Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

Seven days.

That's how long it's been since she triggered. The wounds were still fresh and pained her with every movement. The bruises would be with her for months. To be honest, it was a miracle that Myrtle had managed to survive the ordeal.

She struggled to keep her story straight when talking to the mountain rescue crew, the paramedics, and her father. Lying didn't come naturally but she figured it would be for the best. Most powered individuals had a secret identity, both in fiction and real life. Bad people could come after her or her family if anybody found out.

The story she told was that just one stray coyote attacked. She fought it off with thrown rocks and a large stick. But in truth, she was attacked by an entire pack of them. All ravenous, desperate for a meal. They had her pinned down, jaws wide open and snarling and ready to lunge for her jugular.

But something amazing happened-- Myrtle, of all people, triggered! She saw some incomprehensible massive creature-perhaps a hallucination brought on by the pain- and when she reached out to touch it, roots and vines shot out all around her, spearing the wild dogs and weaving a thick, thorny fence. Yelping and injured, the pack of coyotes ran off, leaving Myrtle cold and dying. But lucky for her, a fellow hiker wasn't too far behind.

Seven days since then Myrtle had moved out of her father's place and found a cheap apartment closer to her job in Manchester. It was tiny, and it was in a sketchy neighborhood, but that was kind of on purpose. She was done dreaming about being a hero. She was going to be one.

During the past week practiced using her new-found power in nearby parks and forests when nobody was around. It wasn't easy, but with time she could understand the strange sensations she was getting from around her. She could feel the light shining, the soothing drops of rain on leaves, and scorching heat on hot autumn days. And if she really focused, she could feel the movements of deer in the forest or even the munching of caterpillars on leaves--plants really don't like that.

Myrtle was exhausted from working at the post office, but she didn't let that stop her. The girl brought out her old sewing machine worked hard and long. Several hours of work later she had a costume-- not a great looking one, but still, a costume. It was made of soft, breathable cotton fabric in several shaves of green and brown, with a raised artificial pink rose sewn on. She had skintight green leggings, brown boots, and green and brown gardeners gloves. Myrtle stuffed a dull green utility belt with a variety of seeds, and reluctantly, a knife.

Her heart race and her body trembled as she dressed in her new costume. Piece by piece, she put it together over a pain tank and short shorts: leggings, shirt, boots, gloves, simple eye mask, and finally: a wonderful flowing green cape with tatters on the end, reminiscent of cascading leaves. A smile spread across her face and she closed her eyes, a wonderful feeling of euphoria filling her whole body. A hero! She was going to be a hero!

As the last light of the setting sun receded from view, Myrtle stumbled her way out the window and down the fire escape...

---

The small apartment was almost barren of all personal objects which would suggest a person was living there. Of course, but she had little to no intention of decorating the space she occupied. Since her siblings left, she thought there was no point in 'sprucing the place up' as her sister would frequently suggest. Without that nagging of the younger woman, she had no motivations to do so. It wasn't a home any more. It was simply a place to rest her head and recharge her batteries after a long night out. Between her day job and her nightly activities she spent very little time in the apartment, dedicating the living room to be a triage of sorts, both medicine and sewing kits lining the walls for when she returned. Even her bedroom was close to empty, containing a simple mattress against the back wall and a framed picture of her family.

Swinging her legs over the side of the couch, Kali slowly pulled herself up, taking a second to recover from the head rush which temporarily took over her body, causing the world to spin. Once she had collected herself, she moved unsteadily onto her feet which sunk into the old shag rug which was centred in the room, splattered with god knows what. Then again, that god knows what was likely blood Kali knew.

Moving swiftly to the window, she placed a hand against the steadily cooling glass, gazing out across the street far below and the slowly flickering street lights that gradually sparked to life. Raising her free hand to her face, she tentatively rubbed at her eye, brushing the sleep from it as she pushed herself from the window, stumbling her way through the low lit room to her bedroom. Fumbling tentatively against the wall, she finally found the light switch and flicked it on, hissing quietly as her eyes adjusted to the light.

She hated this room. More specifically hated the mirror which rested in the corner. No matter how much she despised it and all she could see within it, there was no avoiding it. No getting rid of it. Her mother had given it to her as a congratulation of her graduation from Recruit at her firehouse, the small firetruck carved into the mirrors wooden frame an ever present reminder of that.

Skirting around the mirror tentatively, she instead quickly redressed from shorts and tank top to her more concealing clothing she wore to go outside. Black leather pants and black long sleeve were the attire for tonight, all pulled together by a leather hooded jacket and heavy combat boots, the outfit simple and dark which made it even easier to fade into the background.

Now covered, she found it easier to face herself in the mirror in the corner of the room, stepping over to it hesitantly. A woman of above average height stared back at her, broad shoulders and chest inclining themselves to hard physical labour. Where a relatively attractive face should've resided, half of it was hidden in a shroud of dark brown hair which was pulled across the right side of her face, dark green eyes glinting in the low light though one was currently concealed. Where it didn't quite cover, the faintest hints of silver scarring began, the most visible expanse starting at her jaw and travelling down her exposed neck before vanishing beneath her hood. Despite the clothing that covered her now, she was all too familiar with the patch work of scars that spread over her skin. She had traced them many a time after all.

