He was in the DOVE/RAVEN Headquarters medical wing... A reinforced room, and he had a power suppressant collar placed around his neck. Other than that, there were no other restraints. Though, in case anything went wrong, the room would be immediately gassed with the red gas RAVEN is known for, and he would be placed in a safer area.
As he woke up, he would notice a few people were in the room. A few RAVENS, and a DOVE. In particular, Meifeng Zhao, whom he met yesterday, and Cindy Keagan.
The first thing Kei realised, before even taking notice of his surroundings, was that he was thirsty. Really thirsty. It took him another moment to remember exactly what had happened - it seemed that he was still hit with the dehydration after using his power after losing control. He tried not to think about it too much - what had happened happened, so he pushed it out of his mind. He blinked, glancing around the room that he was in. Well this was... interesting. He'd never been arrested in his life so this was all a new experience. He knew what the collar around his neck was but couldn't bring himself to care about it. It wasn't like he was attatched to using his power anyway.
He eventually noticed the people that were also in the room. He recognised one, to his surprise. He hadn't paid enough attention to the conversation the night before to remember more than Meifeng's name. He didn't always pay attention when Lihn spoke to people. That was another thing he didn't want to think about. What his sister's reaction would be to all of this.
"Uh, can I have some water to drink?"
"Yeah, sure." Cindy answered as she held the clipboard in hand. She looked at Meifeng, and gestured for the door. Meifeng rolled her eyes as she stepped out the door to go get it. She faced Kei, and then nodded. "Kei, are you aware of what happened to you at the Havenfield Market?"
"I- yeah," Kei frowned slightly as he tried to work out what exactly to say. "I was awake the whole time I just wasn't exactly in control." He paused. "That doesn't normally happen, my power has only ever been very weak."
"I see." Cindy said, as she wrote a few things. "I hate to drop the ball on you this soon, but we suspect that there was foul play here...." She started off. "We found a dart injected into your neck, there were traces of the Metahuman energy inside, but we're attempting to probe into this further."
"Oh." Kei didn't seem anywhere near as bothered, or shocked, by that as he should have. It was a surprise but his way of dealing with this, and the situation, was an odd lack of emotion visibly. However calm he seemed (he wasn't, it was more apathy) he still found the thought of the dart off putting. Why had it been him anyway? "When I lost control before I only made things a bit colder, and froze a bit of water. Something like that happening makes sense to me." He hesitated. "If you're going to ask, I don't know anyone who would want to do that to me."
"We don't know who could have been behind it either... Which is why we're going to look into the matter to the best of our abilities." Cindy nodded her head, and was amazed that Kei could be this calm. "But, we have to discuss what we're going to do with you in the meantime..." She handed the clipboard over to Kei, and on it was basically permission to run a few tests on him. "Our docs want to run a few tests on you, and see what they can find was put into you."
Kei looked down at the clipboard that he had been handed, skim reading the first page. It didn't seem all that bad - and to be honest this kind of thing didn't bother him. He was also curious to know what had been put into him. "Okay, so do you need me to sign this?" His sister was so going to kill him after this - but he was an adult now, so she could hardly claim it was her job to sign these kinds of things.
"If you want to undergo testing, yes." Cindy leaned forward, and pointed at a few areas on the paper. "Just sign here."
Kei nodded, pausing with a pen above the first area as he tried to remember how he signed documents. When he did he signed each of the areas and handed the clipboard back over to Cindy. "That's it all signed."
"Good." Cindy stated. "We'll try to get the tests done as quickly as possible - but there's more we have to discuss."
At this moment, Meifeng stepped back into the room holding a paper cup full of water. She stepped over, and handed it to Kei. She pointed two fingers at him, and playfully said, "Don't go freezing anyone with that, okay?" She laughed.
Cindy sighed.
"... As I was sayin'." Her more African-American accent began to shine through. "We also have to discuss your... protection." Cindy sighed. "As a DOVE, you were seen losing control of your abilities, and you may be the victim of... Anti-Metahuman crimes."
Cindy started off.
"We possibly have to put you on a protection program for the time being - which means you'll be in Headquarters for a little bit while we try to sort this out."
Kei thankfully took the water from Meifeng, sipping it as he listened to what Cindy said. A frown formed on his face and he looked a bit more worried than he had before. He'd never particularly taken notice of the tension between non-metahumans and metahumans but it seemed that it was quite a thing to worry about. "If being in protection program is what's best I'll do that. I live with my sister and niece... They're metahumans too and I don't want them affected by this." Especially Thanh. The last thing he wanted was for her to become a victim too. "Is that likely to be neccesary?"
"Yes." Cindy regretfully said. "The tension between man and Metahuman are reaching a boiling point." She sighed. "You may very well be a target."
"Well if it's neccesary for me to stay safe," Kei shrugged. It wasn't ideal, he like his room at home, but he would deal with it. "My sister will probably be unhappy about it, but she'll have to deal with it. How long would it be for?"
"A few months." Cindy answered. "Possibly longer."
Kei nodded, though there was a slight sigh along with that. He'd hopefully be able to get some of his stuff from home... And if there was a bed he could sleep in it for most of the day. A few months would be fine.
"Well, look on the brightside, Kei," Meifeng chimed in as she leaned up against the wall. "You ge to hang out with the cool RAVENS for awhile." She started laughing.
"Assuming that any of the RAVENs actually are cool I guess that could be a brightside to this, yes," Kei responded neutrally.
Written in collaboration with @FernStone. RAVEN/DOVE West Coast Joint Headquarters, White Coast.
It was a little while since the whole debacle at the Havenfield Market, and Wendy was fortunate enough to receive medical attention for her injuries she received. A little bit of frostbite on her toes, and legs. Thank God she used her little fire powers to get out of it. Speaking of which, the nice DOVE didn't mention that to the other RAVENS. So hurrah for anonymity!
Wendy herself was in the medical ward in the Headquarters. There was a nice nurse tending to her frostbite. She didn't appreciate wearing a hospital gown... but, the nurse was gently putting Wendy's feet in a bucket of warm water. Which was reheating her skin. Though, it didn't really bother Wendy since she was using her fire abilities, but it was so relieving.
After the hot water bath, the nurse was wrapping up the infected areas. Wendy let out a sigh as she realized that she was just going to unwrap these wounds, and regenerate using paper. Either way, she wasn't rude enough to interrupt her like this, so she let the nurse finish. By the time the nurse finished, Wendy was about to hop off, but the nurse stopped her, and said,
"Try not to walk on the frostbitten areas." The nurse ordered. "It'll make it worse."
"Uh, yeah." Wendy pretty much ignored that advice, as she stood straight up. It was hard as hell to walk on her feet, but she would manage. She probably needs to sneak into the office area, and swipe some paper-
... What was that? Wendy saw smoke coming from her foot, and then her eyes shot wide open. The bandages around her foot were on fire. The nurse started panicking as Wendy desperately tried to put the fire out.
"Fire!" The nurse shouted.
"Wait, wait-" Wendy tried to plead.
Of course, the sprinklers were helpful enough to put out the fire.
Wendy could just feel herself dying inside as the sprinklers soaked her. She could just feel her gown clinging to her, and her already unkempt head of hair being drenched.
... Today is going to suck even harder.
It was a few minutes later, and Wendy managed to dry herself off, and get back into her summer dress. Her bandages had to be replaced, but she was fully dressed... and inside of a RAVEN interrogation cell, sitting on a chair. Twiddling her thumbs, as she anxiously waited for what punishments she's about to receive. Wendy sighed as she reached over to her satchel.
Max looked down at the paper of information, attached to a clipboard, that she had been given as she walked towards and into the RAVEN interrogation cell she had been directed to. Well this was certainly going be an interesting experience for her. She looked up from the clipboard as she entered and at the girl sitting on a chair in it.
"I'm afraid Cindy is busy, so I'm filling in for her." As Max spoke she tried to assess Wendy, though didn't get much from it. Max wasn't exactly great with people. "I'm Maxine, a RAVEN agent." She paused to sit in one of the other chairs in the cell. "You know why you're here, yeah?" What a great way to put it. She really wasn't cut out for these kind of things. "Hiding your full power is quite a serious matter."
A RAVEN... a rather gruff looking one at that. Wendy herself didn't have too many great experiences with RAVENS. She honestly thought that she would get a tongue lashing from a DOVE, or something. Wendy merely sighed as she thought of ways to get out of this.
"I wasn't hiding anything... I had no idea that I could even do that." Wendy pleaded, hoping that she could lie her way out of this. "I swore... for the longest time, I thought I could just manipulate paper."
"Uh huh," Max's disbelieving expression made it quite clear that she didn't entirely believe Wendy. She herself was quite good at lying... which always helped in telling when other people did. "If what you say is true then how did you only first manipulate fire now?" After all that would suggest, at least to Max, that she had only just copied it (assuming she was a replicator).
"I... Have you ever heard of Metahumans losing control of their power because they weren't good at it?" Wendy asked, she heard the story a few times on the Metahuman message boards she goes on. "I might have accidentally copied it from someone while I was trying to get away from Havenfield... I don't know, that was crazy."
Well, that was a plausible explanation, Max guessed. "You are saying this is only the first- no, second time you have copied a power? If that is the case then have you managed to avoid contact with any other metahumans through sheer luck or extreme paranoia? It seems unlikely that you, a student at one of the Academies, have never accidentally replicated another power before."
"I think..." Wendy thought about it for a moment. "I think I can only copy powers under specific circumstances? And... I was never really one to, you know, hang around other students." She scratched the back of her neck. "If you asked Cindy, I'm more interested in my books than people."
Max held back a sigh, noting down some of the things Wendy had said (she'd entirely forgotten she was supposed to take notes). "While I still don't entirely believe you, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. You'll want to be more careful in the future to avoid replicating random powers - and to prevent losing control of any new power like what happened earlier."
Wendy sighed. "... Yes, I know." She was glad that she managed to lie her ass off to this agent. Thank God she was a quick thinker, and possessed knowledge about Metahumans. "I just need to figure out how to switch back to my paper powers, and I need to test something..." She trailed off. "Hey... can I have some paper? Like some printer paper."
"Sure," Max responded, removing one of the blank sheets of paper from the clipboard she had and handing it over to Wendy. That should work well enough. She was, herself, curious to see this. Because if this did let Wendy switch back to her paper powers it was just a little suspicious to Max considering it had taken her weeks to figure out how to properly switch. "I'm assuming that will work?"
Taking in a deep breath, Wendy touched the paper. She had to make this look convincing. She subtly switched to her paper manipulation upon touching the paper, and her fingers began to look white like paper. Before it became flesh again. Which was a sign that she switched powers. Concentrating, Wendy channeled her meta human energy through the paper, and made it fly inside of her hand. Her hand literally turned into paper as the paper went into her hand.
Entering a deeper level of concentration, Wendy blocked out all sound and activity as the frostbitten parts of her body turned into paper, and they were replaced with the fresh paper. When she was done, Wendy let out a sigh of relief as she turned back into flesh. Good as new.
"Thank you." Wendy said with a nod of her head. "Now... I guess my information's going to be updated?" She asked. "I... have to figure out this new ability."
An idea popped up into her head as she looked at Maxine. "I want to test something... can I try to copy your power...? If you have one, that is. I want to see how this works." She asked. This was in pursuit of gaining a new ability to learn, and trying to convince them that she has no idea of how this works.
Max watched, slightly impressed, as Wendy switched back to her paper powers and turned certain body parts into paper. Either Wendy was very luck to have found out the way to switch, or she was lying. Max didn't comment on it - but she wrote it down. "Your information will be updated, yes. I believe you will have to inform us of any powers you replicate, also."
At Wendy's second question Max tried to keep an entirely straight face. "While I don't have an issue with you trying to copy my power I would be very suprised if you managed to." She smiled slightly. "You see, I've never heard of a replicator who could copy another replicators power."
Raising an eyebrow, Wendy was caught by surprise a bit. "Oh? So you're-" Wendy cut herself off when she realized she was being redundant. "Ah, okay. I guess I'll need to find another Metahuman... possibly my room mate at the Academy...." She trailed off.
Max frowned at Wendy, folding her arms as she did so. "While I'm sure discovering you can copy powers is exciting I wouldn't advise testing it on anyone. It can be dangerous. What kind of power does you room mate have?"
"Uh... she has this fire power." Wendy stated. "She can get really hot, and shoot this plasma."
"That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen if you copy that," Max shook her head slightly. "Now, I can't stop you doing it, but my advice as one replicator to another - learn how to control the powers you have first."
"Right." Wendy stated... Before she realized that Maxine could know what she's talking about. Even though she's a quick learner, and an expert with her paper powers, she hasn't practiced with any power other than her paper power. Even though she knows the mechanics of her replication. "Actually, yeah, I think I'll do that."
She nodded her head.
"Is there anything else?" Wendy said.
"Good." Max looked down at the clipboard she had, in case it told her something else she was supposed to do. Her instructions hadbeen somewhat vague. "And no, I don't think there is. Cindy will probably want to talk to you about this at some later point, when she is free, but for now I believe that is all."
"Thank you." Wendy let out a sigh of relief as she got up. Thank God she managed to talk her way out of that one... only problem is that now her secret's been exposed to the world. The one thing she didn't want anyone to know. Her mood changed to a more sour one. She knew of what other Metahumans thought of power replicators, and they weren't positive. Especially with the likes of the Pure running around.
Max inclined her head towards Wendy, also standing up. She'd made sure Cindy got the information Wendy had given her - but she would probably hold back on telling the DOVE agents about the suspicions she still had about whether Wendy was telling the truth. The young replicator probably had enough to deal with as it was. "Take care, and try to be careful the next time you copy someones power."
"Yeah, you two." Wendy answered as she walked out the room.
Reyna Baker, Arianna, Meifeng Zhao, and Cindy Keagan
RAVEN/DOVE West Coast Joint Headquarters, White Coast
In the present...
