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Mercury walked the cold Winter streets of Crow Island, England. It seemed almost poetic that this was the place he was going to rip Tia Abela. But, not before he made her suffer more than she'd made her "test subjects" suffer. At this point he no longer cared if he was caught after. What mattered was that he succeeded. He'd passed up helping people that were dying, the only thing that ever gave his life purpose. He stopped coming to the address he'd managed to squeeze out of Tia's assistant/lover.
He'd killed them after of course. Just to add insult to injury he took numerous photos of the body in lewd positions. It'd make Tia suffer psychological damage, the first strikes of many. He'd taken it a step further, and asked an hacker he knew to make a virus. One that'd infect Tia's computers shut it off then when turned back on would show a slideshow of all the pictured he'd taken. He'd also had it sent to her employers, which in turn they sent her on mandatory vacation. Which was what brought him here to this old victorian style house. This was one of Tia's safe havens, the only one that he'd not burned down... Yet.
Mercury chuckled as he walked up to the house. He checked to see if anyone was home. Not seeing anyone he walked to the back window. *Crash!!!* he'd smashed the back window by sending a fist through it. Then unlocked the latch before climbing in. He walked to the kitchen seeing some cookies on a plate he took one eating it. Seeing how good it was he gobbled the rest down.
After his snack break he walked to the living room. With a gas cannister in hand. Though he did take a pause.
"Hmm should I've maybe waited till Tia was home?" He seemed to be talking to air, but he wasn't. He was talking to his masks. No, maybe, I don't really know anymore... Maybe we could just wait for her instead? FUCK THAT! I say torch the place to the fucking ground! Now, now Warlord no need for that. Sly has a good point Tia's here. We shouldn't torch the only place we can trap her. Now go on Mercury dear take a seat and wait."Alright makes sense... I'll wait for her here." Mercury set the gas cannister in the garage then walked back to the couch to take a seat. It was nice, and comfy sorta couch that just conformed around you in it's plushness.
He hadn't noticed it, but he'd fallen asleep. He'd been running around non-stop for weeks, just for this moment. Where he'd finally get his hands on Tia. That woman by no means was easy to get alone. She was always moving from one place to another.

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Winter tended to come early to Crow Island. In fact, on the very last day of October, it appeared to have been late December. Aislin peered out of the window of her attic bedroom, feeling a sense of peace come over her. For one reason or another, today was her favorite day of the year. Halloween always caused Aislin to feel free, to feel especially at peace. She moved the black curtains aside, hearing the sound of someone downstairs. Her father had insisted on housing a scientist he was sponsoring, a nasty woman named Tia.

Aislin smiled a bit to herself, staring downstairs. In one moment, she was up in the attic. In the next, she flickered into being right next to Mercury, a hollow quality almost to her eyes. Noting the gasoline container in the garage, the open door nearby, Aislin frowned slightly. She was used to spirits, they inhabited her beloved home. It was only required to tell them to leave. The one rule they all had to follow.

"Go away!" Aislin commented, pulling out a cigarette. "This is the only thing we light inside the house."

---

Mercury was still asleep when Aislin came to him. He snored softly his human form slipping away as it required at least some focus. He snorted awake when he heard Warlord's voice: Wake up! Looks like we've got company a dumb little girl. Mercury looked at what he assumed was a ghost. Raising a brow which was a line on his mask. Then he grew angry, and stood up slowly.
"Did she get to you too? Dammit I'm always too late when it comes to that monster." He only seemed to twitch when Aislin told him to leave. She didn't have the strength to move someone like Mercury. It was such a light shove Merc didn't really notice it. Too distracted by this poor girl that he assumed as another of Tia's numerous victims. He didn't seem to be paying attention to what Aislin said. Too lost, and focused on his revenge.
"Don't you worry I'm gonna kill that bitch. For you, and for everyone else she's hurt."
He pulled out a gun from his coat checking the magazine then slid it back in with a *click~*. Starting to pace a bit he sighed then went to the kitchen. Then began pulling things from the shelves. Then began cooking something sweet smelling.
"Sorry for making a mess. I get in the mood to cook sweets when nervous. I've been chasing Tia all over the world. This is the last stop... I'll make her pay... I'd offer you some, but ghosts don't eat. So sorry for that, again."
When he was done he'd made caramel, and he switched out masks from Sly to Magi. Then cast a little ice magic to cool the caramel off. Then lifted his mask to start devouring the candy straight out of the pot. Ummm Mercury dear, I don't think this one is quite as she seems... I think she might be alive still in some fashion or another. Merc stopped eating dropping the spoon back into the pot which he set aside. "Are you sure? Hmm, that is interesting. But, could also prove even more dangerous for this poor girl." Mercury seemed to be talking to air again. But, was talking to Magi. He looked up at Aislin again rubbing his chin in thought.
"Are you dead? I usually just assume when I sense your sort of aura. Seems it may have made an ass out of me. But, in my defense I'm usually always right about this sorta thing."