Pulling herself from her internal contemplation, she moved back into the living room, slinging a bag she had packed earlier over her shoulder before flipping her hood up, locking the door to her apartment behind her as she left the building to start a long night of prowling the streets for an excuse to burn someone.

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

Myrtle slowly and cautiously made her way down the fire escape, taking great care to avoid unlocked windows and areas of light. She crept downward with her eyes darting to and fro, her heart racing faster and faster.

The girl's heart skipped a beat as she jumped to the dumpster below. Wings fluttered nearby, sending Myrtle scurrying into the shadows with her dark cape wrapped tightly around her. But a minute passed, then two, and nobody came to investigate. The coast was clear.

After taking a breath to calm herself, Myrtle came out from behind the dumpster. She brushed herself down, clenched her fists, and darted off toward one of Manchester's most notorious night-time destinations: Glow Bar.

Glow Bar was a nightclub and bar where people would stay late into the night, getting high and drunk, cause fights and riot, then parade shouting down the street after getting kicked out. It was a hub for gang and drug activity, a place known to get violent on more than one occasion. Truly a bane to the police department.

But no Parahumans were known to hang out there--not yet, anyway. Her first mission would be to watch out for villains and prevent people from getting out of hand. Muggings, fights, rapes. Can't get much easier than that, right?

Myrtle snuck around to a dark corner of the building and looked up at the sheer wall. With no way up, she would have to make one. She reached into one of her belt pouches, grabbed a few seeds, and tossed them to the ground. Trembling, she closed her eyes to concentrate.

You can do this, Myrtle assured herself. The seeds shuddered at first, then shot up like a biting snake. They weaved back and forth, forming a lattice with one another, growing larger and taller until it reached up and over the roof. It was almost silent but for the faint slither of moving vines.

Watching over her shoulder, Myrtle made her way up the wisteria vines. She quietly hopped off onto the roof and went to find a good vantage point with a view of the entrance. For what felt like hours Myrtle watched the street below, looking for signs of trouble. But she was anxious and had trouble focusing. Somebody could sneak up behind her. Growing plants was great and all, but not being able to make them disappear after--that complicated things.

When Myrtle was just about to give up for the night, Myrtle saw something suspicious. An attractive lady in a tight, sparkly red dress, probably in her thirties, left the bar in a huff and went into the dark parking lot. A gruff man in a leather jacket and a yellow-stained shirt was following behind her. While the woman was struggling with her keys, he came behind her and put his hand over her mouth. She tried to scream and pull away, but he gripped her in his arms and forcibly dragged her toward a fenced area.

For a moment Myrtle was frozen in her boots. Something bad was about to happen and all she could do was stare helplessly and listen to the sounds of the victim's futile struggle and muffled screams. But something deep insider her was pushing, urging her into action. It was time to be a hero!

Myrtle leaped from the building, willing her vines to catch her and ease her fall. She got entangled a bit, stumbled, but kept going with no time to spare. The girl grabbed a handful of seeds, and upon reaching the fence she kicked the door open, threw the seeds in, expecting the worst.

The man held her roughly against one wall of the fence, a knife in one hand, and the other groping her exposed breast. Tears streamed down her face and her make-up ran, and her hair was a tangled mess. There was a large dumpster in the fenced area with them, and the air was thick with the smell of rotting garbage, shit, and piss.

"What the hell are you staring at? Freak!," the man scowled. "Get lost!"

Fighting the urge to vomit from stress or stench, Myrtle willed one vine to whack the knife out of the man's hand, while another wound up around his legs. The lady pushed him, causing the man to fall to the ground, the knife clacking a distance away a moment later. He reached for the knife, but a thorny vine quickly grew to stop him and restrict his movement. The man yelled in protest, cursing nonstop, and Myrtle just made the vine wind tighter.

"You... you saved me," the woman breathed, after getting herself together. Her chest had been covered back up. Myrtle bent down and picked up the lady's dropped purse and its contents. "Thank you," the pretty lady smiled weakly. She pulled out a tissue and dabbed her eyes.

"Oh.. um, it was nothing. I just want to help people," Myrtle told her honestly, with her heart soaring and her back a bit straighter. "Are you okay?" the girl hero asked, concerned.

The woman lit a cigarette, put it in her mouth, and took a long drag. "I'm not sure I'm okay. But I will be, thanks to you. What's your name, honey?" she asked, breathing out the smoke.

Myrtle hesitated, choking a bit on the smoke. She never did come up with a good code name. She looked at the man struggling, swearing, and groaning on the ground. With a little concentration, a vine grew towards them and blossomed into a beautiful, but delicate pink rose. Myrtle clipped a bit off with her knife, pocketed the knife, then held out the rose. The lady dropped her cigarette and crushed it.

"Um... you can call me Wallflower" she decided at last, as she handed her the rose. "Can you call the police?"

The woman nodded. And with that, Wallflower scurried off into the night.

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

EER! EER! EER! EER! EER! -- Click.

"Urgh..." Myrtle groaned, laying in her bed staring straight up at the ceiling, staying that way for a minute. She blinked twice and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, yawned, then sat up on her elbows and climbed out of bed. Like every morning, she lifted a watering can and watered a winding, beautiful philodendron plant by her bedroom. It was looking slightly wilted, so she gave it a boost with her power.