"You know... now that we're in spitting distance, I actually feel a little nervous." Reyna uncomfortably laughed, then winced as it upset the sore bruises on her knuckles and one of her elbows. Already they were swollen and difficult to move. The past day was stress-ridden and eventful, and this morning's antics didn't help the process of putting this chapter behind her, instead only adding to the already building tension. She watched through the window the scolling of the coast as their van whizzed down the road. The cloud cover from the night previous has passed. The day was... deceptively bright. Arianna was driving. Archie had gone off, not wanting to risk a run-in with RAVENs to keep those in the Microcosm safe. The tension only seemed to build with every mile they closed in on the regulation offices.
"Oh, you just wait until you're actually in spitting distance." Arianna said, not taking her eyes off the road. "My first rodeo had my heart beating out of my chest. Figuratively, of course."
Figuratively, because Arianna did not have a heart. Or brain. Or organs in general.
"At least there's one agent that comes to mind, who I know won't be the one trying to ruin my life today." Reyna grumbled.
"I mean I can totally be him too if you want."
"I would punch him again; even inside the station. Honestly." Reyna admitted.
"That's surprisingly a turn on." Arianna commented offhandedly, holding back a laugh which only resulted in a very unfeminine snort. Arianna made no effort to apologize for it though. She wasn't acting right now anyway. Reyna was unable to cross her arms out of defiance as she usually did, instead, could only help herself to making a pouty face and look away to where she squished her face against the passenger window. However, that did little to hide the red blush that started covering her cheeks. Any effort to talk back was usually met with stuttering, and so Reyna learned to give whomever the cold shoulder.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Arianna said in a way that didn't sound very sincere at all, "are you still feeling embarassed about what happened this morning?"
"That. Never. Happened." Reyna told her. Arianna brushed it off with a playful giggle.
"I already know what you look like, love!" Ari pressed. "Right from the moment I touched ya!"
Reyna sunk into her seat even more.
"Nice piercings, by the--"
"God, please, don't!"
"Wooah, woah, nelly. Alright, okay. Sheesh." Arianna scratched a little spot that was right next to her nose as Reyna sat where she was fuming. "I just don't get the whole modesty thing people have."
"Apparently that's not the only thing you get." Reyna griped.
"Tell me about it!" Arianna agreed. She took glances between the road and at Reyna, before asking her a question that's been on her mind for a while. "So tell me, love. What's the whole quarrel with RAVEN agents anywho?"
Reyna briefly blushed again at the sound of word and scratched the top of her head as she scrambled looking for words. "Uh, I uh, well... no good history."
"Obviously! Why is that?"
Reyna sighed. "I have a cousin who lived down in Mendel that got caught in some conflict between the local gangs there and... I think they were RAVENs. NEST might already have fallen by then, but I don't remember. But if you ask me, they're pretty much the same thing in different clothes. Mia lost one of her eyes."
Arianna didn't say anything, instead choosing to visualize the scene herself.
"And my little sister, the one we talked about... Merry. She got her fair share of harassment, too. I know for a fact that they were RAVENs. She came home crying one day, she was afraid they were going to hurt her..."
The sound of contempt in Reyna's voice grew as she went on.
"Dont kick mama's pups?" Arianna commented. Reyna responded with a dry look and Arianna went back to staring at the road. She continued, "Okay, less depressing topic! I've been trying to get a read on your power, but I just can't seem to..."
"I don't know either." Reyna answered quickly, apparently as eager to get off the topic. "I just know that I'm not much stronger or faster than anyone else unless I keep fighting, and then it just keeps going. I don't ever seem to get tired. In fact, I usually end up with more energy than I had before, and..."
Reyna just shrugged. "I get hotter as I go. I mean, literally hotter. I've burned family by accident, just by touching them; and God, don't I sweat like a fucking pig when I do. It's a little gross."
Arianna nodded as the Joint headquarters came around the corner. The plan was to drop Reyna off and hightail it out of here until next time. Part of her was sad to see her go. Even with all temprament and attempts on her life, she's grown on her. She couldn't quite put a finger on it, but... if Ari had to pick one thing that stood out to her, it had to be the girl's heart. She had faith that Reyna would be able to get through RAVEN's questioning without a hitch.
"Well, love, this is your stop." Arianna said as she slowed down to a stop. Reyna threw her head back and groaned.
"Could you... please not say that?" The redhead pleaded.
"That's not what you said when you were drunk."
"Alright, I'm gone."
"You have nice underwear!" Ari teased even further.
"Go away!"
"Bye! Text me!" Ari yelled as Reyna shut the door. As the van started rolling away, Reyna stared at the back of it as a slight smile sneaked up on her face.
"Bye."
Reyna turned around and gave the RAVEN/DOVE headquarters a nice, long look before sighing heavily as she began her approach. Her heart was racing, felt as though it was jumping up into her throat. Energy was surging through her, but she tried her best to contain it and keep the pace she had, resulting in a strange, restless looking stroll toward the building. Even the adrenaline pumping through her, however, couldn't numb the pain she was feeling in her hands and in her elbow. They still felt as though they were on fire.
"Uuuuuugh," Meifeng groaned as she sat before a mountain of paper work. Why the hell does she have to write a fucking essay every time she so much as breathes? Shoot a guy with a taser dart! She has to explain what the hell happened in written form. Meifeng grumbled as she filled out everything with a pen as quickly as she could. Right now, she just wanted to get off her ass, and go get some real work done.
"... Meifeng!" Cindy said as she opened up the door, and faced her. "We found our mystery brawler from the ceremony."
"Shit," Meifeng started off, honestly surprised. "That fast? I thought she'd skip town."
"... She walked up to the building." Cindy answered dryly.
"Eh, same thing - we found her!" Meifeng said, she got up from her chair. She was just happy that she can get off her ass and do something actually productive. "Let's make sure that she doesn't get away this time - you DOVES have a horrible track record when it comes to this kind of stuff." Meifeng playfully poked.
"... It was RAVEN who lost he- Know what? Just go out there and arrest her, throw water at her, something." Cindy pointed out the door.
"Yeah, yeah, so you can do your DOVE thing." Meifeng quickly stepped around Cindy, and then went out the room. She ran fast as she could through the halls of the Headquarters, up until she made it to the main lobby.
All while Cindy casually walked there.
Reyna's mind was racing as her pace finally brought her to the front door. There was a brief moment of hesitation before she pushed open the door with her shoulder and found herself in the lobby - along with two other agents. Both of them Reyna recognized. The scarred up Asian girl that broke up the fight with the water, and the other... well, she only saw her face near the scene. Reyna met their gaze with a sliver of disdain, and was cradeling her arm. She didn't know what exactly she should be saying at this moment. After all, a typical greeting didn't really fit, and everyone here knew what she had done. Perhaps there was no need for it. At a loss of what to do, she only stood there and gave them a curt nod.
"Hey." Meifeng casually greeted her - which made Cindy facepalm. She put her hands on her hips, before she asked, "Here to turn yourself in?"
"What? No." Reyna sighed, containing her aggravation. There was a brief pause as she seemed to be trying to figure out what to say next. "Look, I'll own up to kicking his ass, but I'm not gonna be pushed around by you guys."
"That sounds like you-" Meifeng was about to continue playing around, until Cindy interrupted her.
"Alright, ma'am, you're going have to put this on." Cindy said, as she reached to her belt, and pulled out a power suppressant collar. It was standard procedure for an arrest. Reyna looked at her bruised and swollen hands, then rolled her eyes and stood there stiffly in waiting for Cindy to apply the collar. As soon as she did, she stole a glance at Cindy, and looked back at Meifeng.
"Okay, come with me." Cindy nodded as she lead the girl, and Meifeng (who was taking point, just in case Reyna tried something) through the halls of the Headquarters, and ultimately lead her to the interrogation room. It was a stone, concrete, room with a big mirror on one side of the room. Reyna was instructed to sit down on one chair, while Cindy took a step on the opposite side. Meifeng herself leaned up against the wall with her arms crossed.
"Hello," Cindy greeted her. "Let's get the formal introductions out the way; I am Agent Cindy Keagan, Agent of DOVE."
Meifeng politefully waved at Reyna. "And I'm Meifeng Zhao."
Reyna raised an eyebrow. The Hero of Prague?
"Now, do you understand the charges that are being leveled at you?" Cindy asked.
"One of your boys came at me and I defended myself." Reyna replied. She shrugged and gave them a "hell if I know" look and continued, "If I had to take a guess, it would be resisting a rapist or something. I didn't know the bar was set so low."
"Assaulting a government official, evading arrest, avoiding registration, trespassing...." Cindy counted the offenses. "I asked plenty of people at that event of what happened, and they said that you got into an argument with the RAVEN in question before fists started flying."
Cindy folded her hands on the table.
"Wait, evading arrest?" Reyna repeated. She didn't understand. Didn't Arianna say that she was supposed to be taking care of what happened afterword? "I didn't evade shit! I didn't know what was going to happen, just that I was supposed to be coming straight here."
Both Cindy and Meifeng looked confused for a moment.
"... You disappeared into thin air right as we brought you in. Then you decided to turn yourself in anyway." Cindy explained. "I think that counts as evading arrest." She said, nearly sarcastically.
Meifeng thought about it for a moment. "Hey, wait, something doesn't seem right..." She muttered under her breath.
"Where do you get these people..." Reyna grumbled to herself as she shook her head. She looked back at Cindy, so far unimpressed with what she has seen. "Look, you RAVEN-DOVE bird brains were played for fools by this goopy shape changing chick named Arianna. She felt bad about using me for some scheme of hers and tried to break me out as a way to return the favor or something."
Meifeng raised a finger in the air, almost like validation of her gut feeling.
"Okay... I don't know what is going on here...." Cind started off. "But, tell us everything that happened."
Reyna was just about to spill the beans on everything, until she remember the one favor she was asked. The Micro-whatever, the thing that the Archie dude had inside his face or something. Apparently a lot of innocent people lived there. Or troubled people. Whatever it was, Reyna sort of understood. Tearing him down would take all those people with him. She hesitated for a second. She couldn't lie, though. If there was one thing she was terrible at...
"Look," Reyna said, sounding very short tempered, "that girl fed your boy some very wrong information, he barked up the wrong tree, said some really rapey shit, and then your boy started a fight that never should have happened. He got his ass kicked, I was hand-cuffed, Arianna broke me out, I wanted to handle the arrest like a big girl, and she ended up abducting me."
She leaned back into her chair.
"So I've had a pretty fucked up day yesterday. We ended up parked in front of a bar, I drank a lot. I don't remember some bits after that, but I guess I convinced her to bring me back."
Now a lot of things started to make sense to both of the agents. They still thought this girl to be an idiot for fighting back, but it sounds like a bigger problem took advantage of that to string her along for some scheme. Neither of them could honestly punish her severely for that, but....
"I don't think it'd be all that fair to punish ya' for everything that happened," Meifeng said as she walked over to the table. "Say, Cindy... I recall looking at some of the files of some of our old villain friends, and I saw that some of them had some legitimate grivances against NEST."
Cindy automatically realized where Meifeng was going with this. She was referring to the Changelings.
"Isn't DOVE's objective to make sure that doesn't happen, and no one else turns out like them?" Meifeng asked, subtly winking at Reyna, who, not part of the circle or a hundred percent in the know of how or why DOVE was initially conceived, only looked at her strangely. Reyna was just holding her tongue and hoped they wouldn't decide on a prison sentence just yet. That would look too much like RAVEN setting her up.
A sigh escaped the older woman's lips. Cindy realized. "You have a point - I don't want to really arrest you, Ms. Baker," Cindy started off. "But, we aren't going to let you off just yet... we still need this shapeshifter you speak of, because we suspect her of a few things that went missing at that party."
Reyna groaned as she threw her head back. Okay, fine, whatever. "Can you at least tell me what's going to happen to mister Dicky Styles?"
That was his name, right?
Meifeng laughed, prompting a look from Reyna.
"... He's been suspended for a while." Cindy stated. "Without pay. Orders came straight from Maximilian."
"That's it?" Reyna asked. "Hotshot with combat training - shit, a literal hothot, can shoot fire from his ass, he goes around harassing people and starting fights and all you can do is take away his allowance?"
"Well," Meifeng stated off. "I plan on kicking his ass some more later." She playfully said.
Cindy rolled her eyes up into her head. Reyna had a point - but Cindy didn't care to argue it. "While I do think his punishment should be more... severe, this is technically his first offense."
"First?" Meifeng questioned. "Well... I know you can get suspended for being a massive douchebag."
"You're a cop." Reyna dryly said. "You know the drill. Catch someone doing something wrong, it's not the first time they did it."
Reyna sat up again. "I quote, 'you girls always change your mind, you don't know what you're missing.' I wonder what he thinks of you two."
Cindy was silent for a moment.
"... We'll look into that." Cindy looked up at Meifeng. "Either way, what happens to Agent Eddy Styles is no longer your concern. He won't he bothering you any further." Cindy sternly said, since there was one more thing that she had to discuss.
"Now, there is one last thing we have to go over, it's my business as a DOVE." Cindy nodded her head. She knew that Reyna was not going to like this.
"Hopefuly medical care?" Reyna pressed as the corner of her mouth turned to smile. Mostly it was fake, and was hoping they'd catch the memo.
"If you need some ice..." Meifeng trailed off as she drew some water out of her pocket dimension, and created a block of ice.
"I punched a guy wearing chainmail and won, love." Reyna said sarcastically, imitating Arianna's accent at the word love. "I'm sure I have fractures."
"Hey, I punched worse, and just put a little ice on i-" Meifeng was cut off.
"We'll get you medical attention, but you're currently unregistered in the DOVE databanks." Cindy sighed as she sternly said. "I know you probably won't like this, but we have to put your DNA in the grand registry - but, you also get access to the many perks of the DOVE organization. We'll help you."
