Madjick almost immediately scoffed Myrtle Gardner Wallflower expressed her concern about his wellbeing, as he was obviously in pain, what with the blood trickling down the side of his head and the fact that he was being carried by someone who was no less than four inches shorter than his good self. "I'm going to be fiiiiiiine.", he said, looking at Kotov, who was rolling his eyes at the sorcerous cape's antics. "It takes much more than that to take me down. Or to keep me down. I'm not sure what it should be..."

"You always get me so worried when you stay out too long, friend.", Kotov said with an air of concern in his voice. "Aaaaand, yeah, I sound like your mom..."

Ray snickered. "That's soooo sweet." After a second of silence, the man looked at Myrtle, and then stuck his tongue out in a joking manner. "Oh my, Kotie. You didn't tell me that you had a girl..."

"Dude, we just met a few hours ago..."

"WELL!", Madjick said with more enthusiasm than one would think to come from someone who got bashed on the head with a stone covered sword. "That's how it usually starts! Maybe I should join the PRT after all..."

Kotov sighed in apparent disappointment on his friend. Ray was always a teaser, and... well, that was how showed affection. "Well, the streets are not safe to be alone in this late. Someone got eaten last night, and... my mom makes the best jasmine tea in the entire city."

In other words... "wanna come"?

---

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

---

The carried cape spoke up abruptly, startling Myrtle. She jumped in surprise--just a little--but a smile of relief came over her face and her tense shoulders relaxed. She felt much better knowing he would be alright.

She chuckled quietly, watching the two guys joke around like they'd known each other forever. They had the kind of friendship she always wanted as kid, and even just being near them made her feel warm inside.

After a moment of silence, she noticed the new cape look mischievously at her and stick out his tongue, and she raised one brow curiously back at him. "Oh my, Kotie. You didn't tell me that you had a girl..." he teased. Myrtle's face immediately turned bright pink, visible even around her mask.

"Oh, no-no-no, we just met, it's not like that!" she protested, smiling nervously and putting her hands up, palms out and waving them slightly. Although, inside her heart fluttered at the idea of it.

She looked to Kotov, who seemed to take it all in stride, probably used to teasing like this. At least, he didn't seem bothered by the suggestion...

Kotov sighed, and then spoke up, "Well, the streets are not safe to be alone in this late. Someone got eaten last night, and... my mom makes the best jasmine tea in the entire city."

"Eaten? I read about that on Parahumans Online, I wasn't sure if I should believe it, wow..." she trailed off, stalling. She smiled awkwardly, looking back and forth between the two capes standing before her. She going with two guys she just met probably wasn't the best idea. But one of them was injured and the other didnt kill her the first chance he had. And she desperately wanted to learn more about being a cape, without going to the Protectorate. So she went with her heart.

Wallflower nodded, smiling. "Tea would be lovely, thank you." she said, nodded and speaking to Kotov. "Maybe I help you get patched up..." she offered, hoping she could be of useful.

@The Man Emperor

Whether he was complying or had just worn himself out, it seemed like the homeless man had stopped struggling for now. If he could just search the man in peace then this would be resolved in a few minutes at most; he’d either find something that looked like it came from the museum and arrest him or he would find nothing and let the guy go. Pre-Fab would even hand him a card before he left so he could make a complaint and earn some compensation; the guy would come out of this encounter a richer man.

If he was innocent.

Before any of that however, he still needed to deal with the crowd gathering around them. The last thing he needed was some conscientious citizen involving themselves thinking they were doing the right thing. Not that standing up to authority when they were overstepping their bounds was a bad thing, but when Parahumans were involved it was best to stay the hell away and let other Parahumans deal with it. Things could get messy otherwise.

Sure enough, someone had walked up behind him to ask why he was restraining a homeless man. A fair question, but not one he was willing to deal with at the moment. He turned to look at the speaker over his shoulder, ready to dismiss him and get back to work; if he wanted an answer he could read the papers tomorrow.w

“None of you bus-“ Blood. A lot of blood. Raising his pistol again, Pre-Fab stepped back from the blood-soaked stranger and pointed the non-lethal weapon at him. “Stay where you are!”

Hitting the side of his visor again, Pre-Fab sent out the alert to the PRT to say that he needed assistance. Urgently. Dealing with one unknown Parahuman was bad enough, but two? And judging by the clothes this man was wearing, the blood, the sword, he was definitely a Cape.

@Eviledd1984

---

"Excellent.", Kotov nodded to Wallflower as he looked down at Ray, who was now half asleep. Hear that buddy? She's gonna help patch you up."

Madjick chuckled in response, poking Kotov at the nose with a finger. "That's absolutely lovely. Tea, and your future wi-"

"Dude, seriously... I'm tempted to drop you even though I love you..."

"Of course! Ow, ow, ow..."

Myrtle folded her arms and shook her head, smiling and rolling her eyes amusedly at the boys' antics. Even with one of them beaten and bleeding, they couldn't help joking around. These guys were just too cute!

Kotov scoffed, looking back at Wallflower. "Sorry about that. He's... uh... very supportive and weird. And he's my best friend." A pause. "Ah well. Let's just go, shall we?"

As if in response, a growl reverberated through the alleyway, echoing through the darkness. It was an animalistic noise, one that heralded death and bloodshed.

Swiveling around, Kotov would see a reptilian creature, standing on two legs. It had red eyes, purple scales, and clawed hands that glowed with energy. It was surrounded by shadow, as if it was one with the darkness. It roared, yet again, and fired a beam of dimensional energy at the three capes that had just met up there. Kotov acted quickly, putting Ray in Wallflower's arms before firing an electric blast to meet the opposing beam, causing a detonation that would send the Void Dragon pummeling through a trash bin. It had been neutralized, but not for long.

Meanwhile, Myrtle had braced herself, arms out vines sprouting from her pockets defensively at the sound of the monster's blood-curdling roar. She turned around to see a fearsome, reptoid creature readying an attack. Her heart dropped, and she felt an intense, heavy, weight in her chest. For a moment, Myrtle stared the creature in its glowing eyes like a doe in the headlights, only snapping out of it when she felt the weight of a body being put in her arms--Kotov's friend--and nearly toppled over before righting herself and the cape with her vines.

"Hold on, now!" Kotov shouted, reaching for Wallflower. With the cape held tight in her arms, vines wrapped around them both for support, she reached back for Kotov, praying the creature would not reach them before their touch.

Surely enough, the Void Dragon charged forward, turning into a shadow in the process. However, another lightning strike from Kotov sent it off balance, preventing the Case 53 from reaching the three of them in time. The light post that they were standing next to absorbed all three as Kotov utilized his electrokinetic powers, getting to his house within a few moments. There they were, standing in front of a rather quaint home. The lawn was well mowed too...

Seemingly out of nowhere, Madjick screamed, causing Myrtle to shriek in surprise. "AHHH! Kotie, I love you so much! You saved me... and her." Madjick said gratefully, hugging Kotov and kissing his cheek several times,. Myrtle broke out in laughter, thankful to be alive and well beside her newfound friends.

"Yeaaaaah, I know, I get it." Kotov shrugged as there was no sign of the Void Dragon anywhere. Looking back at Wallflower, he then cleared his throat. "Well, I think you lot need to change first. Because... I don't know, maybe you don't want any more people knowing your secret identities. Not that my mom would tell anyone..."

After a moment, she wiped away a tear and nodded back at her new friend. "Yes, please excuse me for a moment while I change." She walked toward a bunch of trees and bushes and looking back, though she might have seen them looking, it was hard to tell in the dark. She blushed a bit, and called back them, "Um, could uh, you guys just turn around for a bit? Sorry, haha..." she laughed nervously.

After they turned around, she retreated to the brush, building up an extra thick wall of leaves and flowers around herself. She took her bag out from underneath her cape, and stripped down, stuffing her mask, cape, shirt, skirt, and gloves into the bag. Then she put on a lacy white skirt and a pink top. She combed her fingers through her hair quickly and finished the look off with a white flower hair clip.