Feeling a little disheartened by her lackluster week so far, Myrmyr walked around her room, looking at superhero posters and trinkets. There were a lot of Wonder Women, Supergirls, Captain Marvels, and one poster of Alexandria, who her idol, as far as real heroes go. She was beautiful, smart, and everything Myrtle inspired to be. The newest addition was a figure of DC's Poison Ivy. Myrtle picked up the figure, turning in around in her hands, trembling a bit. What if something happened, to make her a villain? Myr shook her head to clear the thought away, set the toy back down, and then went to the kitchen while still wearing her Alexandria costume pajamas.

Myr went to one cabinet, grabbed a bag of instant oatmeal, poured it in a bowl with some water, and started the microwave. While waiting, she went over to the kitchen window, taking in the cityscape.

"Another cold, foggy autumn day," she sighed. "Can't it ever be nice on my day off?"

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Myrtle groaned at the sound of the microwave. The day just started, and she was already getting a headache. Honestly, her whole body was aching from the past few workdays coupled with the nightly patrol. And they were for naught. Nothing had happened since her first day in costume. Perhaps she was just in the wrong places at the wrong time-it is a pretty big city. Or maybe Manchester didn't need heroes yet. She grabbed her steaming hot oatmeal from the microwave and slumped down in a chair, poking at her food.

I should've moved to Boston and tried to join the Protectorate. Sure, Boston's big and scary, but maybe I could have made friends and made a difference somehow... or maybe I would have just embarrassed myself... Oh, I don't know! Myrtle thought, frustrated. She stabbed at the oatmeal and took a bite, chewing angrily. Tears welled at the corner of her eyes.

But the warmth of the oatmeal was soothing, and the taste of apples and cinnamon was heavenly. She swallowed, took another bite, and let a smile come over her face. With each bite, Myr was feeling stronger and more confident. She scrapped the bowl, finished her last bite, and left her bowel in the sink with some water.

"I'll try daytime patrol," Myrtle decided, looking out the window over the sink. "I have the time for it. It has to be better than babysitting druggies and drunks all night." Myrtle convinced herself.

---

A couple of hours later, Myrtle was showered, dried, and ready to go. Myrtle was in her civilian guise of coarse, with her brown messenger bag and glasses. Today she wore a simple Wonder Woman t-shirt with dark bluejeans There was no way she could leave the apartment in costume unseen during daylight hours, so She would have to find a place to change without people or cameras watching. She would be scouting for safe areas on this patrol, as well as looking out for wrongdoers.

Early mornings in Manchester were usually quiet. Most of the city residents liked to party hard, so many people would be sleeping in. And those who were working, well they usually wouldn't be heading out until around seven to seven-thirty. For now, Victory Park was rather peaceful. The birds were starting to wake up, and a light mist flooded the area. A couple of homeless people were stirring on the park benches.

If nothing else, I can help beautify this park, Myrtle thought, looking at struggling plants as she walked by, heading for the monument. She closed her eyes, reaching out to the plants around her. They were thirsty from the ongoing drought. Very slowly, she willed them to heal and grow. She felt as each plant light energy, water, and nutrients, and the pheromones and chemicals needed the grow. Although she didn't know the names, she knew them. Felt them. The who process baffled her, and she figured it must be her agent at work.

A faint mewing sound startled Myrtle out of her concentration. She looked around, but there was nothing to see. So instead, she listened to her plants, feeling for vibrations. There was something fairly large hopping about (most likely a squirrel), little hopping things (probably birds), some insects munching. And then one more thing, in a tree nearby.

Myrt walked to the tree in question, peering up. Sure enough, there was a cat digging its claws into the tree and mewing in fear. But it looked like a fairly easy climb. "I'll save you, little kitty," Myrtle assured it. After making sure nobody was close enough to steal her stuff, she set her bag down at the base of the tree, set her glasses on the bag, and started climbing. A minute later she reached the cat, grabbed it, and held it under one arm. The cat meowed loudly and struggled, but Myrtle stroked its fur to soothe it. "Shhh, I've got you. We'll be okay," she said, assuring herself as much as the cat. They were a long way from the ground.

But soon enough, they were on the bottom branch again. The cat struggled free and leaped from her arms down to the ground, scurrying off. "You're welcome!" Myrtle called after it. She held onto the lowest branch then fell with a THUMP. She brushed fur off her hoodie, put her glasses back on, then inspected her arms, finding newly earned scratches. The girl shook her head, smiling slightly. She helped somebody today-- even if it was just a cat.

"I guess after that I deserve a nice hot drink," Myrtle announced proudly. "Ehhh, shut it!" one homeless man shouted, rolling over in his blanket. But Myrtle just ignored him and headed off, looking for a coffee shop. The sun was rising and coming out of the clouds, and Myrtle wasn't about to let him ruin her day.

---

Rolling onto her side with a long groan, Kali carefully positioned herself on her left hand side, tentatively drawing her legs up into her chest as she wrapped herself into a ball beneath her sheets. Despite being half asleep, she could already feel the waves of pain start to ascend over her body, shudders shooting through her from head to toe, her body rocking slightly in response to the pain. Eyes squeezing shut, Kali could only wait for the liquid heat rolling through her veins to fade. Hissing softly she pushed herself up into a sitting position, blankets falling around her waist. Stretching tentatively, she swung her bed off the side of the lonely mattress, pushing herself up onto her feet.

