trip wasn't meant to give her some magical cure to the trauma from just a year ago, she'd be content to go with him. But she didn't need anyone's charity--she could fend for herself.

After all, that was part of the reason why she called herself Lucifer. She didn't need anyone to fend for her. She was independent to a fault.

"If this isn't an attempt to...well, fix me, then sure, I'll go check it out."

---

”Meh, I’m not fully giving up. But, I’m not going to keep wasting my time if you don’t want help. As you said you’re no damsel in distress.“ Actually the reason Mercury wanted to leave was because he could sense eyes watching him very closely. He knew from the second that man mentioned his name people were hunting him. All the places they were going was actually to defend her. As he could tell whatever happened involved kidnapping, and refused to let that happen to her again if he could help it.

”Now keep up then.“ He then quickly navigated through the crowds holding tightly to Lucifer’s hand. It was like a death grip as he started moving people out of his way. He knew the people watching would go after Lucifer because of the way it drove him mad when someone he knew was killed. But, in this panicked state he was quickly becoming sloppy.

He got to the beach, and kept going for a while before stopping. There were fast approaching footsteps behind them. Mercury pushed Lucifer ahead onto a solid path that’d been covered by sand from the beach goers in the morning. ”Go, run, and keep running on this path until you see the crowds again… It was nice meeting you Lucy… Also my name is Mercury Abital. It’d be nice if just one person remembered my name.“ Then he turned to face the men running towards them.

He quickly recognized the weapons he had, and smiled slightly. Light cannons, and guns that probably shoot iron. ”Well… Today is a good day to die!“ He walked towards the men, and started running as he switched from his Warlord to Magi Mask. “You two go after the girl, and bring her to the warehouse We’ll deal with Masquerade.” ”No you fucking don’t!“ Mercury shot a hail of ice down on the men killing them, but noticed as one of the men readied a light cannon on him. Quickly he changed to carbuncle form to protect himself. But, the blast was so intense it sent his tiny form flying high, and far. The adorable form of Mercury flew over Lucifer’s head landing hard with a crack. The weak movements, and wheezing breaths the only signs he was still alive. His body was burnt, and badly injured yet still retained that cuteness most only saw in puppies or kittens. He even let out a heartbreakingly cute sound of pain.

---

---

”Meh, I’m not fully giving up. But, I’m not going to keep wasting my time if you don’t want help. As you said you’re no damsel in distress. Now keep up then.“ Masquerade grabbed her hand in a death grip, tugging and pulling her through the crowds. A prickle of fear began to reignite in Eddie, but she continued to breathe, hoping to avoid accidentally harming the thing.

She only intentionally hurt people, if she could help it.

Eventually, they reached a beach. Eddie tried not to voice her distaste of sand--it seemed that something was bothering Masquerade deeply. ”Go, run, and keep running on this path until you see the crowds again… It was nice meeting you Lucy… Also my name is Mercury Abital. It’d be nice if just one person remembered my name.“

Looking behind them, she could clearly see what it was. Thugs, with guns and cannons, were rushing towards them. ”Well… Today is a good day to die!“ Masquerade switched his masks, and Eddie smirked a bit. She had no intention of running away.

It was time for some goddamned therapy the best way she knew how--beating up scum. “You two go after the girl, and bring her to the warehouse We’ll deal with Masquerade.” ”No you fucking don’t!“ Masquerade practically smited the men with ice, but one of them managed to get off a shot with the cannon. It hit him, and he fell back, burnt and injured.

"Maybe I should be the one rescuing you," Eddie quipped. Delicately moving her fingers, she manipulated the light once more. This time, instead of creating an energy ball, she prevented the light that hit Mercury and her naturally from striking anyone's eyeballs.

In an essence, they were now invisible. "Are they all dead? Can't really tell."

Of course, they could still hear them. Eddie hadn't come up with a good way to stop sound waves yet.