"Okay... I'm ready now," she said to them, smiling and blushing nervously. Her burns had mostly healed, but she still hoped that she didn't look too terrible, escpecially since she was about to meet Kotov's mother.

"Okay then.", Kotov winked at Myrtle as he led these two friends to his house.

He then pressed the doorbell that was set on beside the doorframe. There was the sound of hurried feet, and then... a pleasant middle-aged woman opened the door to them. "Mamushka."

The lady gave her son a hug, before looking at Ray, and then at Myrtle. "Koshka, did Ray get punched again? And... who's this?"

Myrtle, Mama Statnik. Mom, meet Myrtle. I, uh, met her a few days ago. She's a friend."

"Mama Statnik... It's so nice to meet you," Myrtle said, smiling as she performed a polite curtsy. She picked up on the fact that Kotov streched the truth about how long they've known each other, and his mother's doubt, and she blushed at that.

Kotov's Mom nodded her head, seemingly skeptical. "Friends, huuuuh... well, get in. I'll get you juice and cookies and tea."

Sure enough, they would be treated to the Yurievich household. Kotov's father wasn't here, as he was overseas at the time. Either way, Ray would be lying on the couch, with his trench coat hanging on a nearby chair. He was treating himself with his other hands, using them to feed his good self. Kotov meanwhile would be seated opposite Myrtle in the living room, idly watching a TV series whilst popping a cookie into his mouth.

Mama Statnik came back with a first-aid kit Myrtle had requested, leaving it on the coffee table. Myrtle said her thanks, washed her hands and quickly returned to hold the kit up to show the boys. "Here, I have the first-aid kit now. Would it be okay if I take a closer look at you?" she asked, addressing Ray, but looking to both of them for permission.

Ray looked back at Myrtle, and remembered that he got hit at the head... because he forgot. "Ah, yeah, right. I forgot. Please do."

"Aw, haha... you forgot?" Myrtle chuckled as she got up and walked over to him. "Either you have a thick skull or your injury is worse than I hoped," she joked lamely, shaking her head. She brought a chair over to the couch and sat down and upzipped the pouch, taking out supplies. She squeezed a bit of rubbing alcohol onto a cotton swab, for cleaning and disinfecting.

"I um, I don't think I caught your name," she spoke quietly to Madjick, before dabbing his forehead.

"It's Raymond Clayton, but you can just call me Ray.", he answered as he stayed still while being treated. "I've been a friend of Kotov for the last 15 years... and you have a crush on him. Probably."

"Ray..." Myrtle repeated, nodding, to help commit it to memory. She blushed profusely at his comment and looked across to Kotov, and then shyly looked away when she met eyes with him. "I-I don't know we just met, really. But...maybe... He saved me twice..." she admitted, smiling at the thought of him.

Mrtle looked Ray in his handsome grey eyes, noticing that he was cleaning up nicely. She gently felt his scalp for injuries, thankfully not finding anything significant. Satisfied, she took out a slightly large band-aid with antibiotics and stuck it over the cut on his forehead, smoothing it gently over the injury. Ray was lucky that he wouldn't need stiches after what happened.

"There, all done. Just be careful not to bonk your head again anytime soon," she advised, chuckling quietly-- and not at all expecting him to follow the doctor's orders.

"Thanks.", Ray gave Myrtle a beaming smile before getting one of his floating hands to give him a cookie. Myrtle was caught a little off-guard when she noticed a spectre if a hand float by with a cookie, but quickly relaxed. It was a wonderful thing to be comfortable using powers around friends and family. And while she wasn't ready yet, she hoped she would be one day.

At the meantime, Kotov's mom was watching everyone from a corner, seemingly happy that she was having guests tonight. For all its worth, Ray was going to sleep on the couch before heading out tomorrow morning after breakfast.

Kotov, who was watching TV, looked back at Myrtle as she finished treating his friend's injury. "You know, I've just added you on the Book of Faces, Myrts.", he said with a wink while tapping on his phone. "Please accept. Haha."

Myrtle looked away, hiding a blush, and moved to put her chair away. "Oh yes-yes of course I will!" Myrtle replied, trying to contain her excitement. She was smiling wide as she dug her phone out of messenger bag, logged into her account, and accepted. She beamed as she scrolled down the wall, getting a glance into his mind and life. She saw plenty of pictures of him and Ray and his Mamushka. She wondered for a moment what he would think if he were to look at her own. Myrtle lost contact with her friends from school and only rarely posted. And when she did, it was quotes, her art and nature photography, and maybe a picture herself on a rate occasion.

"Accepted," the girl informed Kotov as she found her original seat across from him. She smiled back at him, then poured a cup of tea from the coffee table. She trembled just a little bit as she drank a sip, holding the cup with both hands. The warmth was wonderful, and the taste even better, but it made her realize just how cold she was.

"Mmm, this really is the best tea in Manchester," she complimented, meaning it. She is glanced over to Ray, who seemed to be asleep and was snoring soundly. She smiled, thinking it cute, and then took another delightful sip of her tea, closing her eyes contentedly.

"So, um, Kotov, I was wondering... am I keeping you or your mother up at all? I'm having a great time, but I don't want to be a bother..." Myrtle asked, keeping her voice low enough to not disturb Ray. She smiled awkwardly at Kotov, taking a sip to hider her embarrassment and wishing she were better at social situations.

"Oh please, I usually sleep much later than this.", Kotov answered, chucking a grape into his mouth. "Not that it's a good habit, but yeah. As for my mom, well...".

He glanced towards his mother, who was heading upstairs. She was going to crash in a few moments.

Kotov sighed. "She usually leaves me alone with guests..."

Alone... with... guests? Myrtle thought, her face getting pinker. She felt a pang of jealousy at the thought of him coming home with another girl. She followed his gaze up the stairs around a corner. A door shut a few moments later. Now, with Ray asleep, the two of them could talk alone. An exciting yet terrifying thought.

"Oh, um, haha, that's nice of her I guess," she chuckled, smiling nervously, glancing at the TV. She took a sip of her tea with one hand and rubbed her forearm with the other.

"Would you like to talk and get to know each other better or just take it easy for now?"

"Well, you can tell me about yourself, because I've already shared quite a bit.", Kotov responded, reclining into a relaxed position. "Like... I don't know, what's your favourite color? No that doesn't sound right... Mmmm... what's home like?"

"Home? Well... I guess I consider my Dad's place home. My mother is a good woman, really, but misguided. She and her boyfriend got into trouble and ran away to Florida together, and I wound up staying with my father. He... wants what's best for me and has high expectations... and it was tough going through school with him looking over my shoulder. But I miss them both," Myetle explained somberly. "Now I live on my own in a little apartment with some old friends--houseplants, that is, that I brought with me," Myrtle chuckled, to lighten the mood.

"You seem to have something great here. It must be amazing to grow up with powered people for family?" she asked, looking at one of the photos with Kotov and his father, Shockwire.

"I guess not being afraid to use them is a great thing.", Kotov replied with a light smile. "It's a bonus that my best friend is also powered. It's like we understand each other very well because of it."

He then sighed, and then looked Wallflower at the eye. "I'm quite worried about him, though. He is... reckless and impulsive. I'm not always going to be there to pull him out. If my phone was dead at the time, that Case 53 would have... you know."

After a moment of thought, he spoke again, this time with more enthusiasm. "You know what? You two should be a tag team. You screw up when alone, but together... well, imagine that."

Myrtle looked back into Kotov's eyes, sensing his sadness and worry. She then looked to Ray, with his big band-aid covering half his forehead, as he let out a snore.

Kotov was right. Madjick and Wallflower were going to get themselves killed working alone. But... perhaps... if they worked together, they would stand a chance.

"I would be willing to try, if he would have me..." Myrtle answered, a little disappointed that he was not the partner she was hoping for. "But, if you don't mind me asking, why don't you two team up?"