Casting a half asleep look around her room, she grunted softly before going around picking up what clothing she could, tossing away the small fragments and decimated shards of what would've been last nights clothing. She really needed to pick a cheaper outfit to replace.

She could still feel the strain she had put on her body last night. It was likely why her burns were screaming with each movement. Of course she had to push herself too hard before a work day. Kali had to admit though. No matter how much she ached the next morning, and how dangerous it was to be out as an independent, it payed itself off. The deep satisfaction of helping someone or getting some gangbangers of the street always reminded her why she wanted to do this kind of work. Why she wanted to keep helping others. It was deeply ingrained in her body from her years as a firefighter, a fact she was proud of.

Exiting the bedroom, she instantly made her way through to the bathroom, flinging open the medicine cabinet, pulling out a select few pill bottles and a tub of moisturiser. Tucking the items under her arm, she moved into the kitchen, going about her early morning ritual of making herself a cup of coffee before inhaling it and the pain killers. Leaving the tub out on the side, she replaced the pill bottles in her cabinet, showering before applying the moisturiser to her burn scars before cleaning up the remaining mess and smudges on her couch from the process.

Dressed in blue jeans, blue trainers and a grey long sleeve shirt, she made her way to her front door, backpack slung over her left shoulder in preparation of what she might need for the day. Pausing at the front door, she grabbed a blue snapback from a hook on the wall, slipping it over her dark brown hair to hold her fringe in place, concealing most of the scarring that flowed from her eye to neck.

Exiting the small apartment, she paused only to lock the door before jogging down the hall to the stairs, taking them three at a time. While she knew she had plenty time to get to work, she always prefered to be a bit early. It gave her enough time to settle down and get comfortable while familiarising herself with the layout of the cafe. She may be a long time employee, but it didn't hurt to ensure no one had moved things around.

---

Coming up on the cafe, she walked around back, opening the door to the employees lounge with her key before slipping inside, flicking on the lights. The sun had just started to pique over the roof tops, the sight eliciting a yawn from her. Awake through most of the night and up early in the mornings. It likely wasn't a healthy sleep schedule, but it was one she was accustomed to.

Taking a seat in the lounge, she drew her cap down over her face before dosing off, waking up a few hours later by the clink of keys in the lock of the front door. In the dead silence of the cafe, the sound was almost deafening. Sighing softly, she begrudgingly pealed herself up off of the seat, stretching out before grabbing the apron off of the chair beside her, slinging it over her neck before tying it off behind her, making her way out to the front of the cafe.

"Kali! Jesus Christ woman. Don't scare me like that" A deep voice rumbled, the man in front of her placing a hand over his chest as he let out a dry chuckle, earning a small smile from the woman in question. "Arrive earlier then and i won't have to hide in the darkness" She said simply, voice shockingly low for a woman, the sound almost scratchy with a raspiness to it which came from the damage her lungs had endured throughout the years. "Yeah yeah". The man waved her off, brushing past her o grab his own apron from off of the wall, coming out from the back room a few moments later, running a hand through slicked back blond hair.

Tossing her a cloth from his pocket, Chris adjusted the tag on the front of his apron before moving to clean some of the tables that were set out, Kali shaking her head at him before wiping down the counter. Opening time was closing in on the two, so they moved quick. It wasn't long after the door opened that the two were set to work aiding the early morning commuters.

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

Myrtle walked along the sidewalk, rubbing her hands together and blowing on them for warth, internally scolding herself for not bringing gloves. October morning were chilly enough, she wondered how she would fare in the coming winter.

It wasn't long before Myrt stumbled across a quaint little cafe. It looked locally owned, which was definitely her style. A lovely looking couple came out the door, causing a bell to chime, and the gentleman held the door.

"Oh, um thank you, sir!" Myrtle said graciously, smiling shyly and nodding as she rushed inside. The door shut behind her, causing the bell to jingle.

She nervously stepped in line, looking around at all the signs and decorations. Already her heart was racing from being near other people, triggering her social anxiety. While she waited Myrtle twirled her hair around her fingers and adjusted her glasses. Thankfully the line moved quickly, and there was only two in front of her.

Myrt found herself staring at mouth-watering pastries on display on the counter. She almost didn't notice when it was her turn and the barista spoke up.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Good morning! I'd like one of those yummy looking coffee-cake muffins, please. And a small hot chocolate with whip cream. Thank you, umm..." Myrtle trailed off, finally looking her barista in the face, looking for a name tag. She paused a moment, noticing severe scarring down the side of her otherwise very pretty face. Myrtle's face own face flushed a tinge redder, feeling as is she saw something she shouldn't, Myrt flashed one of her toothy, awkward smiles, desperately hoping it just looked like it was caused by the cold.

---

Just as she expected, the morning rush was quick to come bustling through the door. It was usual for them to be swamped early in the morning before a few hours rest, then lunch. Business slowed down a lot in the evening, which gave the two baristas enough time to rest aching feet and catch their breath. The rush had Chris and Kali hard pressed to keep up, the two practically dancing around each other. After a couple of years working together like this, the work was getting easier to manage, the ding of the bell alerting them each time someone entered and exited. It was at least nice to have such a warning.