---

Mercury weakly opened his eyes to look at the men, and tried getting up. Only to flop back down again his green furry body starting to heal slowly. But, he’d been badly burned by the light cannon. He looked up at Eddie with gentle black eyes. ”They’re still alive… They can hear us… We need to get out of here. These are just goons, guns for hire. Frankly I’d rather not die here today… I hate asking this of anyone, especially someone that can control light like you can. But, you’re going to have to carry me. I can’t move.“

Mercury was looking at the men as they positioned their AK-47’s at the area they heard Eddie, and Mercury’s voices. They were going to spray, and pray. ”Come on Hurry Lucifer we need to get out of here. Live to fight another day as the saying goes. Also yes I'm a bit of a flip flopper.“ He was trying to get up again, but he was shaking on his four legs ears bent low against his head.

Soon the men began opening fire a hailstorm of bullets, but they were shooting low. They were clearly not trying to kill them, but injure and capture. So they could take them back to whomever they worked for. Mercury was protecting Eddie, and himself with a shield that was quickly chipping away. As it was draining the last of Mercury's energy his eyes starting to shut.

---

---

”They’re still alive… They can hear us… We need to get out of here. These are just goons, guns for hire. Frankly I’d rather not die here today… I hate asking this of anyone, especially someone that can control light like you can. But, you’re going to have to carry me. I can’t move.“

"Yup. I'm definitely the one saving your ass," Eddie chuckled a bit. "How much do you weigh? I mean, I've never exactly carried a...whatever you are."

The AK-47s went into position, and a hail of bullets shot at the ground. Fortunately, none of them struck Eddie anywhere vital. "Jesus fucking Christ, that was my toe, assholes!"

Looking down at her shoe, she saw the point where the bullet entered, and she bit down on her tongue in pain. ”Come on Hurry Lucifer we need to get out of here. Live to fight another day as the saying goes. Also yes I'm a bit of a flip flopper.“ She glanced down at Mercury again, watching as he flopped on the ground like a fish. She shook her head at him, before waving her hands towards the attackers once more.

Truthfully, she didn't need to wave her hands around to manipulate light. She just liked the way it looked--it was dramatic!

"How dare you attack the prince of darkness?" Eddie shouted, attempting to make her voice hoarse and low. To the attackers, the image in front of them changed. Rather than being a blank spot on the beach, the devil seemed to come into form. A blinding light then ushered towards their eyes, causing them to try to shield their eyes in great pain. Yet they couldn't escape it.

Eventually, the thugs turned and ran. Eddie, panting and sweating, collapsed down to the ground, gasping. "That was...probably not the smartest move for me." She chuckled lightly, before her arms gave out, and she coughed up a bit of blood, her fingers twitching lightly from all of the energy she had directed.

---

Mercury’s flopping was a figure of speech, and the fish flubbing was all in her head. He was flip flopping on what he said about dying. ”In humanoid form? 18 about kilograms, or 40 pounds. This form? About six pounds, 10 pounds wet… I’ve got a lot of free time on my hands.“ He watched the light show Lucifer put on, and watched the men run shaking his head.

”Idiotah, that’s not going to deter them for long. I’m a fucking walking talking nightmare. We need to get out of here even more now, as they’ll be coming back with reinforcements. They didn’t plan for you, they planned for me.“ He slowly forced himself to stand shapeshifting back to human. Then used his last mask for the night, Sly.

The form he took was one he’d thought up off the top of his head. He needed a disguise, and the form he rook was incredibly similar to Jackson’s, and he looked at Eddie. ”Come on we need to get moving. I don’t doubt they’ll be back any second. Or do I have to carry your scrawny ass?“ He was pissed off royally, and all pretenses of him kidding around fell away. Nice Mercury had left the building now it was serious, vicious, and pissed off Mercury she was dealing with.

---

---

Eddie jumped up, hopping on her good foot, grinning a bit. It was almost a victory dance, conveniently serving to cover up the bit of lead that had been blown into her. Her energy and strength went back quickly, thanks to the practice she had given and her motivation to not lie on the beach in a foreign country. The possibility of dying did wonders for her motivation.