Reyna sighed. One of the last things she wanted was to be put on a list like she was living in World War II Germany, but she knew this was going to happen the minute she knocked Styles down. It just felt different now that she was finally facing it. There was a brief pause of silence on her end as she mulled everything over.
"Well..." Reyna began, mumbling. She still didn't like this. "Let's get it over with. S'pose I could at least understand whatever weird ass power this is."
"Well, look at the bright side." Cindy said. "DOVE is not like NEST in the past - it's a socialized program that will do all in it's power to make sure that you're fine."
"Look on the bright side," Reyna imitated, obviously not any more comforted by Cindy's reassurement, "we're not as bad as we used to be... that's some selling point."
"But, can-" Cindy, for once, was cut off.
"Yeah, let's just stop the chit-chat, and get this over with." Meifeng realized that there wasn't really anything they could say to reassure her. However, they can certainly show her otherwise.
"Uh, yeah, would you come with me?" Cindy asked Reyna as she got up off the chair, and walked over to the door. Reyna did as she was asked, grateful that the Asian RAVEN chick was as eager to move things along as she was. What was her name again? Meifeng?
Meifeng waited for them to walk by, and let out a sigh as she walked out the door after them.
'Sometimes I wonder if I'm on the right side here...'
Most of the day had come and gone. Arianna and Reyna had left to handle their business with RAVEN.
Archie was situated in the concrete atrium, seated beside one of the surrounding pillars. One pillar over, Jiver had set up his drum set, providing a soft, pleasant rhythm for people as they passed through the junction. Though not everyone passing through was in all too pleasant a mood - word of the riot in Baybridge had come around. Most passed it off as not their problem, others stayed worried regardless.
Archie was watching a video report of the issue on his phone. He didn't even hear the sound of a wheelchair rolling up next to him.
"Shouldn't you be checking up on the bag?" Came the same female voice from yesterday. Archie turned his attention towards the Secretary. He switched the phone over to his texting application and began typing - he never used the TTS around her, she once commented that she found it annoying. Maybe it was a joke but, now he only texted or gestured to her purely out of habit.
I'll handle it in a bit.
The Secretary looked down at the message on her tablet, and then back at Archie. "I can feel that hypocrite in you coming out." She said, "Hiding in the Microcosm while you still try and get everyone else to leave."
Archie didn't respond. She was just right on the money.
"I get it." She continued, "The riot's working against you. You wanna relieve yourself of the responsibility of keeping hundreds of people safe, but every time you feel like you found a place that looks perfect for meta-humans, something comes up."
Still right.
She sighed, and continued speaking. "Archie, I promised you I'd be one of the last people out of here. That I'd help you get all the rest out and on their feet. But you have to stop packing up and hopping a bus for the next city over the moment you see someone toting a sign that says "fuck all metas". You are deliberately holding back your own agenda, and you are running out of places to go."
Still no response from Archie.
"A lot of the people around here have families on the outside. A lot of them are adults who can handle themselves just fine. The rest? The rest have to just figure it out, and you don't have to babysit them anymore. You have to man up, play the landlord, and tell them to file out."
Still quiet. Jiver had stopped playing his drums, turning his head over to listen to the conversation.
"DOVE and RAVEN are meant for this sort of thing. They're not gonna lock everyone up in a maximum security prison because they missed their checkups - stern talking-to's, slaps on the wrist, that's it. And if you're worried about the Allegiance or, the Pure, don't be. They're just assholes who stir things up because they feel like they have to. You brought these people together, and they've learned how to deal with all this kind of shit. They will not resent you for anything."
A moment of silence followed.
"No one's gonna call you a bad guy for making people do their own things, Archie. But this system? The Microcosm? It's gotta end. Soon. Before something happens and you can't stop it."
She waited for a response this time, but none came. She sighed once more, and motioned for her glass assistant to wheel her out. "You wanna really get started, let me know." She called to him, as she was moved away.
When are you gonna tell me your name? It's been six years.
She looked down at her tablet as the message came up, motioning for her assistant to stop.
I'm tired of calling you Secretary.
She paused for a moment, turned her head, and replied, "Bye, Archie." And with that, she was rolled out to the Obsidian Plaza, leaving Archie - and in company, Jiver - on their lonesome. Archie nodded his head a bit before standing up and making his way towards the Microcosm's exit. She was right - he had to check on the bag.
Jiver began playing his drums again as he made his way out.
Mission Control Center, DOVE/RAVEN Joint Headquarters_
Situated near the topmost floor in the RAVEN HQ was the mission control center, one the most important departments in the entire building and to all the agents: the main contact point between the field agents out there and those still on standby in the headquarters.
It was also where the legendary Dana Alcott (callsign "Grue") had worked to assist Task Force RAVEN, the predecessor of the current DOVE/RAVEN to replace the infamous NEST as the new Metahuman law enforcement organization in America. Grue had been promoted since then, and was now pretty much the right-hand person to the Chairman Maximilian Cornell; the then-trainee Holly also became a full-fledged mission controller.
Shizuka ignored the odd looks that some of the passing agents were giving him as he walked towards the control center - instead of wearing standard office wear like most of the agents in the building, he was in a black hoodie and jeans with sneakers. The kind of clothes he most preferred but frowned upon by the rest, especially in such a working environment. Whatever. At least he had the lanyard with his ID pass to show that he's indeed a RAVEN agent.
He raised his ID to the smart card reader, then he pushed the door to the center open. He was immediately bombarded with chaotic chatters and beeps from the working controllers in the room, all too busy to even register anyone who had come in.
Except for the person he was looking for.
Of course Holly knew that he was coming - well, nothing could escape from the eyes and ears of her green friends, stationed everywhere throughout the whole HQ building. Clad in her usual long-sleeved white blouse and dark office pants with black flats, she stood up from her seat and walked towards Shizuka with a smile on her face.
"Come with me - we can discuss in the pantry," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder (her other hand was holding a file of sorts). Shizuka allowed himself to be led by her to the back of the center into a small room: plainly furnished with a fixed kitchen station on the left - with a sink, a microwave and a kettle on the counter - and a round table for three on the right of the room.
Holly placed the file on the table, gesturing to Shizuka to have a seat. "I have run through the database for the hypothermic woman you rescued from the berserk incident yesterday," she began, sitting down across Shizuka. "Her name is Lee Catherine, 39 years old, lives in Little Seapond; works as a waitress at a Chinese restaurant in Rosemaple Lake, but also helps her friend at Havenfield Market sometimes." She paused, slightly raising her eyebrow. "Her registered power is Water Physiology."
Shizuka picked up the file and skimmed through the papers inside, then set in down on the table and folded his arms before him, reclining back into his chair. "...Are you able to find anything suspicious about her?"
"No." Holly shook her head, leaning forward and resting her arms on the table. "She has a completely clean record, nothing out of the ordinary." She tilted her head a little, regarding the younger man curiously. "Is there something wrong?"
"...Not really," Shizuka finally said, running a hand through his hair. Was he jumping to conclusions too fast? Maybe all the recent events had made him rather edgy about every little thing...
"Are you alright?" Holly asked, her brows furrowed into a worried frown. "You look... pale."
Ignoring the strange uneasy feeling he had somewhere deep inside him, he waved her concern off and stood up. "Sorry for the trouble, Holly. Guess my gut feeling can be wrong at times. Thanks, though."
Without another word he left the room, still deep in his own thought.
Written in collaboration with @Mr Allen J. Starry Skies Club
That night
‘Starry Skies’ is one of the premier clubs in Baybridge, the bottom two floors of the building were all dedicated to the club. The ground floor was an enormous dance floor, dark now, but at night faintly lit by strobing lights and populated by dancing bodies. The floor above is a balcony overlooking the dancefloor, lined with comfortable chairs and tables, albeit with a much smaller bar to cater to the smaller crowds that made their way up there.
Above the club itself however, lies the true business, hiding behind the legitimate front. The third floor, once you have passed a reception desk and bulky, silent guards, opens up onto the business the White Spider Society is well known for. This floor is divided into a number of lounges, frequently populated by clients, each accompanied by one or more men or women, depending on their own personal tastes. The Society caters to any and all tastes, without questions or judgement, as long as you are willing to pay.
In several of the rooms are podiums, walkways, and steel poles that rise from the floor to the ceiling. It would take a very naïve visitor to miss the purpose of this level. If the furnishings were not enough to give it away then the girls, and boys wandering around would surely illuminate them. Some are dressed more tastefully, in expensive dresses that leave little to the imagination, while others are far more scantily clad.
It is easy to trace the more expensive girls and boys, the clothes they are wearing are without exception designer, and frequently conceal more of their form, while revealing just enough to irresistibly tantalise the lust in any human’s mind. The young men wear suits by Hugo Boss and Vivienne Westwood, the young women in everything from Holt to Dolce & Gabbana.
There are a few clients already there, despite the earliness of the hour, a number of men and even a woman or two. They are each accompanied by one of the Society’s employees, if not more, and are enjoying a drink and some more relaxed physical intimacy before making their way upstairs to the rooms provided.
In one of these rooms sits a young girl before a mirror, no more than twenty years old. It is a comfortably large room, or two rooms actually, albeit separated only by a wide archway. It is one of the larger rooms that the employees are actually permitted to stay in. Every employee was expected to take clients in their room of course, though there were larger and more luxuriant suites available for high-roller clients. The girl before the mirror often found herself in one of the more expensive suites, though rarely sleeping much in those broad beds.
Her room is a benefit of her popularity, the more you work and earn for the Society, the better you are treated. Your clothes are more expensive and fragrances more exotic, and though you are still expected to most often entertain clients in your own room, you are assigned a larger and more comfortable one.
There are only a handful of courtesans in ‘Starry Skies’ who have earned an Executive suite. And the girl before the mirror was the youngest of all of them.
Seraphine was only just nineteen, but she had been working for the Society for the last two years, ever since they had discovered her taking advantage of her early development. Anyone looking at her would have been taken by her beauty, a look of still fragile innocence that had somehow survived two years serving the White Spider Society. She was only partly clothed, having not yet chosen a dress for the night. She added the finishing touches to her makeup, a careful task that only highlighted her delicate features. It had been one of the first things the Society had taught her, how to draw attention to her eyes and lips, to carefully accentuate her best features without excess.
She stared at herself for a moment, seeing someone she hardly recognised. She’d never thought this was where she’d end up when she ran away from home. She wasn’t really sure what she’d expected to be, but she certainly hadn’t expected a whore. No matter how high class she might be, no matter how much the Society might charge on her behalf, that is what she was when it came down to it. A prostitute.
It wasn’t a particularly unpleasant life, she lived well, almost luxuriantly in fact, and she was certainly in better shape than she had been before the Society had taken her in. They looked after their investments, and Seraphine was certainly a lucrative investment. She was young, she was beautiful, and on command she could become enough girls to satisfy even the most insatiable of nymphomaniacs.
She snapped out of her moment of contemplation, turning away from the dressing table towards the mirror fronted closet that lined one wall of the bedroom. There were a lot of mirrors in the rooms of ‘Starry Skies’. Selecting a dress carefully, she slid into it then added a pair of high heels and surveyed the final result. She nodded once to herself.
The door clicked closed on the spotless room, she would be returning here later with a guest, and it didn’t do to leave it messy.
Seraphine didn't like Auri Auclair, the chubby girl didn't seem to like her much either. Auri ran the club, so this wasn't an ideal arrangement. The girl was arrogant, conceited and spoiled rotten by the Society. Sophie Jones had never been given the chance to be arrogant, nor even to enjoy her wealth. Auri had everything that Seraphine wanted, and she simply took it for granted.
The escort resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she caught sight of her superior, surprised to find her to apparently be working. Nonetheless, she was expected to report to her before beginning tonight. Her client tonight was new to her, so she'd only been given a few instructions on how to dress before presenting herself to Auri for inspection. She had seethed inwardly at those words.
The door opened, and Auri Auclair stepped inside the room. The bouncer was so kind as to keep the scum out of the Starry Skies. The club that Auri herself managed. She had on a red scale dress, and was holding a matching red purse, and red heels. She casually stepped inside, as the first thing she caught sight of was her top escort; Seraphine Campbell - a prime member of the Society. A Metahuman who can clone herself is very useful to the Society... Especially for those with twin fetishes.
With a wide smile on her face, Auri said, "Bonjour, Miss Seraphine." She greeted her escort. "I believe that everything is in working order?"
Seraphine wasn't quite so adept at concealing her reaction as she would have hoped, though she managed to catch her jaw before it dropped. Even so, the surprise and shocked realisation was clear. Perhaps it should not have been such a shock, thinking back, her instructions had simply told her to meet Auri here. She'd assumed that tonight she was to be escorting a particularly important client, and she cursed her own arrogance silently.
This would not be the first time Seraphine had escorted a member of the Society, but she had not for a moment imagined that it would be Auri. It was not that it was a female, Seraphine did not care either way if they were male or female, it was that it was Auri...
Eventually her training kicked in, and the surprise on her face was subsumed by the composed elegance expected of her.
"Bonjour Mistress Auri," She nodded respectfully, "Am I to accompany you tonight?"
There was an almost indefinable hint of annoyance beneath the carefully subservient tone, Seraphine wasn't sure quite where to go with this situation, and she disliked that most of all.
"Yes, yes, madam. You will be accompanying me tonight." Auri stated in a thick French accent. "I also came by to make sure that the club is still in one piece... the Croquetaigne sisters demanded it, after all." Auri added as she did a quick glance around the area. "Nothing is on fire." She dryly noted.
The escort stifled her objection, knowing that it would likely only delight Auri further. The Croquetaigne sisters? Would they be here? Tonight, and would she be stuck next to Auri for the entire duration?
It seemed that would not entirely be the case she realised as she moved to Auri's side. She was grateful for the good fortune that had seen her select a dark, deep blue dress that actually set off rather nicely against Auri's outfit.
Auri began walking through the club. "Anyways, how are you, mon cheri? Good? We'll be heading to Starrybanks tonight."