Glancing up from the cup of coffee she was preparing, she managed to catch sight of a flash a bright blond hair before glancing away, carefully putting the cap on the takeaway cup before taking it over to the edge of the counter, calling out the name she had doodled onto the edge of the cup. Once the coffee was picked up, she switched places with Chris at the till, the two alternating as they took and made orders.

After one last rotation, she moved back to the till, coming face to face with the owner of the blond hair she had caught sight entering earlier. While Kali wasn't the most hospitable person outside of the cafe, within the premises she was the picture of hospitality, bright grin on her lips which caused a certain amount of strain on her facial scars, though she dare not drop it. The owners wouldn't be happy if they got bad reviews about a frowning barista. "Good morning. What can I get you today?" Her voice was happy, though the low tone offset that slightly. It almost seemed like she had been smoking intently for the past few years, though she supposed it wasn't far from the truth. "Kali" She filled in the blank left by the shorter woman, raising a hand to tap the nametag on the right side of her apron.

She took note on the slight flush on the woman's cheeks but pushed it away, instead focusing on imputing the order into the display of the cash register. "That'll be $5. Eat in or to go?"

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

"Kali," Myrtle quietly repeated to herself, her smile becoming more natural and relaxed as her blush faded away. She admired the barista standing in front of her-- It takes a lot to smile when something bad happens to you. And even more when you can see reminders of it in the mirror every day.

"Eat in, please," Myrtle answered. Her heart race slowed, knowing the social interaction would be over soon. She handed the barista a $5 bill, but then put a couple dollar bills in the tip jar when she thought the she wasn't looking.
"Thank you very much, Kali. It was nice meeting you," Myrt said honestly, looking the barista in her in the eyes again. She adjusted her glasses again then juggled her food and drink, and left the line to find a seat.

Myrt decided on a seat near a window, with a pretty hanging plant and some wonderful warm sun rays coming through. There were a few people a little close for comfort, but she would make do.

After sitting down, Myrt retrieved a small black tablet with a keyboard out of her bag, opened it up, and powered it on. She munched on a bite of muffin and took a sip of steaming hot chocolate. Let's get back to business, she thought, sticking her tongue out and biting a bit in concentration. Parahumans Online loaded up on screen.

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

Myrtle clicked and tapped away at her tablet keyboard, sipping at her hot chocolate
as she caught up on the global and national news on Parahumans Online. She had no new messages (no surprise, being the shy and awkward creature she is). She read an article about earthquakes in Bengledash, another article about Alexandria saving a plane full of people caught in a storm, Ash Beast tearing up another village, and a potential Bonesaw sighting (possibly a hoax).

The girl took a clumsy bite of muffin as she read, spilling crumbs into her long blond hair and on keyboard. Flustered and red faced, she quickly brushed the crumbs away, hoping nobody noticed, but not daring to look and see if they had.

A few clicks later, Myrtle found herself on the local Manchester news. She wanted to get better acquainted with the city and find out more about its heroes and villains. She found several mentions of their local Protectorate heroine, Wrecking-Ball, and she hoped to see the hero in action one day. There was also a fire-powered rogue known as Scorch, who was frequently seen at night. Better be careful near that one, Myrtle thought, nodding. Fire is beats grass.

Several arrests were made in the past week and Myrtle was pleasantly surprised see her name mentioned in one article. New Heroine Wallflower Saves Manchester Resident, she read, beaming. The man was successfully charged with and arrested for sexually assault and is awaiting trial. The victim wished to remain anonymous but expressed her thanks.

Myrtle took another bite of muffin and chewed thoughtfully as she browsed the forums, looking for leads. Unverified sources suggested Asian gang activity at some of the local restaurants. Others posted last known locations of drug dealers. But the more she thought about it, the less she liked it. Myrtle was a pacifist, after all. She didn't want to pick fights.

With a sigh, Myrt took another sip of her hot chocolate, but was disappointed to find it became cold chocolate. She chugged the last few gulps and the remaining whip cream, finishing it off.

After pressing the power button to shut off the tablet, she sighed and looked about the window, watching the passing cars and pedestrians. She wanted to help them, somehow. And she didnt know how yet, but she would find a way to make a difference.

Once the tablet was shut off, Myrtle put it away in her bag. She took a napkin from the dispenser and quickly wiped up the few crumbs and drips she left behind, then threw her trash away as she head for the door. She looked back toward the counter and saw Kali looking, so she flashed a small smile and little wave of her hand, before the door closed and the bell chimed behind her.

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

Several hours went by without much. The sun came out, the air warmed up, and there was a nice, cool breeze. Truly a perfect day to stroll through the city.

Other than seeing a couple panhandlers around, the Hanover Street area seemed pretty safe during daylight hours. People peaceably visited the many restaurants, smoke lounges and bars without causing trouble. And if there was any gang activity, it wasn't in the open yet.

Myrtle leisurely walked home, enjoying the weather but feeling disappointed. She didn't really want to fight anybody, but something was telling her she should. She felt like she failed to fulfill her purpose, somehow. The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached.

The sun was setting as she started over the bridge to the West Side. The temperature had dropped significantly and Myrtle hugged herself in her hoodie to keep warm. Regardless, she stopped on the bridge to watch the sun set over the city and the river, while trying to decide if she should bury her sorrows with a tub of ice cream.