”Come on we need to get moving. I don’t doubt they’ll be back any second. Or do I have to carry your scrawny ass?“

Eddie glanced over, only to stop her hopping. "Jackson! You little shit!" Eddie laughed. "Stalking me now, eh? Hmph. Laaaame."

Still, she knew that Jackson -- or Masquerade -- or whoever was right. It was time to get out of there. Of course, what Masquerade didn't know was that Eddie was hoping more of them would come after them. She was looking for trouble, the very reason she let the guy in the alley put a knife to her throat.

It wasn't that she had a death wish. She had a death wish on other people--those who would want to do harm. If those thugs didn't come after them, they'd come after someone else. Someone who didn't have the powers she had. It was her duty to protect.

It was her duty to avenge before any crime could be committed.

"Here, don't squirm," Eddie instructed, breathing deeply to ignore the deep pain in her foot. It was like stepping on the iron in a forge with each movement, but she managed it, somehow. Moving quickly, she managed to get Mercury and herself far away from the beach, and back into the dense city streets.

---

”Who the hell is Jackson?“ Mercury gave Eddie a strange look as he helped her into the dense city streets. He was going to take her to a small clinic, it was quiet, and he had the tools to bandage up Eddie’s wounds. Not to mention the owner would probably be out enjoying carnival. ”I appreciate the save, but let’s get you bandaged up. Then I’ll figure out a way to go after the guys that attacked us.“

He broke down the locked door with a few shoulder tackles, and then shut the door. He sat Eddie down on a table clearing it with a swipe of his arm. ”Sit there, and stay still.“ He grabbed some medical supplies to begin bandaging up Eddie. He had slight difficulty, but he was managing. ”Not the way I expected to be spending Carnival… Wanted to enjoy tonight dammit. Especially after the year I’ve been having. First this ghosty dick pops up, and causes all sorts of trouble in my life. While doing some work in England. Now you, a fucking idiot that can’t pull her head out of her ass, and admit what she really wants is vengeance. Trust me girly I know all about getting revenge for those wronged, and stopping people from hurting others ever again. Been doing it for at least twenty years now.“ He looked up at her in the eye, and then back down to her wounds. Then tied the gauze tight around her foot. ”Try to stay off of that… Or not, doesn’t really matter what I say now does it? I fucking swear.“ He walked away looking out the blinds with two fingers.

He shut the blinds closed, and took a seat grabbing a bag of chocolates from one of the pouches on his belt. Then began to silently munch on them letting the chocolate take him away to happy times. He shut his eyes sighing deeply as he looked up at the roof. ”You wanna know something? At first I thought you were just some innocent dopey girl. Now I see you’re a fucking idiotic adrenaline junkie. Just looking for some cheap thrill. When in actuality, the only thing you’re doing is putting yourself in mortal danger, and others around you. At the rate you’re going I’m gonna be sent after you. Because some innocent soul is going to want revenge for your stupidity killing them.” He downed the chocolates in one huge bite after returning to his true form. The darkness was now broken up with a massive mouth with fangs. That were shut as he chewed his chocolates, and swallowed the mouth vanishing back into the darkness as he let out a hot breath of steam.

He slowly stood up after a long while of sitting in silence, his red coat was soaked in an inky black substance. Which was actually Mercury’s blood he slowly washed it off sighing deeply as it hurt like a son of a bitch. ”I’m sorry about what I said earlier… I didn’t mean that. I was just angry, I’m not used to having to protect someone that doesn’t really accept or want help. Or them being around me this long… Usually they’d take off by now, hell they’d have abandoned me there on the beach. But, you… You didn’t, and I was scared for you. Scared you were getting in way over your head. I can tell you’re not used to fighting with the way you hesitate. But, you did good got us away to the crowds. So thanks for that.“ He let out a pained hiss of pain as he moved away from the sink. There was no real treating his wounds besides keeping the area clean. The inky black blood would continue to drip for a while till his regenerative properties sealed the wounds.

---

---

Eddie sat there, biting her tongue. Mercury had indeed bandaged up the wound, but the bullet was still in her toe. There was no exit wound.