Seraphine blinked, once again caught off guard, she hadn't expected her client to inquire as to her wellbeing. Usually it was only those clients who were new that asked how she was. Either that or those that were much sharper, and more watchful. Seraphine hadn't pegged Auri as either, and was hurriedly revising her expectations.
"I-I'm well, thank you Mistress Auri. Yourself?"
"Good, good, good." Auri answered, despite the fact that the aforementioned sisters were being a pain in her ass.
She wondered why they were leaving immediately, and before her mind could catch her mouth, announced that brief thought.
"Do you have business there?"
"Not precisely...." Auri stated in a thick French accent. "I was merely asked to check up on things... other than that, I'll be relaxing here for awhile."
Seraphine smiled, once more back in her comfort zone. She moved closer to the older woman, "I understand, do you need me to get you a drink?"
She slipped effortlessly into her role, apparently eager to please her client
"Yes, that'd be appreciated." Auri said as she found herself a chair in the club, and putting her purse off to the side. "Red wine, please."
Seraphine moved sinuously from Auri's side and towards the bar, knowing that any other client would right now have their eyes fixed on her swaying hips and backside. She rapped on the bar with clear familiarity, and one of the well-dressed men behind it responded with alacrity. She ordered wine for Auri, knowing better than to ask for something for herself without a hint. A bottle that cost more than the dress she was wearing was opened and poured into a large glass.
She returned with the alcohol, handing it to the woman in red before sitting opposite her. She was just far away enough for comfort, but close enough that intimacy would be easily achieved.
"You look lovely tonight, I'll admit I'm jealous of that dress, it is gorgeous..."
The compliment made Auri smile as she looked down at the fancy dress she was wearing. The best that White Arachne's fortune could buy. Auri herself grabbed the wine from Seraphine, and immediately took a sip. Ah. The best alcohol that Arachne's fortune could buy.
Seraphine smiled faintly, innocently, and yet somehow that innocent twitch of the lips oozed sexuality. "Ah you know you don't have to call me Ms. Campbell Mistress Auri..."
"It's... only polite." Auri returned the smile.
"Oh... I don't mind..."
She lounged carefully back on the chair, one leg crossed daintily over the other.
"It just seems so stuffy to be Ms. Campbell..."
"Ah... Then I guess I'll just call you Seraphine... just for today."
Auri acquiescing? Seraphine was now considerably puzzled. She couldn't see Auri going out of her way to be pleasant to her and although calling her Seraphine was only a small concession, it was just the sort of petty thing she thought Auri would have chosen to annoy her with. The fact that she didn't seem to be hating the night already was unnerving her, although she was beginning to relax a little more.
"And you? Do you want me to call you anything other than Mistress?"
This could be interesting, client's had asked for many things before. One had insisted on being referred to only as 'Goddess', another wanted to be called 'Little Boy', that had been an interesting night...
"Ummmm...." Auri said, with a fake, innocent tone as if she was a young schoolgirl. She leaned in close to Seraphine as she said, "... Just call me, Auri."
Seraphine had seen it coming before the punchline, not that it was particularly funny. She raised an eyebrow. She leaned in herself, whispering conspiratorially, "I can work with Auri."
She leaned back languously, "so when are we leaving, do we get to actually enjoy ourselves a bit first or do we need to behave while the sisters are here?"
"We'll be leaving around nighttime, but...." Auri trailed off. "They won't mind at all...."
Seraphine moved over, settling herself beside the French girl and tracing one hand delicately up her leg, there was nothing innocent about her maneuver. She leaned to Auri's ear and whispered...
Archie's arm emerged from the bag, and out came the rest of him following. He got up on his feet, taking a look at the fine, beige carpet flooring beneath them. Upon further observation, it looked as though he was in a hotel room. Two beds, sizable space, window overlooking the Prince Ed-Field district of Baybridge. Archie scanned the room, taking notice of a slip of paper on one of the beds, along with a key. He went over and picked the both of them up.
Archie,
Took the bag somewhere safe. Left to get Reyna to her meeting. You can use the room all you like.
We'll keep in touch!
- Arianna
Well alright then. Archie nodded, proceeding to locate his backpack and get everything in order to head out some more. The hotel room would be his base outside of his base. He'd have to thank Arianna for it next time they saw each other.
Once everything was packed up, he turned to the door, exited the room, and locked it up behind him with the key.
...
Starrybanks, White Coast
A brisk walk westward through town brought Archie back to where he'd first started out in Baybridge. Ari hadn't left the van - not that he would've used it, being a stolen vehicle and all. Hopefully DOVE and RAVEN weren't on any sort of trail leading to him, though something in his thoughts convinced him they had more important matters to tend to.
Was that a bad thing to think? He wasn't all too sure.
He had the idea to take a tour of things district by district. See if the riot had any immediate, unsavory effects. He got familiar with the boardwalk already, so he decided to try the more colorful piece of White Coast - Starrybanks. Lots of clubs and the like lining the pathways. More than a handful of them looked of rather ill repute. He thought it was kind of strange, beaches and brothels being in such relatively close proximity. There was an obscure "washing up" joke to be made there, but he refrained.
He was strolling along, keeping his belongings secure, when all of a sudden the right side of his head and upper torso was met with a lobbed, half-eaten hotdog. Archie reeled to his left a bit, raising his hand to wipe some ketchup, mustard, and relish off of his mask.
"Hey!" Came a male voice from a bit away, supposedly from the source of the edible projectile. Archie turned his head to see a group of men approaching him, the one in front pointing a wrathful finger. "You're one of them!" He shouted, as one of his companions grabbed a nearby trashcan to use its contents for ammunition.
Archie immediately turned and began running, as more assorted articles of garbage came his way. The anti-meta crowd seemed to pick up on his status as one of their "enemies", and acted accordingly.
Archie ran past a handful of other people before turning a corner left, and running further down a busier street. His clothes had gotten a little messier after a few lucky hits. Weaving through the passersby, Archie made a split-second decision to take shelter in any random establishment and hope it wouldn't escalate beyond that.
He made another turn and ran straight through a very decorative entrance into... wherever. He stopped the moment he went in, turning his vision back towards his pursuers - who, thankfully, had stopped. They all looked at the building Archie had taken shelter in, with looks of disgust, scorn, and worry on their faces. After a moment, they gave up, and took their leave. Archie didn't have much time to properly savor his relief, however.
"Those guys giving you trouble?"
Archie turned his attention towards the source of the inquiry - a woman standing behind a reception desk. Flawless skin, slim frame, short black hair, very striking green eyes, and an expensive-looking black dress. Archie hesitated for a moment before nodding in reply to her question. She folded her hands together and leaned forward on the desk, continuing to say, "Looks like they got some hits in."
She was right. Archie's mask, jacket, and some of his pants were a mess. He didn't want to wipe any of it off onto the establishment's very nice, opaque flooring. "Must still be pretty mad about the riot. No one here had any part in it but, that doesn't register with some people, apparently." The receptionist said, "You should probably go clean up. Maybe stay inside for a bit too. That getup of yours just screams meta."
Archie would have peered past the desk to see exactly what kind of place this was, but there were two heavily tinted glass doors in the way.
"Privacy, y'know." The woman commented, "Just go on in. Bathroom's marked." Archie nodded hesitantly in reply, and stepped towards the doors. The receptionist made one last comment before he went in - "And welcome to The Obelisk."
Archie passed the smiling woman one last glance before the door shut behind him.
The smokescreen of shimmering red gas and the clamor of voices all shouting to be heard was the perfect cover. The obscuring smoke and sea of people left no good vantage point for the Allegiance members to be seen. When several within the crowd began to unleash their powers with impunity, desperate to struggle against the effects of the power-suppressing gas, Cézanne and few of his crew used this opportunity to escape.
Having been near the edge of the crowd, the gas had yet to reach them. They each made a break for it. A spray of foam erupted from a thrown canister dropping one of them. The other discorporated into a cloud of ruddy green smoke and dispersed. Cézanne vanished in an arc of lightning.
By this point, Anna had circled around the rioting crowd, and taken up a position behind a few other RAVENs standing by with suppressor collars and dart guns. The first gas grenade to be thrown seemed misplaced. At first Anna thought, it was intentional, but seeing the look of confusion on her fellow agents´s faces, she grasped quickly someone in the enforcement squad had broken rank. However, when she traced the path of the grenade toss to its origin from the street, there was no one but parked cars--no agents. She quickly turned back to see the chaos unfold, and was awestruck as the following fusillade of foam and gas grenades reaching a frightening crescendo alongside the rising sound of screams, groans, and monstrous roars.
Presently, a streak of light far afield stole Anna's attention. Her eyes jerked to follow the trail, and as the soft rumble of thunder shook through her body, she caught glimpse of a man materialize several blocks away before disappearing into the shadowed alleyway.
Sonnuva bitch... Anna could see his face from here, but she knew that Cézanne had gotten away. Her eyes narrowed on the empty sidewalk where he disappeared. It felt like if she could burn a hole in that spot with her stare, it would make things better. It didn't. She fumed silently as a bitter taste rolled across her tongue along with the sterile scent of suppressant foam.
She was determined to catch this guy, even if it meant getting another verbal thrashing, or worse, from the NYC Director. This Cézanne bastard was dangerous not because he was a metahuman, but because he manipulated people, because intentionally incited a full-blown riot to serve his own ends. That she could not forgive.
The next day...
The stark contrast between the high-octane experience of yesterday and the mind-numbing doldrums of today left Anna half-dazed. All morning her imagination conjure new and exciting ways to avoid thinking about requisition forms and invetory reports. The events of yesterday still lingered in her mind: the way she felt when she heard the Allegiance speech, and how she hated herself for agreeing with them, even for a second; the impossibly intense aria sung by a girl no older than sixteen; the sound of gas exploding overhead and the screams that follow; but, most of all she remember the bright streak of light that melted into the darkness.
He, that... Allegiance bastard, had just walked away and vanished into the streets like nothing happened. She cursed him repeatedly under her breath.
During her normal daily inventory check, she had to rescan the tags in the evidence locker three times because, midway through the work, her thoughts would wander and she would forget where she left off. She still had requisition orders to prepare for the ongoing cases and if she wanted to leave on-time, she needed to get it together.
But then... an idea sprung into Anna's head. If I finish quickly, I can use the spare time to dig up more info on the Allegiance. I'm sure there's at least a record of their members' previous activities.
Old habits die hard.
With renewed vigor, she finished her work in record time and spent the remaining few hours of her work day, the few precious hours of time when her access to the RAVEN intelligence database wasn't restricted, researching the Allegiance and all known sightings and aliases of Cézanne.
After that disaster at Havenfield, the only thing that Wendy wanted to do was get her ass back to the Academy.
Fortunately, she was able to score a ride right to the Havenfield Market, and she managed to get her moped back. Fortunately, it was all in one piece, only with a bit of frost over it. Afterwards, she managed to ride the vehicle all the way back to the Academy. Which wasn't that far away from Havenfield, being in the same part of the city, after all. Wendy managed to roll up into her parking spot on the Academy, and got off her motorcycle... As she was walking, she just let the stress get to her. "Uuuuugh!" Wendy loudly exclaimed as she put her hands on her face, and threw her head back. Not only was she almost frozen alive, but now DOVE knows that she's a Replicator - a secret she's been holding for years now - and she only barely managed to talk her way out of it. This whole thing was annoying, but she was wondering what the hell happened back there. A Metahuman had to go out of control there, but DOVE is going to be tight-lipped about that one. She, honestly, couldn't blame them, but some things are so obvious that there's no point in trying to hide it - in fact, not disclosing information is a sure sign of what happened. A sigh escaped her lips. Things are never going to get better for Metahumans.
In either case, it was time for Wendy to retreat to her one solace: books. Wendy went straight for the Academy's library. She had already entered the Academy, and she already knew the layout of the place (well, relative to the library) that she could easily make her way there. And after opening one glass door, there it was; shelves, and shelves, of books. It had the look of a classical library, shelves that were high above her head that separated one area from another, plenty of comfy chairs, and tables where students were doing their homework. Wendy herself had already settled everything that she needed to, and merely resigned to finding a book she hadn't read yet, and getting to read it.
She wandered the library as she looked for that dream book.
Meanwhile, Haruka arrived at the Academy on his bicycle; he could have ridden on his twin's motorbike instead, but he felt that it was unnecessarily flashy. Besides, he wasn't in a great hurry - why would he be, especially since he was just going to the library? After leaving his bike at the bicycle parking area, he picked up the books from the front basket and turned to walk towards the library building.
Although he had graduated from the Academy couple of years ago, he still visited the place from time to time, mainly to use the library. It was good that the library was open to the general public, and the Academy wasn't too far from where he was staying. He felt that the book collections in the local bookstores were rather limited, or that some of the books were quite costly to buy.
After he dropped the books he was returning at the front counter and exchanging a few words with the librarian, he finally began what he came for today:
To dig for some Metahuman-related resources.
... ...
During Wendy's own search for a new book, she got up on her tip-toes, and looked at a specific book... Nothing to write home about; just a book about old cars. Nonetheless, a book was still a book, and it's something that she's willing to read. She used her paper manipulation to pull the book out of it's spot on the shelf, and right into her hand, and she then placed it underneath her arm as she began slowly looking for a place to go have a seat. As Wendy moved through the crowded library, there was a curious sight that made her forget about her book - if only for a moment. Wendy saw Haruka, the young man that helped her much earlier. She didn't get a chance to properly thank him, as she was shifted into the whole RAVEN system, but better late than never.... She shot her book a worried glance, but she can always read it later (unless the Academy got attacked, or the world ended).
Removing those anxious thoughts from her mind was easy.
"H-Hey!" Wendy called out to him as she walked over, her foot speed was comparable to a sprint. "Sorry for interrupting you... but, I came to personally say thanks."