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Aislin sighed a bit. This one seemed to be stronger than the others. She'd encounter them from time to time, and they never hurt her. It was just irritating, the way they tended to try and destroy the house. It was her home, her favorite place in the world. She hardly ever left the place, enjoying the peeling wallpaper in the old Victorian. With the masks Mercury switched between, Aislin watched, practically bored, as he changed forms.

"I'm not dead," Aislin clarified. She held up her wrist, as if to show the soft beating of her pulse. "Like I said, go away, alright? I don't wanna clean up your mess."

She knew, of course, that the spirits couldn't leave aside from on Halloween. The spirits of those who perished in the house, of course. The dead could only walk freely one day a year, but Aislin did take a slight interest in Mercury. It wasn't often that new spirits showed themselves to her. "And Tia's just a scientist. She's going to leave soon enough anyways."

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Mercury listened and watched Aislin: "Like I said, go away, alright? I don't wanna clean up your mess. And Tia's just a scientist. She's going to leave soon enough anyways."
See I told you she was dumb as hell. She thinks you're just some typical spirit, and thinks Tia is a normal scientist. God I hate children, so naive, and too stupid to ever ask the right questions. You should just knock her out, and throw her in her room. Warlord's mask began to glow with his rage. Mercury set a hand over him tapping Warlord softly. "Now, now no need for that Warlord. She's just confused doesn't know what's truly going on. That's no reason to bring her to harm." He looked back up at Aislin still not being phased by her telling him to go away.
"Look young one, I've no intention of burning this house down anymore. Though if Tia puts up a fight a mess will occur, so I do apologize for that. But, I'm not going anywhere. Seeing as you've told me enough to know you're in grave peril. For if Tia learns you have powers it won't matter if your parent is her employer. You will most assuredly be her next guinea pig. She's not just a normal scientist... No, she's a fucking monster." He pulled some photos out he'd collected. It was proof that'd seal Tia's fate once released it'd discredit her, and any awards she'd been given would be revoked. He set the photos down, and slid them over to Aislin. "Figured I may as well show you. Just what sort of danger you're in." The photos were of Tia dismembering several different subjects. They all looked very much alive, and awake when she was cutting into them. Then some before, and after photos of different subjects. "I also have a video if you still don't believe you're in danger."
He then picked up the pot again to keep eating his candy moving so he could see the door. While being hidden by a wall. Then he looked back over to Aislin. "Also just as you're not dead... I'm not a spirit. Or well one you've ever come across anyways. I'm living breathing, and alive. So I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Even if the veil is weakened by Halloween. The only thing that means to me is I've got a busier week than usual. You see I help the ghosts of those who have died, to cross over. Whether that be doing a simple chore like taking item a to point B or what have you. Or the much more complex errand of getting revenge for them. Usually it has to be someone bad though. I don't just go around killing innocent people. So now that you know all this, will you please go to your room, and hide there. I'd rather not have to hurt you, but rest assured I will."