"I... well... I don't want to be a hero.", Kotov replied. "The responsibility and the burden that comes with it... well... that's not my thing. I help at times, sure, but I'd rather live a slow paced life..."

Myrtle was struck with a pang of guilt. It seemed that she hit one of Kotov's soft spots. She brushed one hand through her hair nervously before getting up and joining Kotov and the loveseat. "Hey... it's okay--I get it. I really do. Even these past few days have been a bit much for me," Mytle admitted, in an attempt to comfort him. Then, leaning a little closer, she spoke quietly to him.

"You don't have to fight crime to be a hero. Just inviting me here and giving me a chance, that makes you my hero..." she finished, looking shyly in his eyes.

A moment passed and she looked away, blushing. "I'm sorry... that was a kind of corny thing to say..."

"No, no, that makes sense...", Kotov replied. "Technically I'm not a hero, but in practice... I am. Sometimes."

"You really are," Myrtle agreed, nodding. Feeling a little uneasy, she looked toward the door, and then back to Kotov.

"I um, I should probably go... Let you and Ray rest....And I'll need to be off to work soon, anyway..."

"Yeah, yeah, I suppose." Kotov then led her to the front door, and then gazed back down at her. "Take care, I guess."

Myrtle sullenly followed Kotov to the door. "You too, Kotov. Please thank Mama Statnik for her hospitality," she said her voice breaking up as she forced a smile. She walked way clutching her bare arms against the chill of the night. The shut of the door felt like a slam in the face, although she knew it wasn't Kotov's intention.

This really did not go as Myrtle had hoped. But then again, she wasn't even sure exactly what she was hoping for anymore..

Inside, though, Kotov leaned back on the door as soon as he had closed it. Taking a deep breath, the electrokinetic gave out a sigh, and looked at his hands. Myrtle's words were quite the impactful ones, but his decision in life was still the same. He is not going to be a vigilante.

Either way, it was unexpected, but he blushed to himself. Kotov knew that Myrtle was head over heels in love... and it was a lie to say that he was not starting to feel the same way.

"I suppose you're right, Ray.", he said as he walked back to his sleeping friend."But you always worry me so much..."

With that, he turned off the lights in the living room and went upstairs, but not before giving his best friend a forehead kiss as goodnight. He has late night work to do.

---

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

---

Days passed, and then weeks, each fading one into one another. Her job at the post office had picked up due to the upcoming presidential election. And for a while, she blamed work exhaustion as the reason she didn't check Facebook or try to get in touch with Kotov, or even just go out on patrol for that matter. Sixty hours of postal work was just too much, you know?

The election came and went without much fuss and Myrtle was out of excuses. While she couldn't bring herself to check messages or go back out as Wallflower quite yet, she made herself leave the house for a few half-hearted patrols with her costume by her side. But when she did, her heart just was not in it. It was good nothing much happened because she would not have been able to help anybody even if they needed her.

It wasn't until just last night that she saw a couple of lovebirds in the park, that she finally went home, broke down, and cried her heart out.

But today is a new day, and with tears gone dry and a renewed sense of purpose, Myrtle planned to get back into her game. She wanted to help the city and its people, and she was not going to let a broken heart keep her from it for long.

First thing after work, Wallflower was patrolling, looking for trouble around every corner...

"Hi Myrtie, how are you today?"

Myrtle would find a familiar voice speaking from behind her, one that was quite friendly and welcoming to the ear. Once she turned around, she would see that it was no other then Ray Clayton, codenamed Madjick, dressed in a maroon leather jacket and holding a cone of vanilla icecream on his hand, which he was halfway through. He didn't have his purple trenchcoat on right now, though the duffle bag that he was holding on his left hand was probably where he had it at the moment. The band-aid that Myrtle had placed on his head was still there, though it was beginning to wear off through the test of time and weathering. Either way, the man seemed rather elated to see her, as he didn't have a lot of friends that weren't refusing offers to be heroes too, and approached her.

"Glad to see that you're around, Wallflower.", he said as he stepped forward and hugged her for a short duration. Looking back down, Ray smirked. "You gonna take up on Kotie's suggestion for us to work together or nay?"



"No, no, no, no..." Jeremiah shook his head as he read the latest newspaper headline on the Manchester Inquirer. He couldn't believe it. Not again. This was the worst thing that could ever happen.

Void Dragon strikes again!

For the last whole decade, he had been hard at work. Jeremiah Powell had been a prominent name in the sci-tech division of the Protectorate, as he had been trying to engineer a cure for Case 53's; a way to reverse the monstrous mutations that had been plaguing that particular brand of parahumans ever since their inception. Officially, he was a Rogue; working with the Protectorate for the sole purpose of aiding in research in the peculiar biology of parahumans, which happened to include himself. And he was one of the worst possible cases of case 53's to exist right under everyone's noises: The Void Dragon.

For days, months, years, he had been focused in the singular goal of stopping his activation every midnight. He was, however, mostly unsuccessful, succeeding only in containing his dread alter ego through the strongest chains and containment procedures within the pocket dimension that he created within his home, but every now and then, the Dragon would burn through its prison and rampage through the night.

And worst of it all, he could remember all of it. Their terrified screams, the rending of human flesh with daemonic reptilian teeth, and their weeping.

Right now, though, some light may come to his life. Apparently, there had been other incidents of Case 53's with involuntary activations. If only he could get his hands on one and have the proper experiments...

---

Myrtle Gardner - Wallƒlower

---

I really need a warmer costume... Myrtle thought, shivering, as she leaned on a fence by the Merrimack river in Arms Park. She wanted to take a break from her patrol and this park was just enough out of the way to be quiet and peaceful. At most, there were only ever a few pedestrians and bicyclists at any time--so when somebody said her name, Myrtle gasped in surprise. But even before she turned around, her heart started accelerating because she knew who it was.

"R-r-ray! Hi... You're looking better since I last saw you..." she gushed, smiling nervously and caught off-guard, as he was practically standing right behind her. She took a moment to look around for Kotov as a blush warmed her cold, rosy cheeks. But when he was nowhere to be seen, she relaxed a little and put her focus back on Ray.

The man appeared to be in civilian clothes and was enjoying an ice cream cone with a goofy smile on his face. Myrtle chuckled a little inside at that. Here she was, chilled to the bone while wearing her costume (minus the mask) and an oversized green hoodie with sleeves to her knees, while he licked joyfully away at his cone, thinking it must take a wonderfully warm heart to do that.

When Ray stepped forward and hugged Myrtle, she tensed up for a moment as her anxiety kicked in. But his touch was so warm and comfy, like a cloud, that Myrtle couldn't stop herself from melting into his arms, pressing her face against his chest and hugging back.

"It's great to see you too, Ray. I'm sorry I kind of disappeared for a while..." Myrtle apologized, trailing off and feeling guilty as she looked up into his grey eyes. "I wasn't... feeling well... for a while, but I really do want to team up with you, if that's okay," she finally answered, smiling awkwardly. But a real smile of excitement spread across her face at the idea of it. "I have my stuff with me--we could train or go on patrol today or sometime soon..." she offered in a whisper with a sparkle in her eye.


@The Man Emperor

---

---

"Really?! You want to team up?! Excellent!"

Ray seemed rather excited about the prospect, especially since he wouldn't need to do this job of heroism alone. "Patrol, train, whatever, it's your pick, my treat." He then lurched forward, whispering to her ear. "I can also tell you how to win my man's heart."

"You-you would really do that for me? Tha-thank you..." Myrtle stammered, her heart fluttering with renewed hope. She put her hands together and wiggled a bit, with her hoodie sleeves flopping around as she moved. But this wasn't all about repairing her relationship with Kotov.

Myrtle smiled gratefully up at Ray and then nodded. "We should train first-- get to know what the other is capable of. That way, we can work more effectively in the field."