At first she didn't really notice the sounds of sirens over the roaring of water and cars passing by. But then a whole parade of fire and rescue came driving by. Police, ambulance, firetrucks,all heading toward the West Side.
Maybe I can help, Myrtle thought, clenching her fists in the long sleeves of her hoodie. She ran off, following the sounds of trouble.

---

Around ten minutes later Myrtle arrived at the scene. She was breathing hard and her side ached like she had been stabbed. The sirens were deafening. But her heat nearly stopped when she saw what the commotion was about.

Fire. A massive, burning flame was consuming a single family home. Embers were flying, endangering neighboring homes and foliage. A mother was somewhere between sobbing and coughing. Her clothes were blacked from smoke and soot. A fireman was questioning her.

"My daughter Tammy is sti-still in there! Please, you have to save her, please..." she pleaded, falling to her knees and grasping at the man's pant legs.
"My best men are in there. We'll find her," he promised. But when he turned to look at the fire, Myrtle could see the worry in his eyes.

I have to help them, Myrtle decided, heart racing. She bolted for a patch of trees and underbrush, set her bag down, and pulled out her costume. A minute later she was Wallflower.

---

Wallflower slipped around back under the cover of darkness, with only the light of the blazing fire. An upstairs window was open, smoke whisping out of it, but no sign of flame. She tossed a few seeds, urging them to grow. They were faster, furious even, in how quickly they grew. Wallflower climber into the window seconds after the vines reached it.

"Tammy!" Wallflower called out, stepping into the room. She checked under the bed and in the closet to no avail. She extended the vines into the room, willing one to touch the knob-- still cool. With a gulp and a twist of her wrist, she opened the door to the next room.

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

Wallflower was met will a sheet of black smoke. She fell to her hands and knees, coughing hard and her eyes stinging and watering. I'm going to regret this, Myrtle groaned, but a little girl needs help.

Vines extended, sliding out into the hallway. One went right, the other went left. Myrtle would use them to feel for fire and to help find her way back to the open window--their exit. While she couldn't hear through them, she could sense vibrations and would be able to detect damage if the vines were stepped on.

The young heroine kept low, trying to stay below the smoke. There was incoherent shouting down below, being drowned out by spraying of the firehose. Her vines sensed intense heat coming from the stairs leading downward. If the girl was down there, she was probably done for. But Myrtle wasn't about to give up.

She must be terrified of all the noise, Myrtle reasoned. Feeling a tickle in her throat, she coughed into one fist for a moment before continuing crawling to down the left side, hoping with all her heart it was the right direction. She went past a bathroom, and the vines didn't find anything moving in there. There was a small storage closet, but it was stuffed to the brim, and a pile of clothes fell out of it. Myrtle thought to take a couple of pieces out of the pile and held one to her mouth to filter the air.

The last room was larger. A bedroom perhaps. The vines spread out quickly through the room, over and under furniture. She almost turned around, but one vine felt warmth. Tammy, her heart rejoiced. Despite her aching muscles rug-burned knees, she crawled with renewed vigor.

"H-hello?" Myrtle called out into the room, taking the fabric away from her mouth. She strained her eyes, but the room was blurred by her pouring tears.
"Go away! Leave me and my mommy alone!" a weak, frightened voice cried back. She heard a faint coughing from one corner of the room and started crawling toward it.
"My.. My name is Wallflower. I'm here to help," Myrtle assured her.
"No.. no! you're a monster. And the other monsters are downstairs hurting my Mommy. One of them almost got me, but I stayed quiet," she whimpered, before breaking into a coughing fit. She struck at the approaching vines, crushing them.
"No, I'm not a tentacle monster or alien-octopus-thing or anything, I promise. Open your eyes, you'll see what I mean," she urged her. Vines began to sprout beautiful leaves and flowers all around the little girl. A minute passed, and the girl picked up one of the vines, sniffling and coughing.
"There is a fire downstairs, and firemen are trying to stop it but it's too big. We need to get out of here... Follow the vines to me, Tammy. We don't have much time," Myrtle begged her. The vines on the stairs were drying out and beginning the burn. It wouldn't be long before the fire was headed their way if the floor didn't collapse first.

There was a scuffle, and then Wallflower felt a tug on her vines. She crawled toward the girl and when she met her, she brought her in a one-handed hug. "You'll be okay, I promise. Here, take this fabric and hold it to your nose and mouth, it will filter the smoke. Now close your eyes and follow me," Myrtle said, letting her go and giving her the clothes piece. She felt the girl nod.

"Okay now, we're going to follow the vines to the window where I came in. Don't worry, we can climb down the vines," Wallflower directed as the crawled out to the hallway. A glow was clearly visible and climbing up the stairs. Myrtle coughed a bit and put the fabric back to her mouth. They were crawling fast, but the fire was crawling faster.

"We're almost out," Myrtle said with relief in her voice, leading her into the escape room. But they didn't get barely two feet in before there was a loud CRACK! SNAP! and the floor collapsed under them.

Kotov Yurievich - Blitzkrieg

This was just another day.

Kotov was an ordinary person that lived a normal life, at least for the most part. True, he was a parahuman wielding powers of electrokinesis and electrogenesis, not to mention that he already had a descriptive alias known as Blitzkrieg, but he was no cape. Nor did he have any desire to be one. For one, he did not like tights, or any other kind of costume, preferring to dress... well, normally. What he did do, however, was help people in need when he sees them along the way, and by some stroke of luck, his route to the office takes him through the West Side. People would see an azure streak travelling through powerlines at a very high speed, which would eventually turn to a person... who took care not to exit in places where a lot of people would see it.