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Aislin merely shrugged. She never felt all too concerned about the idea that someone would notice anything wrong with her. It had only been a few months prior that she had learned of her own powers, and from a girl who grew up loving horror and Halloween, it was fitting. "She can't hurt me," Aislin said confidently. She flickered out of sight, before returning a moment later, cupcake in hand.

Aislin bit into the cupcake, looking at the photographs. They were truly gruesome and horrible, but most of the ghosts haunting her home appeared similar. She spent a few moments staring at each one, not showing the slightest trace of alarm, as she continued to slowly nibble on the sweet frosting. Eventually, she came upon the final one, depicting a ginger in her dying moments.


Handing the photographs back, the one of Edwina on top, Aislin raised an eyebrow at Mercury. "I'm not going anywhere. This is my house. You can't hurt anyone inside of it." If Mercury would argue, Aislin would do what she did best: scream at him to leave. She did notice the way that last photograph looked a bit more worn than the rest. Figuring that Mercury was on some sort of quest to avenge his girlfriend, Aislin finished cupcake. "Now go before my friends make you."

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Mercury looked at the teenager, and sighed deeply shaking his head. "Are you truly this stupid or are you just pretending? Because ha~ha very funny. Now go to your room where it's safe, and stay there. I'd rather not have to hurt you. Despite how much Warlord is wanting me too. Look KID all of those people in these photos had powers. One a teleporter just like you, another able to phase through walls. Another... Able to manipulate light, and cast illusions. You are no different, and will end no different. Unless you do exactly as I say. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? Hell I even bet you top dollar the reason she's even living here. Is so your parents can get your freaky ass out of their house." Merc was done pulling his punches he'd tried doing things the nice way. Now he was going with tough love. But, if Aislin pushed any further... She was going to get a taste of just what a highly trained killer can do.
Mercury looked back to the door again though did have his eyes on her just slightly. Maybe you should try appealing to her through relating with her.The glowing dots seemed to narrow as if regular eyes squinting. "I'd be better off trying to put makeup on a hog." He then cringed as if he'd just gotten slapped. "Alright, alright I'll talk to her. Jeebus, if I didn't need you guys I'd leave you in a flea market." He then winced again as he burst out laughing. "Was just a joke, wouldn't leave you at a flea market... I'd sell you on Ebay." He then chuckled some more as he smiled at Aislin.
"Look kiddo you may ask for your spirits help. But, you're barely even scratching the surface, of the same power which I possess. I've dealt with my many a share of ghost and spirit. As death follows me around as if it were my own shadow. I can show you more than you've dreamt of. But, only if you do as I say in this moment." His words carried such a heavy tone compared to just a few seconds ago. So much pain, and remorse were in his voice. He was trying to protect this idiotic teenager, but she simply would NOT listen. No matter the evidence no matter the pleading. This idiot thought herself untouchable by a madwoman. That'd not only claimed the lives of well seasoned heroes, but of masterful villains as well. I keep telling you knock her stupid bitch face out. Save your breath on something more important.

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Aislin laughed, flickering in and out of space for a moment, before sitting cross legged on the couch. Her head fell forward as she giggled, and she wiped a tear from her eye. She held a knife in her hand, and as if to demonstrate the extent of her freaky powers, Aislin slit her wrists. Blood fell from them, yet it was if it had merely been a paper cut. The vertical slice should have killed the girl, and there she was, perfectly fine.

"I can't die, asshole," Aislin remarked. "I can't feel pain."

She raised an eyebrow at his offer, finding it to be incredibly corny. Her arm healed, the cut vanishing more and more as time went on, until only the blood on the floor offered any proof of it. Aislin has the abilities of a spirit--and a spirit, without true physical form, cannot be harmed with mortal methods. The same rules that applied to spirits applied to her. The only exception, of course, was that her heart still beats.

The door creaked open, and Aislin glanced over, before relaxing on the couch, pulling out her phone. Tia had come home, and Aislin contented herself with surfing through facebook, convinced that the insane spirit was just that--an insane spirit. If he tried to do anything to her house guest, she'd stop him. The images that he had shown her didn't frighten her. She knew that the world was filled with bad people, and she felt nothing but apathy about Tia. The images themselves were hardly even proof that Tia had committed those crimes, and she knew rather well that spirits can create illusions.