"Hmmm. Okay." Ray didn't have a lot of ideas about her and Kotov, other than the fact that she was head over heels in love, and that he was... well, not really returning the favour. Either way, they should start on getting familiar with each other's abilities now.

Ray chucked the rest of the ice cream into his mouth, and then downed the cone itself to the point of getting some of the stuff on his beard. He wiped it with his jacket's sleeves, and then looked back at Myrtle. "Let's get to it, then. I have a secret place where I train..."

Myrtle giggled quietly, hiding her laugh with one sleeve, as she watched Ray take care of his cone. [color=8dc73f]"A secret place, huh? I can't wait to see," she said as he finished. She looked into his eyes and clapped her sleeves together in a quiet thud. "So, how do we get there?"

"My bourgeoise friend Caitlin Le Roche has a testing facility a few blocks away.", Ray said, pointing past a few buildings beyond the part. "She's been kind enough to let me use her basement. And I told her that I might be bringing a friend, too."

"Sure, that sounds awesome! And very generous of her, too." she remarked, giving him a curious smile, wondering what kind of relationship they shared. "...Much better than trying to hide out in the woods, like I normally do. So far out of the way, and you always have to worry about hikers or hunters..." Myrtle babbled, getting psyched at the idea of some real superhero training. "Please, show me the way!"

"There are also lots of plants for you to use in there, before you ask.", Ray said as he began to walk towards a rather old building. It was a dilapidated thing, and was probably around since the 40's. The wood creaked with every step they made, and the dust was rather annoying to the nose.

Even Ray sneezed, as there was quite a lot of fine dust just floating around due to neglect. "Sorry about that.", he said, hunching over an old rug. He summoned one of his spectral hands, which then pulled the piece of sheepskin off the floor. There was a trapdoor under it, though it could only be opened by hitting these six switches on the walls simultaneously...

"Get down.", Ray said to Myrtle as all six of his eldritch hands came into existence. They then charged for a brief moment before firing, heating every one of the switches until they all opened. And with that, the trapdoor opened as well.

Ray jumped down the trapdoor, and once Myrtle had followed suit, she would find a rather spacious basement; it would seem that this was a Cold Era bunker, built to survive a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union. Now, it was a training ground; burn marks on the far side of the wall told them much.

Putting an arm over Myrtle's shoulder, Ray started talking again. "She'll be here soon."

"This place is awesome... a real war-time bunker! I heard these things existed around Manchester, but never could find one. And-and those custom switches, are they Tinker made? It's a-it's ah... ahh-chu!" Myrtle sneezed cutely into her elbow, sounding almost like a little mouse. "Scuse me, sorry." she giggled self-consciously. "This place is perfect for our training... and I can't wait to meet your friend." she nodded, looking up into Ray's eyes with a smile, and then around the room in anticipation.

"Well, not Tinker made.", Ray answered. "Caitlin is just a brilliant engineer, and she made those so that I'm the only one who could access the bunker from that trapdoor. They're calibrated to resonate with the eldritch energy that my spectral hands emit. Pretty neat huh?"

As if in cue, a door opened, and out came a rather young woman, dressed in a grey sweater, a lab coat, and holding a cup of coffee in her hand. "Speaking of which, this is Cait.", Ray then introduced Myrtle to her. "Caitlyn, this is Myrtle Gardner. You know, the one I told you about?"

"Yeah, nice to meet you, lovergirl.", Caitlyn simply said with a wink. She then whispered to her ear. "My guy friends are so cute, right?"

Lovergirl! Myrtle closed her eyes, embarrassed, and blushed red at the young women's comment, laughing nervously. She looked at the undoubtedly beautiful and brilliant women up and down, heart sinking. This is somebody she has to compete with?!

"Um, the pleasure is all mine, Caitlyn. Thank you for having me here." Myrtle said, looking her in the eyes and nodding graciously. "They are very cute, hehe..." she giggled shyly, smiling and looking away from her.

Then, looking to both Ray and Caitlyn she spoke up, "Um, is there anything else I should know?"

"We're not in a relationship, if that's what you're asking.", Ray answered with a shrug. "Cait is my girl best friend. We've known her since college, and she's like the one that keeps the insanity that Kotov and I exude contained."

Caitlyn nodded. "The two of them are like my younger brothers. I care a lot for them, but to feel romantic about any one of them feels... wrong."

Myrtle took a breath and felt a weight leave her chest, nodding thankfully. It was not the question Myrtle meant to ask, but it was the answer her heart was looking for. To her relief, the perfect woman in front of her was not Kotov's hot new girlfriend but rather a trusted friend as close as family.

"Aaaaanyway..." Ray pointed towards the potted cactus nearby. "We should get started."

"Yes, let's get started!" Myrtle replied enthusiastically. She set her bag on the floor by one wall, then knelt next to it and pulled out her mask and gloves. She stood back up and pulled her big hoodie up over her head, accidentally tugging her shirt up a little. She righted it, then put herself together now appearing as Wallflower.

After stuffing her hoodie away in the bag, she turned back to the others and smiled. "I'm ready. Want a demonstration or should we just get down to sparring?"

"Let's see what you can do first.", Caitlyn said to Myrtle. "You can make plants grow really fast, right? Anything else?"

"Yes, that's basically it, but not all. Here, um, let me show you..." Myrtle trailed off. Her heart was pounding at the thought of having an audience, but she was itching to finally show somebody what she could do. She took a few moments to awkwardly toss seeds around her, then closed her eyes and activated her power in full force.

All at once Myrtle was aware of her surroundings: the roots behind the walls of the bunker, the plants seeping through the cracks, the seeds on the floor. The seeds and her own body began to take on a faint glow. Soon sprouts were shooting out and blossoming into hundreds of tiny pink flowers. Seconds later thousands of tiny pink petals shot into the air, swirling almost as if they were riding a gust of wind. Half of the petals circled Wallflower while the other half began to take on a feminine human shape. Wallflower and the petal-girl walked and then ran, circling each other until they were face to face. The two struck out in a punch, exploding into a rain of petals.

Then all at once, the petals dropped to reveal Wallflower wrapped up in vines. She was held off the floor by four vine-legs. Two vine arms whipped around. With a look of fierce concentration, Myrtle raced across the room like some kind of strange insect, reaching out for her target. "Ahhhh-YAH!" the girl called out, lassoing the potted cactus around the neck and pulling it to the floor. She skid to a stop at its feet.

Wallflower stared at the fallen cactus, breathing hard. She put one hand over her heart and closed her eyes as she lowered herself down to the floor, where she took a deep breath. Soon her breath returned to normal. "Uh.. uh... s-sorry about that... Myrtle apologized nervously as she walked back toward her companions. She rubbed the back of her head and closed her eyes, feeling embarrassed. "Sometimes I... um, the more I use my powers--it's like something else is taking over me."

"That was... uh... spooky and really weird, but awesome, nonetheless." Ray gave a nervous chuckle, and then summoned his own spectral hands. "Everyone who gets powers feel like something else is taking over. No one is sure what that is; could be the feeling of power, maybe there's something about power acquisition that causes shifts in our brain chemistry. When I first had these hands, I didn't feel like myself for a time until I realized that these newfound abilities change who we are, somewhat."

Caitlyn snickered in an effort to lighten the mood. "You're still the sweetest, though."

Ray winked in response. "Now that is something that will never change!"

Myrtle gave them a small smile, although she was not feeling much better. Her display had gone a bit out of control, and didn't exactly go as planned. What she intended was to show off her decoy and mover capabilities, but a weird aggressive part of her came out. This thing inside her made her do it, and freak her friends out in doing it. To be honest with herself, she felt less in control than the last time she practiced. Maybe it was because of her recent emotional breakdown? She would have to find a way to defeat enemies and be a hero without drawing too much of her power, for fear of losing herself.