Usually, he would just travel through the power grid directly towards work, but this day was... different. It was not just another day. Kotov exited from the wires just in time to see what was happening. There was a fire currently consuming a single family home, and by the looks of it, the second floor had collapsed. There were those vines that only a parahuman could have created, and by the looks of it, she... maybe he went in there to save a little girl. And... apparently, they and the girl could have fallen down.

Putting a cloth face mask over his face, Kotov placed a hand on a powerline, transforming into an electric current before rushing towards the inside of the burning house, coming out an electrical outlet. It didn't take him long to the girl and Wallflower on a bunch of floorboards.

Braving the flames raging all around, he quickly jumped towards them, holding out his hand. "It appears the hero needs a hand. Take it, now!"

@LostButterfly92

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

The two fell several feet to the floor below, the girl falling on Myrtle and knocking th4 sir out of her. She heaved, coughing heavily into her fist while she laid I'm the burning bed of ashes. Fire surrounded them on all sides. Bits of fiery embers burned away. Her vines were done for.

"I'm scared," the girl cried, sitting up. The two girls clung to each other. The seeds in her pockets were drying out and on the verge of dying. She willed an oak tree to grow but it was taking to long. They would be dead before it could form a shield or left them to safety. But the vines became brittle and died before long. They were done for. Myrtle hugged the girl close, her eyes closed from swelling in her eyes.

Against all odds, somebody jumped out of no where and offered a hand. Half blind, Myrtle held the girl's hand and reached out towards the human shaped silhouette.

Kotov Yurievich - Blitzkrieg

Kotov smiled as the heroine took his hand, seeing as how the two of them were still alive and well, somewhat. He seemed to be cool with everything, never mind that there was literally a blazing housefire raging around them. After taking one more good look to ensure that the other girl was also in contact with heroine, Kotov nodded as he reached out his other hand towards the electrical outlet on the bottom of the house's wall. "Good, good, just like this. Now hold on tight."

There would be a funny, tingling sensation for all of them as they were all momentarily turned to electricity. For Myrtle and the girl, there would be nothing but a black void filled with stars for a few moments. And then... they were outside. Safe and sound, if not bathed in a hot bed of ashes.

The man that had just saved them would be in front of them, wearing a black coat and matching grey shirt and pants. On his head was a bowling cap, and on his face a cloth mask used by people that didn't like pollution. He was... well, short, being no more than five feet and six inches. Taking off the mask, he would reveal himself as having a funny smirk as he then put his hands on his pockets. "You're safe now.", Kotov said to both of them as he then looked at Myrtle. "Nice costume."

@LostButterfly92

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

The strangest thing happened at the man's touch--a jolt of electricity pulsed through her and just a moment later they were outside in fresh air, alive and relatively unscathed. Myrtle took in a deep breath, then coughed the rest of the smoke into her elbow. She took what felt like a clean part of her cape and dabbed at her eyes until a last she could see her saviour.

Standing before was who appeared to be a regular, handsome guy. No costume. Just just civvies with just barely visible patches of his black and grey clothes. He took off a face mask, revealing a smirk.

"You're safe now," he told the two girls. Myrtle nodded and brushed soot off of the child's clothes, examining for burns. Thankfully there was no serious damage The little girl silently stared at the man, a little fearful, but most likely in awe of his power. He then turned to direct Myrtle directly, "Nice costume."

Myrtle blushed and brushed herself vigorously, embarrassed at her appearance, the situation, and the attention. "Oh thank you, I made it myself... and thank you... for saving us both," she said looking him in his blue eyes, then nervously distracting herself with the child."Speaking of which, we better get you looked at."
"Hey! Over here! I found Tammy!" Wallflower shouted, turning toward the firetruck and rescue workers, waving for the attention. He gestured and shouted something to the others.

"Tammy? TAMMY!" a voice shouted, coming out from the other side of the truck. The woman raced to her daughter and embraced her in a hug, kissing her face and checking her all over for injuries. "Mommy, they saved me," the girl told her, hugging tight. "I want to be a superhero just like them and Daddy--"
"Shhh, quiet now. We can talk about that later," the mother shushed her, putting a finger to the girl's lips. She looked anxiously and suspiciously at the two heroes, wondering if they overheard the girl's error.
"I truly thank you both for saving my daughter. But now I need to make sure she gets the medical attention she needs. Please excuse us," the woman said, pulling the girl by her wrist to meet the incoming paramedics halfway.

It was just the two of them now. Myrtle looked to him a smiled shyly. "Thank you again. I hope I haven't endangered you by risking your secret identity or anything..." Myrtle apologized, worried. She held her hands, looked at the ground. "I should run off, before people start asking us too many questions."
@The Man Emperor

(Posted in error)

Templar

William Akinson’s mind was filled with the thought of how he would ruin the world of the undesirables. Standing on top of a rooftop watching the people below him; wearing his heavy suit of armor. The armor was like a second skin to him; however he could not wear his armor when he would be making deals with art collectors. Moving down the fire escape and towards the street; he had heard of a major drug deal going down. Every day while driving to work he can see the junkies, whores and drug dealers polluting the streets.