"Tia, there's a friend here to see you!" Aislin called out, switching her phone over to Tumblr.

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Tia was coming home after getting a weapon that'd incapacitate Mercury. No, she wasn't going to kill him. That'd be a waste of a specimen. She was going to capture him, and experiment on him. Just like she had with so many others. She was going to do the same to Aislin later. She could smell that stupid teenager had powers, as it hung around such people like an acrid perfume. She just couldn't help herself, and she'd even been informed she'd be allowed to take Aislin. Her only orders were to make it look like a typical teenage suicide after she was done.
She walked into the house putting on her best mask of an innocent Scientist. As she walked in she saw the dumb teenager sitting on the couch. "Good evening Aislin." The girl was on her phone, and barely addressed her with the respect she deserved. Oh how she was going to enjoy tormenting this one. "Tia, there's a friend here to see you!" Aislin called out, switching her phone over to Tumblr. This took Tia's attention away from the girl as she smirked devilishly. She pulled the gun hidden in her purse out. The weapon she'd picked up wasn't the gun itself, but the bullets. They were hallow points made of iron with the tip being silver. More than enough to bring the resilient Mercury down. Any spirit folk was weak to iron, and the silver was the cu de gra. Of course she wasn't going to aim to kill, but she did aim the gun at Aislin. Then shot the girl in the shoulder to show just how serious she was. "Come on out Mercury! Or don't you want to save this poor defenseless girl?" She aimed the gun at Aislin's head next. She of course was bluffing, but Mercury didn't know that.

That fucking CUNT!. I say leave the girl to die... You're not going to are you? Fuck. Mercury walked out from the kitchen putting his hands in the air. "Alright Tia, just leave the girl alone. No need to hurt her anymore than that. This is between you, and me you crazy bitch." Mercury was enraged, and he shot a look to Aislin to tell her to fucking leave. This was the only shot she was gonna get. "Oh, but Merky that's not gonna work. See, I've got special permissions for this one. I'm not just going to leave another rare specimen like her behind. Especially one so freely offered to me." Mercury wasn't happy about that, and moved with incredible grace to throw Tia away from the teen. "Get the hell out of here now! Before you get yourself killed you stupid kid." He then turned back to Tia to get pistol whipped hard in the face. He reached for Warlord knowing he was going to need the strength to tear Tia apart. Only for Tia to shoot him in the shoulder the guage was so large that it rendered his arm limp. Which sent Warlord sliding across the ground. "uh-uh I don't think so. I know your masks house some very powerful spirits. Your girlfriend told me as I dangled her life in front of her. People tell you such interesting things if they think it's going to save them. Especially after hours, upon hours of torture. Anything to make the pain stop at that point really. After I got that tidbit, I slit her throat. Ooooh the look on her face, priceless." Mercury glared at Tia as his shoulder bled it was slowly starting to heal. But, it'd take a while before his arm was useable again. He looked up at Tia as she smiled menacingly down at him
"I never understood why it was you sacrifice everything to protect nobodies. Especially ones you don't know anything about. That's your greatest weakness, and all it took was a single bullet. I just wanted you to know that as I cut you up on my operating table. Because it's the whole reason you'll be in such horrible pain, begging me to kill you... But, after all the pain you caused me. I'm not ever going to let you die, I'm going to keep torturing you well into my golden years." Mercury started to laugh, and hard. To earn a questioning look from Tia. "Two bullets... It took two not one." He chuckled a little more, and then was shot in the side. "Make that three," Tia purred.

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Aislin never glanced up from her phone. As the bullet pierced her in the shoulder, she didn't even scream. As if falling into a deep trance, Aislin slumped over, no longer breathing. Her heart struggled to pump blood to the rest of her body, and her eyes had a glassy quality to them, as if Aislin's very soul had vanished. Had her parents been home, it likely would've been a horrifying nightmare, an incident not all too unlike what had happened on April 2nd of that very year.