Haruka heard a voice calling out to him; he peeled his eyes away from the shelf reluctantly and turned his head to the source of the voice. He raised his eyebrows at the sight of the teenage girl Reed saved that day at the market. "Uh, hi. You are welcome," he greeted her with a smile. "How are you - are you better from the frostbite now?"
"Y-yeah," Wendy said, rather triumphantly. "My power allows me to heal from such wounds if I have enough paper," she said to reassure him. "So, you're a student here at the Academy? Like, are you taking the college courses, or...?"
When the girl talked about her power, that perked up his curiosity. Healing with paper? Some form of paper manipulation? He recalled seeing her using fire back at the market when they first met. This girl was probably the first Metahuman he came face to face with who was capable of manipulating multiple elements - what's more, of opposing types. Interesting...
Then he realized that he was staring at the girl a tad too long; he recollected himself before he replied, "No - I was once a student here, but I graduated two years ago. I assume that you are currently a student of the Academy?"
"Yup!" Wendy mouthed the words in response. "I've been attending this Academy for three years now - gonna stay for college." She answered.
So she was talking to a graduate! How exciting. She's going to be in his shoes one day, so she wondered if she could get some more information out of him. Like what was he doing now? Was he using his powers for good? Who taught him? How good was he? So many questions...
Haruka nodded, slightly amused at her cheeriness even when she was talking to a complete stranger like him; it took him quite some time to be able to open up to others with more ease. "Ah, I forgot to introduce myself - I'm Haruka. Nice to meet you."
"Wendy Lucker." Wendy cheerfully replied. Haruka was a name she hadn't encountered before - sure, she's been in Courtbridge, where the Asian community is quite strong. Hm... going off her experiences with the Asian community; Haruka was Japanese? She could probably be wrong here, but she wasn't going to get that ahead of herself. She extended her hand out for a shake. Though, now would be a good time for twenty questions! "So, I wanted to ask..." She trailed off as she looked for a specific question. "...Who was your teacher?"
"Lihua," he responded without much thought as he returned the handshake, then he corrected himself. "Uh, Ms. Zhao to you, I guess. Is she teaching you too?"
"Oh, yes, yes..." Wendy managed to groan out the words. "She's my teacher as well, since she trains the elemental types." Okay, he probably knows that.
Haruka chuckled at her groan. "Sounds like she is giving you a hard time. She is strict, but she is a good instructor." He thought about his encounters with her back at Verthaven. Wendy probably could have never imagined that the Lihua now was very different from how she was like at that time...
Even he had undergone some changes ever since that disastrous incident. The death of a friend had awakened his power, which was why he's going to put his ability, though weak as it seemed, to good use... so that no one who was important to him would have to die before his eyes again - now that he was no longer the powerless weakling from the past.
"Yeah I agree... just that she's a little too rough with me sometimes." And Wendy knew that those instances were all her fault, since she was either irritating Ms. Zhao, or overstepping her personal boundaries. Didn't really make them all that better. However, she brushed it off with a bout of awkward laughter and scratched the back of her neck. "But, that's a different discussion altogether," Wendy stated. "So, you just come around here to use the library?"
Haruka didn't make any comments as Wendy complained about Lihua. While he agreed with her that Lihua could be really harsh with her teaching methods, he still felt grateful that she had spared no mercy with him. The results he had shown speak for themselves - he was able to control and master his power very quickly, and later went on to graduate as one of the top students of his year.
...Speaking of which, he hadn't seen Lihua for some time. Maybe he should call her out for coffee or tea one day.
"Yeah," he replied. "I like reading, and it does help that the Academy library is open to the public, giving me access to most of the books here even after I have left the school." He glanced down at the book under Wendy's arm, but he couldn't make out the cover. "So... what do you like to read?"
This was an easy question. Like the easiest question that Wendy had to answer. Ever.
"All of them!" Wendy cheerfully answered. "I really like reading books, and any book is a good book to me."
She reached down to the book that was underneath her shoulder.
"Yeah," She started off. "This is an automobile book, and I barely even care about cars - but I'm reading it anyway..."
"Wendy will continue forever if you let her talk about books." The somewhat ironic statement came from Rori, who had just managed to find their way to the Academy library after flying in to the place as a bird. They'd gotten... A bit lost. They grinned at Wendy and Haruka. "Hi Wendy, H-Wendy's friend!" It dawned on them as they began to speak that though they recognized Haruka from that time, Haruka was hardly going to recognize them. After all they weren't currently a kestrel.
"Oh, Rori?" Wendy stated, honestly a bit surprised that she's here. From what Wendy remembered, Rori was not a student in the Academy. "You're dropping by?" She asked.
"Uh, yeah, I just thought I'd visit the Academy," Rori responded somewhat awkwardly - they knew they'd probably get in a lot of shit if anyone found out they weren't a student here. And they'd only got in cause nobody stopped birds going places.
Her eyes drifted over towards Haruka, and realized that they haven't been introduced yet. "Rori, this is Haruka... someone I met today."
"Hello," Haruka greeted the newcomer. He could roughly tell that she was a girl, but she had a rather... queer feature - she looked somewhat bird-like. Probably a Metahuman, under the bestial type. He had a vague feeling that he had met her somewhere before... but where? "Uh, technically we have met before today, Wendy, just that the situation back then was too chaotic for a proper introduction."
He then returned his attention back to Rori. "Are you girls friends? Maybe not in the same class - I mean, Lihua specializes in elemental manipulators, after all..." he trailed off, frowning.
"Hello Haruka, nice to meet you!" Rori smiled enthusiastically. "And yes, we're friends - we both like art and stuff like that so that helps." They decided not to correct Haru in terms of the classes - not that they knew who Lihua was. It would be better to not tell him they didn't go here, just in case.
"Yeeeeeeeeeeah." Wendy said with a smile on her face. "We're both... artistic minds." She said. "But, Rori doesn't attend the Academy - we met in Faircrest."
"I can write some stuff, but I can't draw to save my life," Haruka said sheepishly, regarding the two girls with a look of admiration. "I would really love to see some of your artworks."
"Oh, I draw, too." Wendy chimed in... though, she felt like she was fishing for compliments here.
"Sure, I'll show you something at some point," Rori grinned. They liked showing off their artwork, even if a lot of it was sketches.
Haruka beamed at them; however, on the inside he was a little surprised to hear that Rori wasn't a student of the Academy - she looked like she was around Wendy's age... maybe she didn't have to go to this Metahuman school and attend one of the local institutions instead? But with the rising anti-Metahuman tension, she probably couldn't go to those kind of normal schools anymore, especially not with her obvious... appearance.
He raised an eyebrow to hear that the girls met each other in Faircrest, of all places - wasn't that the part of Roseview with miles of farmland surrounded by a thick forest? He wondered how two teenage girls like them wandered into such remote place on their own. "...How do you two met each other there? Isn't that place a bit dangerous for two girls to go all alone by yourselves?"
"Well," Wendy stated. "I guess we know what we're doing." She looked between Rori and Haruka for a moment. The world wasn't a safe place, yeah. Wendy understood that. Yet, she wasn't going to let the danger from stopping her from pursuing her dreams. She would rather die than just stay in the house all day and worry about what happens. Wendy... Wendy wanted to be out there, apart of it.
"If you know the area it isn't too dangerous." Rori shrugged. It also helped if you could become one of the creatures that lived in the forest. "There's plenty of safe food to forage in the forest as well - you'd be surprised. I'm sure there are more dangerous areas in more civilised areas."
There were so much mysteries around these two. So many questions he wanted to ask them, but he swallowed down that urge to probe further (he only just meet them today, and they weren't exactly friends... yet) and chose to go with, "The Academy hasn't changed much since I graduated. Maybe tighter security - well, just slightly - but the campus is still the same as before. Have you attempted any arena battle so far?" Haruka posted the last question to Wendy. He personally didn't like the arena matches much - it wasn't about winning or losing, but during his time it could get pretty... brutal at times. It even became a 'rule' for a period of time where the battle would go on until one side sustained a broken limb or rib bone. By the time stricter regulations was set in place he was about to graduate... Well, better late than never.
"Oh? Oh yeah." Wendy said... clearly less interested in talking about arena fighting than her creative, artistic, side. Some people took the arena fights very seriously, but Wendy was more lighthearted about it. "I did one fight today - just as practice - and won! I plan on doing a few more." She said. "...Just as, you know, practice." Wendy probably didn't want to come off as one of the obsessive meat heads out there. She just wanted to practice, just in case she got into an actual fight. She looked off to the side - like Haruka said, the world is dangerous. She didn't know what would pop up next.
"What are arena battles?" Rori inserted themselves into a conversation they clearly had no idea about, strange yellow-brown eyes wide and curious.
"Oh?" Wendy wondered the best way to go about explaining arena battles... then realized that she could do it in a few words. "Well, they're like sparring matches, but with super powers. " That was the simple answer, but she knew that she could go a little more in detail. "You like... go into this big metal arena, and you do this little play fight with another person... and you, well, try not to get your face smashed in. Heh." She said in a rather joking tone. "Sometimes they're really fun - but I just use them as practice more than anything." She realized that she was never the sporty type.
"Sounds... scary," Rori made a slight face at it. "I would be atrocious at that." They'd have to scratch someone's face as a bird.
"Hey, hey, it's not that bad." Wendy tried to reassure her. "But, I don't think it's for... everyone, yeah."
As Wendy was explaining about the arena battle to Rori, Haruka thought back about the things they had been talking about throughout this conversation. There was something that kept replaying in his mind... Things that Rori had said, and her bird-like feature---
A bird. It was too much of a coincidence, and he wasn't hundred-percent sure...
"Sorry to interrupt the conversation, but... have we meet before?" he finally asked Rori, frowning at her.
Rori turned their head to look at Haruka, before smiling. "Yeah we have. Didn't want to bring it up cause it might have seemed a bit weird 'cause, y'know, I was a kestrel at the time."
"Ah!" Haruka exclaimed - earning himself disapproving looks from the people who passed by the shelves the trio were at - and he continued to stare at her. Then he lowered his voice, "So that is your power? You can transform into birds?" This was not what he had expected to meet the kestrel again - or rather, the person who could become that kestrel.
"Yeah, that's it! Quite a few different types of birds - also the whole feather thing and weird eyes. All bird related," Rori smiled.
"That's... interesting," Haruka said, still looking at Rori. "And I have to apologize to you for messing up your flight route back then."
Going back to powers, that made him remembered what he was here for. "Ah, I think I should get back to find the books I need. I enjoyed chatting with you girls. Maybe we can continue some other time - I do drop by the library at least once a week."
"It's fine, I didn't mind!" Rori smiled. "Good luck finding the books - it was nice chatting to you." They should really head home, just in case Max was miraculously there and worried (like that would be the case).
"Yeah." Wendy stated, nodding her head. "It was great meeting you Haruka - I hope to meet you again, as well." She stated, realizing that everyone was going their separate ways, that she should do the same. She held the book tightly in her hands as she turned around and broke off into a sudden sprint as she went straight to her dormroom.
Rori gave a small wave to Haruka, and Wendy's back, before heading out of the library. Time to go bird mode again and fly home.
Haruka watched the disappearing backs of his two new friends with a small smile before turning his attention back to the shelf, continuing to search for his books.
The veil of the night sky fell over the Washington city of Baybridge. Where the sun went down, the lights were turned on, and a whole new bunch of people came out. On a Sunday night, most of the people who had day jobs had delegated to their households for the evening, or went out to get some groceries. As they were awaiting their jobs, they were unaware of all deceitful eyes had put Baybridge in their sights. Since it was night time, it was easy for them to move under the darkness of the night. What are their plans?
Meifeng Zhao, & Cindy Keagan.
After dealing with crisis, after crisis, after crisis... the paperwork didn't seem all that bad.
Retreating to her office cubicle, Meifeng managed to fill out all of her paperwork concerning recent events. The Riot, Kei losing control of his power, bullshit with Reyna. In less than a few hours! She let out a sigh of relief as she filled out the last line in this stupid ass form. She rested her face on her desk, as she let out laughter. Either this paperwork was making her lose her sanity, or she was relieved. Hopefully, it was the latter, because she feels like she literally feels her sanity escaping.
Now that she's done bitching about paperwork, she figured that it was about time to see what Cindy's up to!
Hopping out of the chair, Meifeng quickly made her way out the door and into the hallway of the Headquarters. It was nighttime, so most of the RAVENS were out on patrol... and the DOVES were indoors as they were doing some last minute paperwork, or their shifts hadn't ended yet. Hm. Meifeng really wished that she didn't spend a few months on her own now. Because she has literally no leave, and right when she returns to Baybridge, the bullshit just flares up...
... Looks like she came home at the right time.
The only thing guiding her through the Headquarters was the signs. She had to walk over from the RAVEN side of the building, over to the DOVE part... and finding Cindy's office wasn't that hard. She walked up to the door, and knocked on it. She then realized that she could have sent Cindy a text.
"Yeah, yeah, come in." Cindy loudly announced through the door.
Since she had permission, Meifeng opened the door, and the first thing she saw was Cindy sitting at her desk, and some chick was leaning up against it. It wasn't Scarlet (Whom she should be finding soon), but it was an average heighted woman with clearly Spanish features, and black hair. She turned her head towards Meifeng soon as she entered the room. All while Cindy was typing away on a computer.
"Hey," The woman greeted Meifeng. "You must be our hero of Prague." She laughed.
"Yeah, I'm that Meifeng." Meifeng answered as she scratched the back of her neck. "I never met you before, what's your name?"
"Marianela Porras." Marianela answered. "I'm just one of the many DOVES who are in Baybridge."
Extending a hand, Marianela and Meifeng grasped each other, and shook each other's hands, before letting go.
"I'm just helping Cindy here on a few cases." Marianela said as she threw a thumb over her shoulder.
"Is that so?" Meifeng playfully said. "What? The great Cindy Keagan needs some help?"