She walked over to the fallen cactus and righted it back up. She laid her hand on it and let her power flow, causing the plant to heal and blossom on top. Myrtle sighed, looking at the cactus."I much rather use my gift in small ways. It feels.. safer. Like tripping, binding, disabling and hindering movement," she began, then turned back her companions. "But... I can and will fight with every trick I can think of if that's what it takes to protect those I care about." Wallflower explained, looking back to Ray and Caitlyn in the eyes, smiling sadly.

Then, chuckling a bit, she shook her head and added, "I used to think about how I could use my power to solve world hunger, instead of crime-fighting."

"I thought about using these hands for sewing stuff en masse and to be the first pianist with eight hands." Ray joked. "And then I found out that they're basically made of rock, so it was impossible to do anything more complicated than grab and punch things with them."

Caitlyn chuckled in response, and gazed at the light bulb above them. "You should have listened to Kotov when he rambled about becoming a power plant when he was as high as a kite."

Myrtle couldn't help smiling for real, hearing their own fantasies. The two guys were just so cute and tender-hearted.

"Anyway, I get it. Everyone with powers has a tendency to lose themselves... we're all here to help you get the hang of it. After all, you haven't possessed abilities for a long time, unlike us, who had it for years."

"Thank you--thank you both. I-I never had friends like you who really cared about me..." Myrtle admitted. She crouched down on the floor and pretended to sweep at the petals, her long hair hiding her face and the tears welling at her eyes.

"I should clean these up before they die-- since I-I can't control or revive dead plants--if I want to make it to my second shift on time. I'm sorry I have to leave so soon..." Myrtle apologized as she got back up, rubbing the tears away from her eyes. She had time to make it to work, but right now she was an emotional trainwreck waiting to happen, and she needed to take time away from people to calm down.

Ray nodded, placing both of his hands on Myrtle's shoulders as a friendly gesture. "Okay.", he then said to her with utmost care. "Be careful out there, hmmm? Come here, gimme a hug before you go."

Myrtle nearly burst into tears at Ray's touch but tried to hold it in resulting in a sniffle. She looked away from him, smiling sadly. It was bittersweet--she was so happy to have found a good friend but couldn't help hating herself and her weakness. Sniffling quietly again, she hugged him tight, taking in his warmth and sighing. A few moments later, she let go, feeling more composed.

Wallflower stepped back and with a wave of her hand, the plant debris around her began to swirl and form a cloud that followed her as she moved. She picked up her bag and nodded her thanks with a grateful smile to both Caitlyn and Ray. "Okay, I should be off now. Thank you again for having me here. I hope to come back soon."

"Well, that was something." Ray watched as Myrtle fled the basement, the trail of plants following her like a whirlwind. "She's going to need every bit of guidance to ensure that she stays on the right path."

Caitlyn chuckled. "Yeah, and she's definitely going to fall for one of you guys."

"Nah.", Ray turned to her with a wry smirk. "She already has."

---

---

Work was miserable--the second half of her shift always was. At least in the mornings Myrtle got to sort packages and mail, get a little exercise, and have time to think. The second half of her shift was always working the register, and it was the least favorite part of her job. But a few miserable customers hours later, Myrtle closed up shop, dispatched, and was out for the rest of the evening.

The sun was setting on the Queen City by the time Myrtle got out--and that meant people would be out clubbing, drinking, smoking, and causing mischief. After chowing down on an energy bar, Myrtle made a quick change in a quiet alleyway and soon emerged as Wallflower. She felt a little guilty about going out without Ray Madjick, but she somehow managed to forget his phone number. Oh well, Kotov would probably give it him or they would inevitably run into each other. For now, Myrtle needed to blow off some steam and feel like she was doing some good in the world, and a patrol was likely to help with that.

Wallflower would start with the beautiful, bustling Elm Street, (because that was where her workplace was located) and then circle around check the various clubs, bars, and lounges looking for potential robberies, car thieves, and sexual assaults, and then later, go into the less desirable areas of town and be on the lookout for thugs, drug dealers, and burglars.

For right now, all seemed well and good. Elm Street was the home of the local Protectorate Office (inside City Hall), so it would be well protected. The streets were lit with Christmas lights, the sunset was stunning, and the streets were full of laughter and the aroma of delicious food being served in the many restaurants that lined Elm Street--but there was no telling what she would find later during her patrol.

---

Wallflower left the comfort and safety of downtown and traveled further out, keeping to dark alleyways, staying close to walls and other unlit areas of the city. Even though she knew she was doing good, she didn't like drawing attention to herself and always felt kind of weird skulking about in costume. Every streetlamp felt light a spotlight, hot on her head, and she would avoid them as much as she could. Deep down, she hoped she would never find fame, no matter how flattering it could be.

It wasn't long before she spotted trouble. Two young, white males were going around a parking lot with a black trash bag, trying every handle in the parking lot. They had their heads shaved, and they were covered in tattoos. This scene was becoming all too familiar... was a gang moving into town?

"Hey, you-you two," Myrtle spoke up, trembling a bit. The guys kept on going as if she weren't even there. Myrtle frowned and furrowed her brow, frustrated. "HEY! I'm talking to you." Wallflower called out, stepping into the light of a lamp post. Her green contacts almost seemed to glow as the light shone on them. Vines were growing out of her pockets, waving threateningly. She put her hands on her small hips, trying to play more confidence than she had.

The two guys looked at each other for about two seconds, they bolted, taking their duffle bag with them. "That doesn't belong to you!" Myrtle scolded, chasing after them. But just two minutes later, they were gone and out of sight, and Myrtle was left huffing and hunched over, hands on her knees with a stabbing feeling in her side. But after a few seconds of recovery, she was taking deep, slow breaths and stood up straight. "I-I better hit the gym, if I want to get in hero-shape," Myrtle spoke quietly to herself, with nobody around to hear her. Lifting packages isn't going to cut it, anyway... Wallflower thought as she righted her mask and adjusted her cape.

But then, BANG! A pang of fear and dread hit her chest like a bullet. Wallflower was off again like a dart in the direction of the gunshot, hoping she wouldn't be too late.

---

The shot was fired in a local convenience store, judging by the crashing and yelling going on within. Rather than going inside, Wallflower flattened herself near the door and laid out a few trip vines. It was only a couple of minutes later that another skinhead came running out with a gun in one hand and a duffle bag over one shoulder. One quick pull of the vine and... WHAP! the man fell down the step onto his bag while the gun went flying and skid to a halt a short distance away. Two other black-masked villains fell onto their comrade in a heap, and moments later were tied up by writhing vines, the men groaning and swearing.

"Thank you, young lady," an elderly Asian man said with a nod and pleasant smile. "Who you?"
"W-wallflower, sir," the heroine answered with a shy smile and a curtsey. "Do you know who these guys are?" she asked.
"Empire 88, bitch! Better watch your back, little girl, 'cause now you're on our hit list!" one of the goons snarled, following with a spit in her direction. Myrtle made a face in disgust.
The old store owner shook his head with closed eyes. "I no pay protection money, they come after me. Lucky for me, you help," he explained, finishing with a nod.
In the distance, police sirens could be heard. Myrtle's heart began to race in time with them. "Can you take it from here, sir?" she asked, looking to the still struggling goons. The man nodded, "An honor."

With that, Wallflower ran off into the night with a smile on her face, but worry in her heart. If Empire 88 was staking a claim in Manchester already, other gangs would not be far behind.

Elena Graziano

---

”So, tell me about this nightmare.”

Elena shifted in her seat. She sighed, looking at her therapist. Yes, she had called Dr. Duran’s office asking to have an additional session outside of their scheduled weekly meets, but she was not expecting him to jump into the topic right away. “It’s Jason, I dreamt about him again.”

”I see. Was it the same dream you’ve been having or something else? I’m guessing it’s the latter given your visit today.”

“Yes, something else. He still dies, you know? But this time… Well, this time, I kill him.”

Dr. Duran got up from behind his desk. He didn’t say a word as he approached Elena, eventually sitting down next to her. “And how exactly did you do that? How did you kill him?”