Her mother, a professor of biomedical engineering, had not yet returned home that day. Her father, one of the few remaining members of the idle rich, was entertaining research proposals in London. It was only Aislin in the house, and in the midst of her sleep, the front door of the house creaked open. An intruder, determined by the police two days later to have been one of her mother's students, entered the home, armed with a gun.

The intruder found dear Aislin, yet she had been ready. Fighting a man armed with a gun with a baseball bat, seven rounds went off in the struggle. One of these rounds hit her assailant in the chaos, paralyzing the man for life. Another hit Aislin in the temple. The ambulance never came. Instead, Aislin was evacuated via helicopter to the nearest surgery, unresponsive. The bullet was successfully removed and it seemed Aislin would recover.

But Aislin didn't wake up. Within two weeks, she was declared brain dead, and discharged to the supervising care of her mother, a doctor in her own right. Her parents' plan was to keep Aislin alive as long as they could, so that they might one day live to see her wake. And miraculously, almost the second Aislin was brought into the house, she did.

Yet she did not gasp for air on this occasion. She did not open her eyes. She did not move an inch, lying limp like a rag doll on the couch, an inch near death. Without either the removal of the bullet or the use of the life support system in her bedroom, her body would most surely expire. Time was not on Aislin's side.

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Mercury looked over at Aislin who'd looked like a puppet whose strings had been cut. What was the cause of this? He didn't know, but he couldn't really think about it at the moment. As the pain radiating through his side, and arm was enough to make him start loosing consciousness. He moved slowly over to the teen Tia seemed to be allowing it. Maybe because she knew he wasn't going to get very far. He slowly pulled out Magi's mask maybe she could help this young girl snapback... He was shaking as he put Magi's mask on Aislin. The magical might coursed through the girls body, and Magi knew where Aislin needed to be. So used the young girls powers to teleport her there. Mercury chuckled in success as he looked over at a stunned, and rather impressed Tia.
" I honestly didn't know your masks could do that. I don't know where that damned girl went. Nor do I really care at the moment. Because, I still have you Mercury." Mercury keeled over to his side quickly loosing consciousness. Due to his incredibly lightweight Tia easily moved him to her car. Where she drove off to go to her lab.

Magi was looking at the life support systems, and was working to hook Aislin up to it. I hope you can help me save Mercury. I don't want him dying because he saved you instead of focusing on killing Tia... It's not your fault, but I do need your help. So please, please let this work in getting you back up to snuff. Because it's become too hard to move you around. I'm not as strong as Warlord or Sly. With that Magi laid Aislin down on the bed before popping off hitting the ground with a clatter.

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Aislin's body didn't breath, yet the life support breathed for it. She remained there like a sack of potatoes, useless and unable to do the simplest of tasks, until the bullet, dislodged by the movement, fell out of her shoulder. It hit the ground with a feeble bang, and in the resulting moment, Aislin scrambled to her feet, ripping the respirator off of her face. Her heart was pounding, and she glanced around the room, noticing the fallen mask on the floor.

"Thank you," Aislin said, sitting on her bed now, cross legged. She felt the bullet wound on her shoulder, noticing as it pumped out blood. Eventually, it ceased to do so, before closing up on itself. Smiling a bit at it, Aislin returned her attention to the mask. She assumed that it was tied to the spirit she had met before, and with it being Halloween, the spirit could have gone anywhere.

"I guess I have to return you," Aislin sighed. She had homework due by 11:59 PM that day, essays she hadn't even begun to revise. But no matter. She picked up the mask and put it in her bag, walking out of the house. A strange feeling of exhilaration went through her as she left, as if the energy sucking well of the house permitted her to exit. A cab ride later, Aislin was at Tia's lab, and she shrugged slightly, simply walking inside. She had already figured out long ago exactly what she was. She wasn't dead. She wasn't alive. She wasn't partway in between the two. She was both, both of them at the same time, and neither at the same time.

"We're square after this," Aislin reminded the mask, before flickering into the air vent above Tia's main holdings, right where Mercury would be held.