Cindy shook her head. "Girl, when you gotta deal with all this bullshit on a regular, and you gotta help people; is it that unreasonable you sometimes gotta ask for some help?"
"Not really."
Meifeng put her hands on her hips, she faced Cindy. "So, Cindy, I have an urge to go out and put even more paperwork on my desk," She started off, laughing a bit. "Is there anything going on?"
"Unfortunately... no." Cindy quickly replied as she went back to her computer. "We finally got some God damn peace and quiet for one night."
"Any leads on our Allegiance friend?" Meifeng asked.
"Nope." Cindy answered.
"What about whatever the hell happened to Kei?" Meifeng asked. "Someone had to have done that?"
Cindy sighed. "From what our docs say, it's a whole new thing. Made from the Metahuman energy, but they don't know what else they put in the stuff." Cindy said irritation. "Worst of all, we have zero leads, as our mystery sniper probably had lots of time to escape in the confusion, and the cameras around Havenfield were damaged while Kei was getting away."
"So, basically, we have no idea who this guy is?" Meifeng crossed her arms. "Good grief... but, he'll slip up eventually."
"This whole thing just reeks of the Hands of Science...." Marianela trailed off, and both Meifeng and Cindy briefly looked disgusted by the mere concept of the Hands of Science. "They employed the Metahuman energy in all sorts of things, yes?"
"Let's just hope we can find a lead and bring an end to it before more people are killed." Cindy sighed.
"Heh? Hope?" Meifeng scoffed. "We don't need no hope, we just need to get off our ass."
"In any case, all Agents on high alert." Cindy said.
A large black van roved through the streets of Courtbridge, and inside of it was Mannequin, and his new associates.
Bison was at the wheel of the vehicle, and he was driving fast as he could through the streets of Courtbridge. He came to a stop light, and next to him was a group of young, pretty ladies inside. Bison smiled at them, and they looked rather perturbed by the large black van he was driving.
"Keep driving, we're supposed to be a couple." Eliza stated, bored in the left seat, slinking back in the chair, as the light turned green, and the women drove off.
"You know that's only a cover." Bison huffed, annoyed. "And what kind of couple drives a rape-van like this?" He asked.
"... We do not have time for this." The Mannequin stated.
"We're drivin' through Edfield to the middle of fuckin' nowhere, 'course we got plenty of time." Bison sneered as he rolled his eye up into his head. He finally passed the sign that indicated that they were leaving Courtbridge, but they immediately got up on the highway and Bison stepped on it. They quickly caught up to the speed of the other vehicles, but there was something that Bison wanted to discuss with his new team.
"So... Mannequin..." Bison trailed off. "If I got yer' plan right; we're goin' to playing everyone." He grinned like he was the devil himself.
The Mannequin merely remained silent for a few moments as he sat down on the floor of the van, his back was to the backdoors of the vehicle. He was motionless - considering his nex words - until his head creaked it's way over to the side until it appeared as if he was looking at Bison.
"Starting with Eco-Natura, the ISD, and the Saviors." The Mannequin started off.
"Looks like you've got some major dirt on the Saviors! Ha!" Bison started laughing. "... I wonder what sort of shit you Changelings picked up over the years."
"Plenty." Mannequin started off. "One thing that fool Luis believed in was having an edge over all other factions... I've discovered... plenty, about the Saviors. Things that would ruin them."
"Hehe! Fun!" Bison laughed.
"My goal... my goal will see the end of the RAVEN and DOVE organizations... along with many others." The Mannequin leaned in. "... Sooner or later, it all falls apart..."
"And like you said, something new will rise from the ashes?" Eliza asked, turning her head back towards the Mannequin. "Something for us?"
"That is correct." The Mannequin stated in his robotic whisper. "However, there is a target within DOVE that we should remove from the equation with haste...."
A compartment within his armor opened up, and the Mannequin reached inside and produced a picture of two women. Both had Spanish facial features, and both were wearing DOVE uniforms. They were complete strangers to Bison and Eliza, but...
"They are Marianela and Adora Porras, sisters that both work together within the DOVE organization." The Mannequin stated. "... They must be eliminated." His voice became much more foreboding and threatening.
"Heh? What'd they do to piss you off especially?" Bison asked, laughing again.
"... The less said the better. They must be removed." The Mannequin answered.
"Fine, be mysterious." Bison shrugged.
"Just get us to the Eco-Natura base...." The Mannequin stated in his robotic tone - which negated the irritation he was feeling.
"Yeah, yeah... we just need to take this highway all the way down to Roseview...."
".. and again, if you're interested in some additional studies, my door is always open to you. Now go, be free, I can tell you're all itching to stretch your legs." Mr. Silva remarked with a chuckle as he gesticulated towards the door, his class finished for the day. One of the last ones out, Rowan had casually waved the room off as he filed out with the others. For what it was worth, Mr. Silva's lessons weren't bad, but Rowan was glad it was done with - he'd had a plan ahead of him for the day.
But first, he needed to make a quick stop by his room to pick up one or two things. It was small by any standards; a compact little slice of the dorms on the first floor, with just enough space for a bed, a desk and a set of drawers to store his clothes and personal belongings. Rowan had heard some of the other kids here whining about it, but he preferred it - the peace and quiet his room gave him was a long way from the paper thin walls he'd known in Brookacres, forced to listen to every word of the old man's ravings. None of that he had to deal with here - and he was grateful for it.
In front of his desk was the window, which overlooked the exterior of the dorms below and gave a nice view for those who were into that sort of thing, but what actually interested him was on the windowsill; a sculpture no more than a few inches in height, that looked like a cluster of vines coiling around something. That, he'd made in one of the art classes offered by the Academy - and it was practice for something he had in store for another one of his own little 'pieces' that would be showing up in Baybridge soon.
Under the bed was where he'd found it - a messenger bag with a few of his art supplies inside, light glimmering off one of the paint cans as he took a peek inside to make sure they were all still there, next to the s. As it happened, they were, so he quickly tucked them back under to give them a little concealment, then pulled the hoodie off his bed and slipped that on too, before tugging the strap on over his shoulder. There was one more thing, though - a quickly fumble through the drawers revealed where he'd stashed the pills in the lining of one of his old coats. He considered himself lucky that he still had a little supply left; getting a hold of prescription meds had once been easy thanks to the old man's medicine cabinet. Not that it was any good to either of them now.
Good to go, Rowan downed one of the pills, then headed out, locking things up behind him as he left, narrowly avoiding brushing past one of the neighbouring dorm's occupants and paying no mind to the freshly plastered notice about student behaviour that had been pinned to one of the many noticeboards in the corridor, heading downstairs and out towards the exit.
"... Going somewhere, Mr. Campbell?" Lihua asked in a rather teasing tone as she stood in the doorway. Rowan most likely wasn't even paying attention to her up until she stepped up. She noticed the bag that he was lugging around. Rowan was a known troublemaker, and Lihua was going to keep her eye on him.
Ah, shit, Rowan had thought for a moment. "Walking, I guess?" was his reply, though judging by the look on her face it wasn't going to mean much. Then again...
Rowan hadn't exactly set the best impression with the Zhao Matriach; in his first week, he'd got caught up in a fight with some prep-prick who'd snatched some pills from his bag and had demanded that hook him up, as if he was some kind of junkie. Judgemental asshole. By a stroke of luck, Zhao never actually caught word of the pills - she just saw two kids cutting their teeth and promptly broke it apart, but it had set the stage for any future encounters.
"Oh?" Lihua said with a coy smile on her face. She walked around Rowan. He was certainly a trouble maker, he came from Brookacres.... After a certain incident regarding his father who was a believer of the Pure philosophy. Lihua paused for a moment, and then looked at Rowan from over her shoulder. She shouldn't be that hard on him - she wasn't in the mood to be hard on him - especially after how her night went - but it was her responsibility as a teacher to ensure that her students aren't going out causing trouble.
"Through the woods?" Lihua asked, nearly playfully. "Rowan, I never saw you as the... Ahhhhh, nature type."
"Yeah, me neither," Rowan shrugged, "But stuff happens."
"Ah, I see." Lihua said... but she didn't believe him. "What's the bag for, then? Are you taking a walk, or are you really going into town?"
"Does it matter?" Rowan asked with an arched brow. It wasn't as if he was planning on causing trouble, he just just wanted to stretch his legs. "Walking's walking."
"Very well then, Rowan." Lihua stepped aside, and simply let Rowan walk on by. She has better things to do than dog one student all day - if he gets in trouble then... then she can lay into him. "Enjoy your walk." She said in a friendly tone as she let Rowan by.
"Yeah, thanks." Rowan made a steady exit, glad that business was done with. The way Zhao looked at people... it could cut through anything.
Soon enough, he found himself at the terminal where the academy's daily shuttle bus would stop around to pick up students looking to head into town and vice versa, dropping those coming from it. It was free of charge, and Rowan had learned it was a lifeline for many here. In today's case, he didn't want to be heading into Baybridge on-foot and planned to avoid walking. Lining up behind a couple others, he quickly filed onto the bus and grabbed a seat, content to sit back and relax until he hit his stop.
Ironically, he had little other choice when it came to heading to the spot he'd had in mind, and an hours or so's worth of walking took Rowan down towards the edge of Springshore Walk, straddling the forgotten, impoverished district of outer Brookacres. Looking up, he could still see the old man's last haunt, the Ferryman's Tavern. A 'gentlemen's club' who's regulars consisted largely of the Brookacres community, it was also a popular watering hole for the likes of the Pure.
Usually if he wasn't giving shit to him or his mom, he'd be out making trouble or planning it here. At least, that's how it had been before he'd got what he'd deserved and now, Rowan planned on giving both him and the rest of those bigoted, judgemental assholes the middle finger with what he had planned.
Across the street sat a billboard way up high, giving all in the area a nice good view - especially from the Ferryman's Tavern. Plastered across it at the moment was a promotion for a notable politician who had made heavier metahuman legislation a major point of their election campaign, clearly appealing to a particular group in the area, yet another reason why Rowan planned on hitting it up.
Checking one way, then another, Rowan made his way towards the billboard - which stood atop another building, some boating store or something like that. He took a walk down the alleyway beside it, then rounded the corner until he saw the ladder which led up to the rooftop and made a hasty ascent, before vaulting over the ventilation unit mounted a few feet ahead of where he'd hit the top.
The ladder which ascended the billboard itself was surrounded by a cage and locked off, to boot. Concentrating, Rowan set his gaze on the padlock, raised a hand, then closed his palm into a fist - crushing the padlock like an aluminum can. That was one little technique he'd had some time to practice at the academy, though up until now he'd had few opportunities to apply it.
Now able to make an ascent, Rowan tugged at his bag once more and headed up the ladder, ready to start off. He took a knee on the walkway around the billboard and set his bag down for a moment to retrieve the first of his many stencils.
Weeks of meticulous preparation had gone into the stencil templates, down to cutting out the edges to make sure they didn't look too rough. That, he had to work on in his room - keeping them out of sight from anyone else who might have seen, for obvious reasons; he'd had to get the paint from somewhere, after all.
It wasn't stealing, not how he saw it and he did plan on returning what he could.
Besides, it was all in the good cause of art.
Tugging out the first can from his bag, Rowan gave it a firm shake until he heard the rattle clanking. Then, he planted a gloved palm against the surface to hold the cutout up, then pressed down on the nozzle. One can, then another, then another and then the first can again - Rowan crossed over the wall, filling the dull political bile with colours, taking care not to layer his paint on too thick so as to avoid creating drips. Before long, he'd exhausted all his cutouts, the fresh paint already ready to dry on the board. Taking a couple of steps back, he looked on at his new piece.
Rowan's piece, as it happened, stenciled over the politican's likeness, twisting his face into a smug grin and inserting a wad of dollar bills into each hand. Next to him was another series of stencils portraying a group of drunken, chest-beating, ape-like neanderthalic thugs in wifebeaters jeering and slinging junk at a hooded figure with a glowing outline who's arms were spread in a Christ-like fashion whilst another one of the neanderthals (who, funnily enough, resembled the old man) looked ready to kick out at a frightened child, the caption "Pure" sarcastically scrawled above in stylised letters.
All that was left was to head back, grab a quick change of clothes (the smell of paint would give him away if he was caught walking around in the the next day), only something else occurred to him after he'd grabbed what was left of us stuff and descended down the ladder. Given what kind of area they were in, he wouldn't have put it past the suits to try and tear this down the moment they realised it was there and how it would've been such a shame to see his art brought down so fast, so with that in mind he decided to go the extra mile and make any further ascent a little more difficult.
Realising just how flimsy that ladder cage looked, Rowan was certain on making sure it would continue to bar further access to the billboard and raised a hand, making a grasping motion with it. Focused, he pivoted his hand in an attempt to jam the cage in place...
And instead wound up tearing the whole damned thing off its fittings, ladder, cage and all.
"Oh..." Rowan said, wincing as he heard the ladder hit the street below with the loudest clatter that anyone had ever heard. If his piece didn't catch their attention, that certainly would've.
Heading back across the roofstop, he made a quick descent of the ladder back down to the alleyway and slipped back through the streets, taking whatever shortcuts he could to get out of there. Eventually he stopped running once he'd realised there was nobody behind him, yet for a moment his heart skipped a beat when he heard the distant whine of a police siren before he finally realised it wasn't even headed in his direc-tion. "Stupid, scared idiot," he scolded himself, before breaking back into a brisk walk in the direction of the bus terminal.
With a little luck, he'd barely make it back in time to avoid breaking curfew.
Counting himself lucky, Rowan was able to catch another shuttlebus back to the academy, one of the last for that night before curfew. For good measure, though, he'd opted to slip out of his hoodie - the odour of paint was still pretty strong and it'd take a trip to the laundry room in the morning to get it out. Fortunately, there were too few to notice even if he'd left it on - most of the others here were stragglers just like him, catching the late bus so they weren't busted.