“I stabbed him. I carry a knife on me for safety and…I killed him. It happened fast, and I’m not sure why I did it, but—"

Suddenly, and without warning, Dr. Duran pushed Elena down on the couch. The sheer weight of his forearm on her neck made the young woman thrash her arms screaming. Or at least she wanted to scream, but couldn't find her voice. Dr. Duran adjusted his weight for a moment and Elena noticed he was pulling out a knife. And not just any knife, but the one she usually carried with her. He held it in front of her for a moment, and her eyes fixated on the weapon. It was getting harder to breathe, and Dr. Duran must have sensed this as he carefully placed the blade against her cheek. Elena froze, the room growing extremely quiet except for her attempts to try to gasp for air. "Don't you worry about a thing, Miss Graziano, I intend on reuniting you with Jason so you can explain to him why you killed him."

Elena's eyes watered.

Dr. Duran swiftly cut her cheek before burying the knife deep into her chest, piercing her heart. Elena screamed, this time loud enough to wake her from her restless sleep. She was covered in sweat, and it took her a few moments to realize she was in her room. The darkness was soothing; it reassured her she was alone and not in Dr. Duran's office.

"What the hell?" She questioned her sanity, wondering why she had had such dream. Maybe it was all the hours she was putting in at the hospital. Jason had been gone for a year, and Dr. Duran had seen her a couple of times after the initial loss of her boyfriend, but that was the end of it. He was rather helpful, not a killer hellbent on some sort of revenge trip. But the young woman didn't pay it much mind since the initial scare had passed. She looked at the time, wondering whether to remain in bed or get up and be productive.

---

---

A bright red ball rolled into view, and a tiny, little smiling blond girl reached to grab it--just as a taller girl snatched it away. The smaller one looked up, wide-eyed, and outstretched her arms, silently pleading with pouting lips for the ball. The other girl offered it, and just the little one reached for it, the other kid raised it up out of reach. She jumped for it, the other raised it higher, laughing, then tossed it over her head. A crowd was gathering now, and they were tossing the ball again and again over the young child's head. She jumped and jumped, and soon the other children were chanting, "Monkey in the middle! Monkey in the middle!" The little girl stopped jumping and tears began to form in her eyes.

But the scene around her faded and transformed. The girl was older now, wearing a green cloak and mask, and the crowd that surrounded her was vastly different. It was a gang of Empire 88, with ghoulish, drooping faces and glowing red eyes. They were armed with knives and guns, and they were drawing in closer and closer. "I-I don't want to hurt you..." Wallflower warned in a whisper, her eyes darting around in fear as they approached. "Please, just go away..." she spoke louder, hugging herself tight and closing her eyes. Switchblades flipped and guns cocked. "JUST. GO. AWAY!" Wallflower screeched, thorny vines flying out around her.

When she dared open her eyes again, she was surrounded by a massacre, and not all of them were villains. Again, the scene had changed, and now she was surrounded by her mother and father, her sister, Kotov and Ray, and all kinds of civilians. She was standing in the ruins of Manchester, whose sky was red and pillars of fire and smoke came from the toppled buildings. Giant vines writhed around the buildings that still stood and roots wove around the cityscape, piercing bodies and blossoming into black roses. Wallflower stood alone, crying in the desolate wasteland.

---

Myrtle awoke, crying alone in the dark, and just laid for what felt like an hour in bed. She was curled up in the fetal position and clung to her blankets, crying into her pillow. She was afraid of her power, yes, but she was also afraid of herself and whatever else it was that had taken root inside of her.

It was only after her alarm went off that Myrtle wiped her tears away and forced herself into motion. With a deep sigh, she got out of bed and grabbed the hedge clippers from her nightstand and started clipping at the jungle that had once been her bedroom. A shower and an hour later, Myrtle was off to work.

---

About nine hours later, Myrtle stood wearing her postal clerk uniform in front of her open locker. She was just staring at her reflection in the mirror inside with trembling lips and pain in her heart. If anything, the hours of mindless work only allowed her feelings to fester.

With tears welling up in her eyes, the girl suddenly grabbed her oversized hoodie and forced it over her head, not even caring that her hair got messed up, then grabbed her bag and slammed the locker door in frustration, sending a reverberating echo through the locker room. She stormed out of the post office, covering her eyes with one soaked big sleeve, hoping nobody would see her cry.

The disheartened heroine left the post office from the employee entrance and stood sniffling, alone in the parking lot. "I-I want to help p-people..." Myrtle weeped into her sleeves, barely audible. "--b-but what if whatever is inside me doesn't want to... what if-if it wants to hurt people?" Myrtle asked the sky, which only answered with a single snowflake. With a shiver and a sigh, Myrtle set out to walk home.

The sun had set already, so the streets were crowded and bustling with young college students as well as long-time residents. Streetlights and string lights twinkled and people were laughing and smiling and having fun. Myrtle smiled sadly as she watched them, people running and jumping around with their friends, some helping their drunk friends down the sidewalk. Sometimes Myrtle wished she could have a life like that, but deep down, she knew that was not the life she was meant to have.

The girl was startled by the jingle of coins. She looked to see a middle-aged, grimy, and unshaven man dressed in tatters. Myrtle flinched back, as much by his stench as his sudden appearance. "Spare some change for an old man?" he asked in a gruff voice, shaking his can again, then coughed into his sleeve.

Myrtle was a sucker for the less fortunate, so she reached into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled dollar bill and some coins then dropped them into his can, before hastening her step and continuing down the street. "God bless you, young lady!" the man called after her, raising a hand in a wave.

She didn't slow down until she entered a shady alleyway, where at last she came to a stop in the light of a lamp post. She just stood there, sobbing quietly into her sleeves. Snowflakes were falling more quickly now, glistening in the light and settling in her hair.

"Hey now... what do we have here? Are you lost, little lady?" a voice cooed further down the alley. Myrtle's head shot up to see a group of about three guys, all just dark, snickering silhouettes. A chill went down her spine and she froze in fear, realizing she wasn't in costume. "Come here, we'll show you the way..." one of the men said seductively, gesturing with a finger.

Myrtle suddenly bolted, heading East in the direction of the police station and hospital. Several sets of footsteps could be heard, slowly gaining on her. The small girl ran blocks as fast as she could, ignoring the pain in her lungs and the stabbing feeling in her sides. Her glasses were fogged up with her breath, and it was so difficult to see, but if she could just find a place to hide--yes! Myrtle grabbed a railing and slid herself under a dark stairwell, just as her pursuers rounded the corner. The three guys stampeded past, yelling and shouting, none the wiser that she was watching through the slats in the stairs, holding her breath. The footsteps faded away and Myrtle took a deep breath, kneeling there in the dirt.

A minutes passed and it was not Myrtle who emerged, but Wallflower, with renewed determination in her eyes. She grabbed her bag off the ground and tucked it out of sight under her cape, then clenched her fists and closed her eyes, whispering to herself, "I'll do it... I'll protect those who can't protect themselves... But I'll do it my way... My powers do not control me...I control my powers!"

Wallflower then picked a rusty pole off the ground and slammed the railing, sending an echo down the alleyway. She dropped the pole and continued in the direction they had run. In one hand was a selection of seeds, and would be ready for a fight.

"Hey! You hear that? I think she's back that way!" one of the gang members shouted from afar. Soon, thundering footsteps were heading back in her direction. Wallflower kept going, with vines snaking along the edge of the alleyway and at her side. She stopped in the middle of the alley, keeping to the dark.

"We've gotcha now! Heheheh!" one of the men sniggered as they came in from the other end of the alleyway. Wallflower raised her hands to her face, pretending to be scared, and backed up. "Don't you run again, girl! We'll take care of you--promise!" Wallflower turned and ran away, and the three chased but they didn't get far before-- FWUMP! All three fell over on their faces, tripped her vines. Wallflower stopped in the light of a lamppost, revealing her mask and costume. "That's for messing with an innocent girl!" Wallflower yelled with her hands on her hips and a smug smile growing on her face as she watched the three villains struggle as her vines wound around them.