Ready to interject, Edwina was stopped in her tracks. Receiving the most horrifying scolding she ever had, the lights in the room dimmed as her face fell. Quietly, Edwina removed the bandage, cursing and biting down on her tongue as she removed the bullet herself. The pain made Mercury's words fall on deaf ears.

Eddie paused. "I was twenty one. Drunk. This...this man approached me. Drugged me. Molested me. Threw me in a van to be auctioned to the highest bidder...all because I can play with light."

Getting off of the table, she put her boot back on, ignoring the pain. "Thank you. I won't bother you anymore."

She paused again, mostly because she had no idea how to get to her shabby apartment from there. But also because she could help it--no, him. This was it, her chance to do good.

"Though about you hunting me...We both know I could beat you easy-peasy" Eddie joked tentatively.

---

Mercury cringed as he held his side then looked at Eddie, and sighed deeply. Hearing what happened made him feel like a serious ass, and he sighed out. Quickly getting to the only door there he gently picked Eddie up, and sat her back down on the table. He rechecked her wound, and un-bandaged it again to apply some topical antiseptic, and pain numbing spray. Then rebandaged it with clean gauze. ”I’m not going to pretend to understand that fear you must’ve felt. I just know I can keep you from feeling that fear again if you just stay near me. Because those men now know who you are, and if they know the legends… They’ll know I’ll lose my fucking mind if I end up failing to protect you… Trust me, you do not want to see when that happens.“ He then finished taking care of Eddie, and grabbed some pain killers from the medicine cabinet, and handed them to her. While taking two of his own, and chewed them before swallowing. ”I’m going to be your shadow until you leave Brazil. So do what you came here for, but just know I’ll be watching your back.“ He turned into a crow, and hopped up onto the table then flew up to perch on Eddie’s shoulder. ~And now you’re a pirate~ Rawk!“ He chuckled as he sang with a tweet-tweet.

Mercury was light as a feather barely even four pounds. ”Look it’s also so I can help you learn how to protect people, and get vengeance as well. If you’re going to go after the bad guys, someone has gotta teach you the basics. Just promise me one thing, learn to relax, and have a little fun with it.“ He chuckled as he ruffled his feathers, and then let them lay flat. ”I mean if I was all crotchety all the time, I’d have gone nuts ten times over by now. Especially with all the dead bodies I leave behind… Wait, maybe I have already gone bonkers. Eh, don’t matter right now.“

---

---

Eddie glanced down at the painkillers. Her father had always gone on about how bad they were for your liver, but damnit, she needed it. Swallowing them all dry, Eddie tentatively wiggled her toe. Nope. Fuck. Hurts still.

"Hun, I'm used to crazy ghosts fussing over me," Eddie laughed. "Just don't treat me like a kid needing to be looked after. I don't need that."

”I’m going to be your shadow until you leave Brazil. So do what you came here for, but just know I’ll be watching your back.“ The creature turned itself into a crow, perching on her shoulder.

"Because, you know, everyone walks around with a crow on their shoulder," Eddie muttered. She rolled her eyes at his pirate remark. Pirates had annoying parrots--not crows. Still, crows were rather intelligent animals. She couldn't fault him for that choice.

”Look it’s also so I can help you learn how to protect people, and get vengeance as well. If you’re going to go after the bad guys, someone has gotta teach you the basics. Just promise me one thing, learn to relax, and have a little fun with it. I mean if I was all crotchety all the time, I’d have gone nuts ten times over by now. Especially with all the dead bodies I leave behind… Wait, maybe I have already gone bonkers. Eh, don’t matter right now.“

Eddie couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the crow questioning his sanity. His imposing himself as a mentor figure didn't sit quite right with her--but for now, it felt best not to fight it. She'd finish her studies, and leave Brazil.

"Tell me about the guys chasing you, then," Eddie asked, offering it as an exchange for her compliance. "They had to have a reason to come after you--and a reason that you went after them. What's their deal?"