The trip back to the academy was noticeably shorter than before, due in no small part to the fact that the bus only had to make a few more stops before they were on a straight stretch out of the city. After another dozen or so minutes of driving, the familiar exterior of Academy 61 came into view from the illuminated interior of the bus and soon they were pulling up at the departure terminal.
Climbing out, Rowan made a straight line for his dorm, passing through the entrance as quickly as he could and heading inside. By this point in the dorms, most of the other students had already filed back into their own rooms or were otherwise in the process of doing so, whilst others were still idling on the couch in the main room or using the pool table. For the most part, the academy staff were fairly lax on students so long as they weren't causing trouble or being disruptive - on weekends it'd fill up late at night and especially now it was summer, you'd see people wandering outside as late as now.
Headed upstairs, Rowan quickly popped open his door and entered his room, shoving his bag and hoodie under the bed and locking the door behind him. Frankly, he was tired - a walk through town had left his legs feeling like they'd earned a little rest whilst the temptation of the bed called him over for a good night's rest. Deciding to compromise, he slipped off his shoes, slipped out of his clothes (save for some shorts) to leave beside his hoodie and grabbed his black book from under his desk, deciding to see what else he could plan out for future 'projects.'
It wasn't every day that a man made of fire sat down at the bar in a cafe. Victor had seen a lot of reactions to his presence in public places. Most of them involved lots of pointing and shouting. Occasionally, he would get a mouthful of sodium bicarbonate, fresh out of the fire extinguisher. One time, during a conference in Baltimore, he had been hit with a fire hose, much to his chagrin. Few people knew how to handle themselves around a metahuman, especially one who so obviously didn't belong.
The people here seemed to not take notice to the burning man sitting at a table outside of a cafe. It was just a little coffee shop, complete with the usual beige walls, tall windows, and the trendy brown-washed paintings on the walls. A Faded Paper Figures song played over the speakers. He sipped at a coffee (iced, to prevent himself from burning through the cup). His charcoal eyes drifted along the street, meeting the glimmer of headlights and then darting away as they passed. It was as if he were attempting to avoid their gaze.
Sarah sat down across from him, crossed her legs, and pulled out her phone. She was playing Candy Crush, but her fingers weren't touching the screen. Victor opened his mouth to speak, but knew better. Though she wasn't wearing earbuds, the gentle nodding of her head told him she was listening to music. He snapped his fingers. A spark ignited with a bright "snap!" Sarah rolled her eyes and looked up from her game.
"How nice of you to leave cyberspace for me," Victor said.
"Eh, these games get old quickly," Sarah replied. "I can't help but get into the code." She sat her phone down. It kept playing Candy Crush. A latte in a thin ceramic teacup sat in front of her on a matching saucer. The barista had drawn the foam on top into the shape of a heart.
"Tacky, but cute," Victor said. "You should get his number."
"I'm here to to research," Sarah said. "He can wait."
"Oh, you're so boring," Victor said. "It's not like we spend every waking moment of our lives with our noses stuck in petri dishes. We're people, not robots."
"Questionable," Sarah laughed. "I'm not sure if I could pass a Turing test somedays." They both laughed. Sarah bumped the table by mistake. The heart shuddered and became misshapen. Victor sipped again at his coffee. The coldest he could get his mouth was a little over boiling, so he had to half-pour the drink into his mouth lest he melt the plastic. He held it with a leather-colored heatproof glove. The two were silent for a minute or two. Candy Crush kept playing. The score had reached a number of digits that few people had ever seen in such a game.
"So any more news on Mendel?" Victor asked.
"Yeah, article in CNN earlier today. Another few people missing, another row house burned down eastside. The city's population is half of what it was ten years ago, before this whole war started."
"RAVEN just isn't as effective as NEST used to be," Victor replied. "They don't get the job done."
"NEST was in violation of a lot of laws," Sarah said. "KINGFISHER was brought up on war crimes. They may have been effective, but NEST did some awful things to people. At least RAVEN isn't as brutal."
"I wish KINGFISHER would've just listened to us," Victor said. "Back then, the doctor made all kinds of discoveries to take metas down non-fatally. Some were more effective than bullets and tear gas. They just wouldn't listen, and now look what's happened. ALBATROSS is in prison, so is CONDOR, Sam died back in Verthaven."
"His daughter sent you an email yesterday," Sarah said. She took an iPad out of her leather satchel and pulled Victor's email up. She opened her eyes wide and the message was projected, upside-down, onto the table. Victor read it quickly.
"Hm. Well, I'm glad she's doing alright," Victor said. "Sometimes I feel like it's a blessing that she never developed powers. Hopefully she'll get into a good school without the whole 'I'm a minority metahuman' business."
"Yeah, hopefully," Sarah took another sip of her coffee. Her Candy Crush score was now a number unreachable by conventional science. The heart swirled into her latte was now a rorschach blot. She couldn't quite tell what shape it was in. She felt the baristo watching her from behind the bar. Victor snickered. He took a last drink and then transferred the cup to his right hand. A small ball of fire materialized in the palm of his hand. The cup shuddered, blackened at the bottom, and then crumpled. Sarah rolled her eyes.
"I'm not drying you out when you set the fire alarm off," Sarah said. The smell of burning plastic filled the air.
"I didn't ask you to," Victor said. He threw the melted ball of plastic over his shoulder at a trash can. It bounced off of the edge and onto the ground. Victor's shoulders dropped. Sarah laughed. He walked over, picked up the melted sludge, and scooped it into the trash bag. "A baller I am not," he said.
After a long day working at the Academy, Lihua finally found herself going home. Somewhat exhausted from working - but it was worth it.
Lihua saw herself as a mentor whose prime has long passed. Experience of fifty years contained into one woman. She smiled. She knew it was time to pass that experience to the next generation, and step down. Which was why she left NEST. For good. There was a light drizzle of rain as Lihua got out of her SUV, and she reached inside and grabbed her umbrella. She unfurled the umbrella as she looked over her shoulder. Cars passed by slowly, and she was reminded of a time in her life where she was... a Tyrant. Someone who never thought that she would ever end up here. Everything she's done.
Either way, Lihua took casual steps towards the front door of her house, and managed to walk up the stairs as the rain began to pick up. She made it to the front door as she managed to reach into her purse, and put her keys into the lock, and opened the doors wide. Her arrival didn't go unnoticed, as the babysitter - a brown-haired girl with matching brown eyes, wearing a casual T-shirt with a band logo on it, and jeans - was sitting on the sofa with Lijuan. Watching some cartoons.
"Mommy!" Lijuan loudly announced as she was about to hop off the sofa.
"I see everything's in working order, Karen," Lihua stated as she nodded her head.
"Yeah... I made sure that Lijuan didn't eat a lot like you asked," Karen answered as she nodded her head, and walked over to Lihua. "She's been washed, and everything."
"Good, good..." Lihua kindly said, she reached inside her purse, and then handed Karen a few twenty dollar bills. "Thank you for helping for tonight, Karen."
"As always," Karen said as she shook Lihua's hand, and stepped out into the rain.
Letting out a sigh, Lihua flopped down on the sofa right next to Lijuan, and looked at the TV.
"So, where were we?"
A few hours of watching TV later, and Lihua had blissfully fallen asleep. She was loudly snoring, with her head back. Not that it particularly bothered Lijuan, who had continued watching TV like it was nothing. Though, she had to go to the bathroom, so she merely slid off the couch, and began walking.
The activity brought Lihua back to consciousness, and she stretched her arms as she looked off to the side and noticed that Lijuan wasn't there... Her inner paranoia told her to go look for her. Just to make sure that everything was okay. Lihua got up off the sofa, and stretched with her arm above her head, and tilted her neck off to the side.
"Lijuan?" Lihua called out as she took a few steps forward. Where did that girl run off to? She didn't realize where Lijuan had just gone to the bathroom-
There was a window breaking in a room that wasn't too far away. That made every sense in Lihua's head flare. It could have been Lijuan, but why would she break a window? She took a few steps back, and dug through her purse until she found a secret compartment that held her revolver. A Smith & Wesson 686. A powerful revolver for a woman who can't afford to screw around.
Sighing, Lihua went to investigate. She walked through her house, and slowly opened the door to the room where she heard the noise. Keeping her gun prepped, Lihua pulled the doorknob, and then pushed the door open. She took a step back as she let the door open itself. She was quickly exposed to a dark room. Lihua saw that the offending window; a shattered mess with shards of broken glass all over the carpet. Huh?
Did someone just break a window? Good grief... was it a member of the Pure, or some other idiot harassing her? Still, she wasn't going to let her guard down that easily. She still had a loaded weapon in her hand, and that reminded her of exactly what kind of world she's living in. One inhale, and Lihua silently pumped herself up as she walked into the room, and cleared the left side of the room. Taking a step in, and Lihua switched the lights on.
With the light blanketing the room, Lihua managed to give herself a better look at what was going on. After she had cleared the other side of the room for hostiles. She quickly walked over to the broken glass, and knelt down. The first thing she noticed that nothing was thrown through the window. Which flared up even more suspicion inside of her. However, those sharp eyes of eyes noticed a bit of... blood.
The woman barely realized that something was creeping up behind her. A black figure that turned invisible to first dodge her gaze. Even as she got up, the intruder lunged at her, and then wrapped it's arms around her, before taking a bite out of her shoulder region - dangerously close to her neck.
A loud screech of pain escaped Lihua's lips as she was literally being eaten alive. The gun dropped as she desperately tried to come up with a way out of this. Lihua focused on the windowsil (to the best of her ability of course), her control over other forms of masonry, or man-made stones, was flimsy at best... but, the one thing she was good at was simple...
She quickly extended her hand, and then called a piece of the windowsil, which was made of brick, off and flying towards her at high speed. Lihua quickly ducked down and let the rock fly over her and hit her target so hard that it made it fly right off of her. A surprisingly human cry of pain escaped her attacker's lips as Lihua quickly lunged at her revolver.
With a swift hand, she grabbed the pistol and spun around, and cut loose. Lihua fired off one shot that rendered her deaf for a second, and hit the creature dead in the center. Lihua pulled the trigger again and another shot escaped and hit the bastard right in the shoulder. Which sent it stumbling back, and quickly leaped out the window as Lihua fired off another shot.
Everything happened so fast that Lihua had no idea what the hell was going on - she was going off pure instinct - nor did she get a good look at whatever was after her.
All she did know was that her shoulder was bleeding badly... Lijuan. All Lihua could think about was Lijuan. She was praying that whatever the hell attacked here didn't get to Lijuan. Her heart was racing as the blood was leaking from her wound.
"Lijuan!" Lihua called at the very top of her lungs. When she got no response, she tightly clutched her shoulder, before she stepped outside the door... and the very first thing she saw was a terrified Lijuan.
"Mo-mommy?" Lijuan asked, taking note of Lihua's injured. "W-what's wrong?"
"Lijuan, don't look." Lihua tried her best to cover her shoulder. "I need you to get my phone quick." She ordered, and Lijuan quickly ran to the living room, and came back with her cellphone. Lihua quickly went through her contacts and sent a text to Meifeng,
I've been attacked by some sort of bestial-class Metahuman. I managed to fight it off, I need you to send someone to my house now.
That was before Lihua put the phone to her ear, and tried to call 911.
While Meifeng was lying around in Cindy's office, bored out of her mind as the latter did cases with Marianela, her cellphone buzzed for a moment. Meifeng didn't know who in particular would be texting her other than Lihua, and lo-and-behold, it was Lihua. Unlocking her cellphone with a swipe, she read the text and...
"Oh shit." Meifeng exclaimed as she got up. "Shit, shit, shit... My Mom got attacked by a meta right in her own God damn home."
"Wait, really?" Cindy asked. "I... hope she's okay - might have to swing by there."
"She said it was a bestial type... I'm going to go there now." Meifeng said as she quickly made it to the door.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" Cindy quickly said the very second Meifeng started moving, and managed to stop her. Taking in a moment to sigh. "There's been a strange number of attacks throughout Baybridge lately... metas have been eaten alive." Cindy started off her explaination. "The people who have survived said that it was a bestial type behind it..."
"So you're suggesting...?" Meifeng asked.
"Yes." Cindy said with a nod of her head. "If you're going to go, bring some of the RAVENS along with you to investigate."
"Got it." Meifeng regretfully said... she didn't want other people getting involved with the Zhaos, but Cindy would bite her head off if she did this alone. "Wait, you're not coming?" Meifeng asked, honestly surprised that Cindy didn't volunteer.
"Sorry, but I gotta sort out Kei's case..." Cindy regretfully said. "I wish I could come help, but this is a RAVEN matter."
"Alright," Meifeng nodded her head, before she left the room. First thing she thought about was who she was going to bring along. First person that came to mind was Shizuka... if she can get his aloof ass on board. He was a good agent, even though his social skills were lackluster. Then there was Quentin, if he was available, since he was a trusted friend of hers.
Other person was Maxine, one of the Agents that helped with the riots. Cindy didn't speak too highly of her... but Meifeng wouldn't let that bother her decision that much. Alice was also another agent.
Which means it's settled, she has her team.
... She just had to get them all on board.
Max had already been in the lounge, taking a well deserved break after having managed to complete (aka shove onto someone else) the majority of the paperwork. She was trying to keep herself focused where she sat, slouched back, on one of the couches. It had been a non stop shit storm of drama. She hadn't had a chance to go back home; even though she hadn't helped with the market incident she'd had a lot of paperwork fill in about the riot. She just wanted to sleep.
Meifeng did manage to haul Shizuka's lazy ass over to the lounge; still in his hoodie and jeans, he had been doodling the dragon tattoo in his office when he received a message from her. As he dragged himself to the gathering place, he went over the events that had happened so far in his mind: the thief, the riot, and the market incident. It was easy to dump the paperwork for the thief to someone else (because it was so retarded that he couldn't be bothered to waste his time over it), speeding through the essay for shooting a kid girl at the riot (it wasn't a lethal shot, anyway; and canister? What canister?), and the thawed victims from the market incident were already left to DOVE for following up.