"It's her--that witch who fucked with us the other day!" the biggest guy barked, struggling harder. "Hey, you're right! Let's pulverize her! Teach her for messing with the Empire, one of his comrades joined in. The two of them groaned and swore as they tried to get free. "Won't you quit it for just a second! Let me take care of her," the youngest one snapped. The other two immediately stopped, and Myrtle raised a brow.

But then it became all too clear. One glove slid off the boy's hand and he touched a vine. Immediately, a pang of pain went through Myrtle, and she lost all sense of vines she was controlling. Her confidence vanished as she realized she might be getting in over her head--one of them had powers, too!

The three thugs got back to their feet, withered bits of vine falling all around them as the two bigger guys laughed and cracked their knuckles. The one in front, tall but probably only about eighteen in age, put his hands in his pockets, and then tilted his head and smiled on one side. "May I have this dance?"

"Wha-what?" Wallflower stammered, fumbling for new seeds-- and when she looked up he was nowhere to be seen. She felt a push, and she fell backward-- only to be caught in his arms. Seeds went flying out of her open pockets and scattered all around her on the ground, and she tried to use her power but found herself gazing into his endless, black eyes as he twirled her around. Why was it that she was suddenly feeling so tired? Her eyes fluttered, almost falling asleep...

"No!" she cried out, finding the will to push him away. Her head was dizzy, and her skin was feeling strangely cracked and wrinkly, but she was not going to go out without a fight.

"This one has spunk! Heheh!" one of the goons laughed. "We'll see about that," the young, powered one retorted.

Rose bushes grew all around Wallflower, shielding her. He was fast, sure, but getting through a hedge of thorns would be no easy task. Now, safe from attack, she would lash out with thorny rose vines--"Huh!?" Myrtle gasped, as the young man suddenly was standing behind her. "I wasn't done dancing, little rose," he breathed into one ear.

"But I was!" Wallflower returned, jabbing him in the side with one elbow. The boy stepped back into the thorny wall, doubled over in pain and now caught in the branches. Rose vines began to grow out of the wall and encircle him, but he only smirked. "That won't work on me, bae."

With one touch of his ungloved hand, the hedge began to wither away and turn to dust. For a moment, she just stared at the boy with his black, soulless eyes and sneering smile. She was helpless to stop him and her world was crumbling around her.

The boy disappeared and reappeared right in front of her in a cloud of black fog, and pushed her to the ground. She hit her head hard on the pavement and fell in and out of consciousness. She felt a heavy weight on her--what was it? It was the boy she had been fighting. He was sitting on her waist now.

"You could have just let me have that dance. Now, look what you made me do. You're bleeding," he tsked. "You are lucky I like you--for now. Don't dare cross us again," the young parahuman boy warned. Her eyes fluttered again and everything went black...

@Xandrya

Elena Graziano

---

The hours flew by, at least for Elena. She had worked past her scheduled shift but only because she'd been asked to cover for another nurse. The woman didn't mind, of course. Unless required, the hospital didn't allow overtime, and she had to admit the additional income was nice. Not that she was pressed for money, but she had told herself a long time ago she wouldn't go to her parents for any sort of help, and included in that promise to herself was buying a home. So yes, the extra hours were much appreciated.

"Finally going home, huh?" Angela smiled after suddenly rounding a corner to join Elena who was just entering the elevator. Angela was another nurse in the hospital, an individual who was truly great with her patients. Despite the fact, Elena preferred to steer clear of her. Angela had come on to her a little too strong one evening while a group of them were out drinking. That was some time after Jason had passed, and Elena had to be taken home by one of her friends. She was upset that evening, and upon finding out the mess she'd caused, Angela apologized profusely, but still, the damage had been done. Sure, the two run into each other at work on a regular basis, but that doesn't mean Elena goes out of her way to hang out with her anymore.

"Yep, been a long day." That was a lie. In all honesty, her day was just fine. In fact, she was surprised she wasn't as tired as the other days that week. "Going to go home and sleep like a baby." That was a lie too.

"You said it," Angela sighed, "I have to run by the store first but after that I'm going straight to bed."

"Good idea."

The doors to the elevator opened and both women stepped out. In the lobby, they saw the Chief of Surgery talking to whom they guessed was a patient's relative. They waved and continued outside, Elena eventually turning the opposite direction from the garage.

"Oh, you forgot something?" She inquired.

Crap.

"No. Uh, my car had to go to the shop for a few days."

"That sucks. Do you want a ride?"

"Oh, no it's fine. I actually have to make my own stop a few blocks away and then I'm catching a ride."

"Well that's not too bad. Alright, see ya later."

"Yep, good night." Elena breathed a sigh of relief after turning around. Angela meant well, she knew that, but she didn't have it in her to end their friendship after what had happened. She truly never got over it, but instead of speaking up, Elena told her she had accepted her apology and went on with life. And how could she not? Amongst other things, them two worked in the same hospital and every now and then came across each other. But that was that, Elena was just dealing with the aftermath her own way. She had been truthful in that her car was in the shop. Elena made the walk home the previous day and it had taken her more or less 45 minutes, but she wasn't walking all that fast. Though at the very least she was getting some exercise out of it. She walked without her headphones this time as it was past dark and she didn't like to let her guard down. Elena turned a corner and was walking by an alley which wouldn't have alarmed her all that much except for the body lying unconscious near the entrance.

"Damn... Excuse me miss, can you hear me?" Elena knelt beside the girl and checked for a pulse. Thankfully she had one; the small amount of blood that had pooled around her head a dead giveaway. She unshouldered her bag and reached inside of it for a pair of gloves. Elena would have called the authorities for help but she might as well take care of the parahuman herself. Who knows what kind of trouble she had gotten herself into, and most of the time Elena carried her own personal supplies with her to and from work anyway.

The cut wasn't all that deep. All she had to do was stitch it up and clean around the wound. The procedure itself didn't take long; she had a clip flashlight which made her job extremely easy despite the low lighting. After Elena cut the last of the suture, she inspected her work. The girl should be fine, all she had to do now was wake up. After cleaning up, she tried once more to get a response.

"Hey, come on, you gotta get up," she shook her shoulder slightly, waiting for a response.

@LostButterfly92

---

---

Rays of sunlight warmed Myrtle's face as she laid smiling in a field of daisies, gazing up and watching the clouds go by. The air was fresh and warm, and it made her so sleepy. She closed her eyes for just a few minutes to rest...but then, she began to feel so cold. She rubbed her arms and held herself, shivering. Clouds blocked her sun, and dark clouds and roaring winds rushed in, lashing at her bare skin. Ice started to form in her hair, on her eyelashes and spread across her skin. When she tried to move, she found she was frozen to the ground--even her eyes were frozen shut. She desperately wanted to scream, but all that came out was mist. All around her, daisies frosted over and began to wilt...

But then, an earthquake! Her whole world shook and ice shattered and fell away. Myrtle struggled to her feet and heard a voice calling out through the storm, and began to follow it...

---

Myrtle's eyes fluttered open and she sat right up, nearly whacking her head on a young woman who had been looking over her. "Wha-what happened!? Where am I?" she asked, rubbing her throbbing head. She felt something wet and brought her hand in front of her to see what it was--blood. Her eyes grew sad and dim as her memories returned.

"You must have saved me. Thank you," Wallflower said looking at her bloody hand and then at the girl who knelt by her side. Myrtle smiled weakly and gave the girl a look over. She seemed to be a nurse judging by her scrubs and the tools she had spread around. Thankfully there were no signs or sounds of police, ambulances, or spectators. "And thank you... for not involving anybody else--for um, protecting my identity I mean."