Moving as quickly as he could pass the civilians; not caring that they were staring at him. He was there to protect every civilian from the from the filth that filled the streets; and bringing everyone to hell with them.

Nevertheless he did his job for the betterment of mankind; at some point he stood in front of an abandoned apartment building. He could smell the filth and desperation from being outside of the building. Once inside he made his way passed the drug addicts and whores; stopping himself from murdering them since they were in a way innocent.

Making his way further inside of the building he pulled out his sword; the sword was a medieval broadsword. The sword soon becoming engulfed in flames; lighting up his way inside of the dark building. As he made his way further inside of the building he noticed some thugs patrolling the area. They would be easy to kill since their bullets could not pierce his armor.

Easily being noticed by the thugs who seemed to laugh off his attire and commanding that William left; the knight's response was to cut off their heads. The knight walked down the hallway keeping his sword close to him. Soon the building was filled with gunfire, screams and grunts of pain.

William was covered in blood having murdered most of the drug dealers; he moved towards the drugs lighting it on fire so that no one would be able to use it; taking his leave though the fire escape and moving though the alleyways.

------------------------------



Verdrehte

The young thief was quite excited tonight; he had planned out an exciting heist. Tonight he was going to steal a very expensive eleventh century painting; The painting was of some medieval knight that was said to be painted moments before his death. The painting itself would fetch quite a high price on the black market. The villain was waiting at the back of the art museum; waiting for the guard to leave her routine to a noise he made. Moving closer towards the guard and knocking him out and hiding his body inside of a trash bin.

Making his way inside he observed all of the guard’s routes; he was surprised how lazy the English was. Back in Japan he would have to deal with the camera’s and the drones that would be flying around. There was camera’s to deal with in this country; however the guard’s were much more easier to deal with.

Verdrehte sulked around the building using his powers to move though vents to the security room; disabling the camera and security for the art. Making his way towards the main target; once again using his powers to keep himself close towards the floor. Standing up and gently removing the painting from it’s frame; the sudden sound of an alarm going off filled the room. It seemed he had forgotten to disable the silent alarm; more then likely their will be heroes coming over to try to stop him.

Kotov Yurievich - Blitzkrieg

"Hm.", Kotov paused as the girl ran towards her mother, saying something about she wants to be a superhero like them... and her dad. So that kid was the son of a hero as well, just like his good self. Where was the father, he wondered? Maybe that is a question that he should ask his own father once they have their yearly family reunion later this week. His cousins and uncles and aunts would be there too, flying all the way from Russia just to see their immigrated relatives in the States again.

He then frowned a little bit as Myrtle said that she needed to run off now, before people started to ask them questions. By the looks of it, she was new to the whole thing, what with her apparent age judging from her appearance and vocabulary. "Oh, man. Not so fast."

Kotov flashed out a card, showing the characteristic lightning symbol of the now retired Protectorate hero known as Shockwire. "Recognize this? This is my dad's symbol. Shockwire. Something tells me that you haven't been in the whole power business for very long."

A pause. "I still have two hours before my actual work starts, so if you don't mind, I'd like to talk to you. I believe that I can... hmmm... help you. And... oh. How rude of me. I'm Kotov Yurievich. My best friend calls me Blitzkrieg whenever I use my abilities, but the whole hero and villain business is not something I particularly like to get into. You, however... appear to need some help with the heroics, and that's something I'm willing to use my time for.."

@LostButterfly92

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

Myrtle's eyes sparkled at the sight of a card with Shockwire's symbol on it. She nodded, smiling like a doofus, unable to find her words. She was standing with the son of one of her idols--and she was saved by him! He went on, introducing himself as Kotov-codename Blizkrieg. Myrtle could hardly believe his words, how honest and kind and open he was with her.

"My.. my name is Myrtle Gardner," she gushed in her excitement. "I mean...Wallflower. Stupid names, both, of them, I know..." she babbled, her face turning even pinker than before. She mentally kicked herself for her rookie mistake. deciding to add 'cute guys' to her list of weaknesses.

"I-I really could use help with the whole hero thing, though. If you don't mind," Myrtle put her hands together in front of her chest, subconsciously, pleading. "It would be amazing to have somebody to talk capes with. Umm.. What did you have in mind?"

@The Man Emperor

Kotov Yurievich - Blitzkrieg

Well,, Kotov winked as he noticed that Myrtle was visibly blushing at him. "I was thinking of grabbing some Starbucks and then having those on a roof top. Or something." Looking at the new heroine, he noted that the symptoms of 'crushing over a guy you just met' were quite prevalent on her face and body language. After all, she was blushing profusely and even had this movement of putting her hands over her chest while very much pleading for him to follow up on his stated intent on helping her with some things. Kotov chuckled inwardly, as this wasn't the first girl that had crushed on him. He knew to himself that he was a cute one, though he wasn't particularly tall. And now, he struggled not to snicker at the obvious fancying that her movements and appearance betrayed.

Kotov motioned for her to follow him, putting his hands in his pockets as he began to walk towards another powerline."I'll ask you some very basic questions once we are on it." Hovering his hand over a set of circuitry that led to the energy grid of the city, he then turned to her. With a snickering expression and a lucid smile, he asked her a million dollar question. "You sure you want to come with someone you just met, eeeh?"

@LostButterfly92