Wallflower rambled on anxiously, hardly giving the girl chance to speak. "You better get going before trouble comes back and finds us. You-you don't want meet who I went up against," Wallflower warned as she tried slowly to get back to her feet. But her body was too weak, shuddering and shivering with the effort, and she wound up falling right back down on her butt. It seemed that she would need help getting home tonight.

"Don't worry. I can call my partner, Madjick-- oh," Myrtle froze a second, staring at the phone she just pulled out of her bag, realizing that she didn't have his number yet. With a deep breath, she dialed Kotov's number instead. With each ring, her heart beat harder and harder, and her head throbbed in turn.

"Hi um, this is Wallflower calling. I'm sorry to bother you, but... I need your help. Please, come get me..." Myrtle pleaded into the phone with a slight tremble in her voice, making sure to give her location before she hung up.

Wallflower leaned back against the brick wall behind her, feeling exhausted. She turned her head weakly and was surprised to see the young nurse was still with her. "Wh-why are you still here, miss? They could come back... you could get killed!" Myrtle exclaimed, trying to get to her feet again, the effort sending into a coughing fit.

An irate Kotov Yurievich hunched down on his desk, a black document set up on the laptop set up before him. He wore his black framed eyeglasses, and looked a little haggard as he was wearing a maroon t-shirt, pajamas, and aslippers. His hair was chaotic; he obviously forgot to comb. He had just woken up. Kotov was on the phone, and it looked like he was being bothered.

"No, Mindee, I don't have the files for the next batch of articles." He stood up and walked towards the refrigerator on his room, taking out a carton and pouring himself a glass of milk. "Listen, Mindee, you just woke me up and it's midnight, of all times... yeah, I'm sorry for being snappy... no, what? The boss shortened the deadline? Ah, whatever, just get your entries as soon as possible so that I could check them... okay, bye. Tell Clark that he owes me a hundred dollars from the time that I paid his contribution for the surprise birthday party for Will... yes. Ok, bye."

Kotov sighed, putting his phone down. "Unbelievable..."

ring ring

He looked back down, apparently a little frustrated that the universe just wouldn't let him get to sleep. However, he saw the number. It was Myrtle.

"Hi um, this is Wallflower calling. I'm sorry to bother you, but... I need your help. Please, come get me..." Myrtle pleaded into the phone with a slight tremble in her voice, making sure to give her location before she hung up.

"Oh, my. Okay. I'm coming." Kotov then rushed towards his cabinet, pulling out a jacket and putting on his shoes, as the outside was really cold. With the location locked in his mind, he turned himself into electricity and went towards her. Now, she was a damsel in distress. She probably was defeated in some fight... Wasn't she and Ray supposed to be going together now?

Soon enough, an azure streak crackled in the powerlines near Wallflower'd location, eventually ending up as a man that reformed from the electric stream near Wallflower and Elena. He hadn't even bothered to put a Maks on as he was hurrying to get there. "Wallflower?" Kotov rushed towards her, kneeling besides her. "What happened?"

He then turned to Elena, who appeared to have helped her. "Thank you, Miss."

Elena Graziano

---

As soon as the girl woke up, Elena put her stuff aside. She didn't appear to be all there, and kept fighting to get back on her feet again. "Glad you're up, but you need to take it easy for a moment... a head injury is going to leave you disoriented for a bit, so it's best if you remain seated. Don't worry about me, please, I'll be alright." Elena only said that because the area looked deserted. Who knows what may have happened, though it wasn't any of her business to find out. She remained next to the girl as she made her phone call. When she was done and noticed Elena was still on site, Elena couldn't help but feel as if she were being chastised. "Please listen to me, you need to take it easy, I'm sure whomever you called will be here shortly."

And she was right about that. Almost instantly, some guy appeared near them, startling Elena. Despite being practically surrounded by parahumans all her life, the young woman still couldn't get used to some of their abilities. She collected herself, clearing her throat. "No need to thank me, it's my job to help those in need... and the help is extended to those individuals outside of the hospital as well," she added with a smile. "I'm assuming you'll be taking care of her? Please, make sure she gets enough rest tonight; she needs to fully recover before...well, before being active again."

Elena started to gather her stuff and then stopped. "Oh, I almost forgot. My name's Elena," she reached inside her bag for a couple of cards. "This is my contact information. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to reach out to me."

Goodness, I sound like some sort of businesswoman.

She presented two cards, one for the girl and another one for her friend.

---

---

After taking a moment to cough into her sleeve, Wallflower reluctantly settled back against the brick wall. "Oh-okay. I'm sorry..." Myrtle replied quietly, but she couldn't help worrying. She was worried that the bad guys would come back for her at any moment, and this kind woman would get hurt--or worse. And it didn't help that her heart was going a hundred miles an hour, and her head was throbbing endlessly. Why did she feel so dry and thirsty? She raised one hand and slid it under her mask, feeling her hot forehead.

Moments later, Myrtle heard a familiar crackle and blue glow coming from nearby powerlines. She took her hand off her forehead and found herself smiling, imagining a blue man come out from a power box, walking toward her and kneeling down beside her. "Kotie? Is that you...?" she asked weakly, feeling for his hand, squeezing gently when she found it. There was the smallest of sparks and a flutter in her heart, and Myrtle knew it was him.

Kotov and the nurse girl seemed to be talking, but Myrtle was having a hard time following along with her increasing headache and blurring vision, but she did catch her name. "Elena, thank you," Wallflower spoke up, nodding toward her. She fumbled for a moment in her pockets with her free hand, spilling some seeds in the process. She managed to take out a folded piece of paper with her disposable cellphone number written on it. "I owe you my life. Please, if you ever need something, call..."

"Kotie? Is that you...?" she asked weakly, feeling for his hand, squeezing gently when she found it. There was the smallest of sparks and a flutter in her heart, and Myrtle knew it was him.

"Yes, Myrts." Kotov sighed in relief as she held his hand. She was in a bad shape, but at least this nurse lady here had helped her recuperate from the injuries that whoever attacked her caused. Right now, the only thing to do was to get her away from here as soon as possible, as the people who had assaulted Wallflower could come back sooner or later. They may return to ensure that their prey was truly down, or to see if someone had come to her aid, and hurt them too.

"I'm assuming you'll be taking care of her? Please, make sure she gets enough rest tonight; she needs to fully recover before...well, before being active again."

Elena started to gather her stuff and then stopped. "Oh, I almost forgot. My name's Elena," she reached inside her bag for a couple of cards. "This is my contact information. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to reach out to me."

"That I will do." Kotov would then put his arms under Myrtle before hoisting her up from the ground in a manner similar to he way he had carried Ray the night before. "Thanks for taking care of her. I'll reach out if your assistance is needed again."

Kotov sighed. "She wasn't supposed to be alone..." Knowing Ray, he probably had tried to get together with her, but was probably rebuffed or something, maybe because she was embarassed. Of course... she's almost always embarassed. Ah well, he thought while taking steps towards the nearest power line. It seems that they need to sort things out first...

Before going, he turned to Elena. "Hey, um, Elena." He handed her no less than 20 dollars. Just a little token of gratitude... for being there. Also... You sure you want to walk these streets at night alone?"

Elena Graziano

---

Elena felt bad for Wallflower. She seemed like such a sweet girl, and she didn't deserve to get knocked down like that. But she supposed that was the life of a parahuman, the ugly side of it anyway.

"Thank you, I appreciate it," she smiled, taking the piece of paper from the girl and tucking it into her bag. But at least things were looking up now, and she had her friend or whomever he was to look after her. The sight of those two together made Elena sad for a moment. She couldn't help but think back to when she was taking care of Jason after he would get himself involved in a fight of some sort. They'd argue about it constantly, with Elena pleading him not to go out as much as he did nor be as active. Deep down, however, she knew she couldn't stop him. She just had to live with it, though that was easier said than done.

Suddenly, Elena was broken out of her trance and absent-mindlessly took the money. "Uh, well...I guess it isn't safe tonight to walk alone. But you have to get her home, no? I don't want to get in the way of that."