And here comes another one. Of all people, from Zhao Lihua.
He let out a yawn. He had been working non-stop for the past few days, so much so that he hadn't visited his aunt and brother ever since he last saw them at the party. Judging from all the dramas popping up around the city lately, he would have to acumulate his vacation leave for next year again.
"Hey Max," he greeted the brownie junior when he spotted her upon entering the lounge. "You've been called here too?"
Max looked up from where she sat, half asleep, waving slightly to Shizuka. "Yeah, I was... Though I was in here before I was called in. Meant I didn't have to put any effort into getting here." She sat up slightly straighter as she spoke, trying to force herself to wake up. She'd probably dunk her head in some water before they left. "I can't believe something else is happening today."
"Oh yeah," Shizuka snorted sarcastically, sitting down beside her. "Something has to happen every single day to keep our life oh-so-exciting." He rolled his eyes.
"Gotta make sure we earn our keep by keeping busy," Max responded with a sigh. It was almost as if all the criminals in Baybridge had worked out a specific date to commit crimes. "It's making me wish for the old days of just paperwork." The old days being just a day ago.
Shizuka turned to stare at Max, amused. "Why would someone still wish for paperwork when we're going to get double of that after all this is over?"
"Hah, true, I didn't think about that." Max was going to blame any stupid things she said at the moment on saving her brain power for later, when she'd undoubtedly need it. "I'll rephrase - I miss the days of less paperwork."
"So do I - though right now I really need a break away from work to catch up with my family," Shizuka said as he got up and walked towards the vending machine, his hand slipping into his pocket for some change. "Coffee?" he asked her while he was inserting the coins into the machine.
"At this rate your break is going to be delayed for years," Max responded, exaggerating a bit. "Hopefully after all this shit is sorted you'll get to do that. And yes please - coffee is exactly what I need." It would be embarassing to fall asleep when they arrived at the scene.
Shizuka passed her the coffee when he sat back down on the couch. "We're early again, as usual. The rest are sure taking their time..." So far he was getting along well with Max - not just partnering up to get rid of their piling paperwork, but also how easily he was able to strike up a casual conversation with her when they always arrived early to the meeting place. He took a sip of his coffee and let out a satisfied sigh. "If they're still not showing up by the time I finish this, I think I'm going to doze off here."
Max quite happily took the coffee, beginning to drink it slowly. "That seems to be the case, or they'll probably have to go through the hassle of waking us both up. And that'll just waste more time." Precious time when she could be in bed. Though, at least she was getting along with Shizuka just fine - if not it might've been awkward considering they always seemed to be the first ones there. "I think the last one to arrive should have to do most of the paperwork related to this."
Alice was the second to last to arrive, only a moment before Meifeng. Her transfer was still throwing up all sorts of strange forms and pieces of paperwork she could not remember filling out the first time she had joined RAVEN. That and adding the paperwork she had to complete thanks to dropping two gas canisters in the crowd, and a metahuman in the ocean. She'd only just slid the last stack of forms into the out tray before she vanished with a faint pop, reappearing in the break room, in a corner behind the vending machine. It was a tight squeeze, and she quickly moved her being from the cramped space to an empty one she could see in the room. She shared a quick nod with Shizuka and Max, before turning to the door with perfect timing.
"Hey, whaddup," Meifeng asked as she stepped into the room. Heh. They were probably tired of everything that's been piling up in the city. Just another day for a RAVEN. She grinned. "Good, ya'll are all here," Meifeng started off. "At the request of our good friend Cindy...." Meifeng scratched the back of her head. "There's a case that I need some help with - if ya'll aren't busy... personally, I'd love to do this one on my own, but I don't get her started."
"Hi," Shizuka looked up and greeted Meifeng back lazily - by then he had already down half of his coffee. He wasn't surprised not to see Cindy with her; DOVE was probably in a lot more shit compared to RAVEN, with them having to keep the rising anti-Metahuman tension among the people in check on top of everything that had happened so far. He was more amused about Meifeng asking for their assistance on her mother's behalf.
Good friend Cindy. Right. "I'm not specifically assigned to any case at the moment, so I'm about as free as I can get," Max shrugged slightly. "So, what exactly is the case?"
It was embarassing to even admit that she needs help - even though she's perfectly capable of handling this herself - but she could pass it off as Cindy making her do it. "My... mother got attacked by a Metahuman in her home, Cindy thinks it's one of the many serial killers runnin' 'round this part." She scratched the back of her head. "So, we're gonna go investigate, and hope to find a lead as to who this bastard is."
Shizuka glanced between the three girls in the room - it was sure an odd group gathered to do an investigation (especially when one of them obviously had more brawn than brain). He drained the rest of his coffee and stood up. "Let's all go to the crime scene then; we can talk more about the case on the way." He turned and began to walk out of the lounge, throwing the empty can into a bin as he passed by the door.
Greencrest Height, White Coast.
After Meifeng had gathered everyone, she managed to cram everyone into one uncomfortable RAVEN vehicle! Once again, they got into an argument about what song they should play on the radio (sans Shizuka, who had mentally shut the music out of his ears as much as their dumb argument, treating them as background noises). The vehicle came to a stop in front of the Zhao household in Greencrest Heights, and as expected, the police and other paramedics arrived long before they got there. At least Meifeng was reassured that Lihua had received medical attention.
Naturally, she was the first to get out of the vehicle, and she started scrolling in towards the household with her assault rifle slung over her shoulder. Armed with taser rounds, of course. Her live rounds were hanging around her belt just in case she receives permission to use them. Though... a part of Meifeng wanted to shoot the bastard dead for what he did to Lihua. Those murderous thoughts were pushed to the back of her head as she kept moving.
Showing her badge to a police officer, Meifeng and the rest of the RAVENS got a free entryway in as they stepped inside. The first thing they caught sight was was the EMTs tending to Lihua's shoulder injuries as her shirt was taken off, and they were wrapping bandages around it.
"Hey," Meifeng started off as she walked over to Lihua. "I'm glad to see that you're okay - I knew that age wouldn't slow you down that much."
Lihua replied with a sardonic look. "I'm still not at my prime."
"If we're going to stop that freakazoid, we're going to need to know what happened." Meifeng asked as she shifted her weight.
Preparing herself to recite what happened, Lihua sighed. "I'll be brief... It started out when I woke up, and went to look for Lijuan. I heard a window breaking in the guest bedroom, and went to go investigate. Afterwards, some... thing jumped on my back and tried to... eat me alive." She groaned. "I fought it off, and managed to get three shots off on it, but it got away through the window..."
"... And what does it look like?" Meifeng asked, raising an eyebrow. "Just so we, you know, actually know who we're gunning for."
"I..." Lihua trailed off. "I, unfortunately, couldn't get a good look at it in the darkness. But... the creature was short, I think I saw female features, and the thing I noticed the most was her... dreadlocks. Massive hair that went down to her feet. I don't know."
"Okay... should be easy to find." Meifeng shrugged. "Alright, boys, we need to find clues to track he... she... whatever."
Alice raised an eyebrow. "Clues... right... 'fraid I haven't got my magnifying glass, anyone got a deerhunter to wear here?"
Shizuka only gave Meifeng a look; he knew it's better to just keep his mouth shut and let her lead the way than to question her for saying something that was redundant.
"It'd make the most sense to start from where it attacked?" Max commented, though it was quite an obvious statement.
"To the guest room!" Meifeng triumptantly shouted... getting odd looks from her fellow RAVENS. Before she fake-coughed, and walked over to the guest room. Just like Lihua said, there was a lot of blood. Leading right out the window... all the way out into the street. Meifeng stuck her head out the window.
"Looks like Lihua gave us a convenient trail, eh?" Meifeng asked her fellow RAVENS. "What do you make of this?"
Alice critically viewed the blood congealing on the windowsill. "It's long gone, I know I'm stating the obvious here, but we aren't going to catch it. Looking at the trail isn't going to tell us much, I doubt it would lead us back to wherever it calls home."
"Well," Meifeng thought they'd be able to follow it. A surprising amount of intelligence showed up in Meifeng when she stated, "I would suggest that we check up with hospitals... but, I'll be honest here, if it can take three shots and still run off... I doubt it's going to be in any hospital to lick its wounds."
Alice scratched the back of her head after looking about the room for a moment, "I'mma find forensics, they probably beat us here, and walked the scene, can't imagine them letting us in if they hadn't. They'll know more than we could by ourselves."
"...As Alice has said," Shizuka finally spoke up in a bored tone agreeing with the blonde agent, his eyes studying the mess in the guest room without much enthusiasm. So much for expecting Meifeng to lead them in an investigation that she clearly didn't know how. "Other than Lihua's rough description of the culprit, we should get whatever clues the forensics team have gathered to put the two and two together, so as to come up with a clearer picture of the whole scenario before we can properly start working on the identity of our mysterious attacker." He shrugged.
"Yeah, let's do that." Meifeng said as the group split off towards the forensics operation. To be honest, she didn't like dealing with the normal police due to the increasing bias growing against RAVEN. However, Meifeng wasn't in the mood to go back and fourth with them, instead opting to get the job done so there's one threat to society in cuffs.
They approached the forensics team, who were stationed in the living room. A group of BPD officers that were kind enough to get there and scan the scene of the crime for all the delicious evidence!
"Hey," Meifeng said as she walked up, and put her hands on her hips. "We believe this attack is being done by a Metahuman, so we're gonna have to ask for the evidence you've gathered."
"Alright," the officer said. He pointed towards the various collection of forensics they've gathered. A variety of paper bags, ziplocs, and other containers. All for them to gather. "Be careful with it." He said before he walked off.
Rolling her eyes, Meifeng said to her fellow RAVENS right before the guy left their earshot, "Hey guys, do you want to play catch with all this valuable evidence?" That was responded with another eye-rolling, this time from Shizuka.
Alice poked through the samples, but didn't pretend to really understand what it was in front of her. She recognised most of the labels, but her understanding did not extend to what exactly these things were telling them.
The evidence included lots of blood samples! Because they have no shortage on that. When the bastard ran out the window, it also cut itself so there was cloth and skin samples. Both will be helpful... once they get to the lab. There are also some saliva samples in Lihua's wounds, along with the brick Lihua hit it with, and the shells they've gathered. There was only one thing...
"...Okay, all of this is useless short term." Meifeng noted, and shook her head. She let out a sigh, after she realized she wouldn't be any closer to solving this damn mystery. She sighed, and put her hands on her hips. "Might as well head back to headquarters..."
"Right," Shizuka muttered with muted frustration, pretty much giving up on following Meifeng's lead. "And before that I'll get the photographs the forensics have taken at the scene - we'll also need those on top of the evidence bag." He was about to turn and leave when the earpiece buzzed.
"This is Agent Green Bird speaking," Cindy spoke through the comms of all the RAVENS. "We've got a problem..."
"Oh God damn it - what is it this time?" Meifeng asked.
"...Someone else got eaten in Greencrest. Not that far away from you."
"Jesus... you think..?"
Alice glanced towards the window. Could they have caught the thing in the act? Or even before it could claim another victim? Her expression hardened, hiding her concerns behind a stoney visage that betrayed her worry even more.
For a moment, Meifeng went off the comms as she growled, "For fuck sake!" She let out a sigh, and irritatedly said, "Okay, where is it?"
"7300 Park Avenue." Cindy stated. "Same MO as the others, Metahuman, just relaxing in their house when our S-K broke in and ate him alive."
"Shit..." Meifeng groaned... Though, something didn't seem all that right here. What serial killer would attack two people in the same night, not that far away from each other? There might be a little bit more to this. She looked at her group of people.
"Alright, boys and gals, let's go."
Alice's voice sounded far away, "Should have followed the trail..."
If the victim wasn't that far away then maybe they could have done something if they'd caught up. At least they could have tried. Her job was to protect people and she had dismissed the chance she'd had to maybe catch up, to at least start tracking down whatever monster was doing this. Now someone else was dead. She realised she'd been staring at the window for a moment without responding, she was abruptly snapped back to the room.
"You're right, let's get out of here. Maybe it will have left a trail at the next place..."
"I come from a land down under, where women glow and men plunder."
"Australia?"
"Not exactly."
Archie had been staying at The Obelisk for much longer than he anticipated he would. The hours stacked up as he suddenly engaged in pleasantries with an assortment of people - some returning patrons, others employees, all more familiar with the establishment than he was. But the real surprise was that he wasn't at all uncomfortable, even after he found out the place was part brothel. He couldn't subjecting himself to any of the local substances and he definitely wasn't going to pay for some "quality time", so instead he just... talked to people.
What's more, he decided a change in appearance was in order. After cleaning up, he swapped out his still-stained jacket for a black blazer, and his mask was replaced with something of the same felt material, but with a different design - black and white with an inverted circle on the front, cutting the two in half and swapping them vertically. Every other article of clothing was the same as before. He'd also changed out his current TTS voice from the usual Mike to the kind you hear used in vehicle GPS systems. Y'know, the British kind.
They were in an alcove away from most of the "action", that being people mingling, dancing, a combination of the two, or propositioning one another. The rounded booth had black leather seating arranged in a cozy fashion, a table in the middle of it all (with drinks sat in front of everyone except Archie), dark curtains for privacy, and dimmed blue lighting for atmosphere. Archie was seated with three women, having no idea who was a meta and who wasn't, save for one of them having black, scale-like patches around her neck and shoulders, and the edges of her face. Plus the rather reptilian eyes. Even beyond that, he didn't know which of them, if any, "worked here".
"I don't get it." One of the "working" girls said in reply to Archie's lyrical reference of an explanation regarding his origins. Archie typed in response, "Nevermind. Let's switch the topic around."
"I know." The scaled woman said aloud, "Tell us about your powers. You're clearly a meta, after all."
"Well." Archie began, typing up a big response, "To understand the concept fully, you need a basic understanding of physics, impossible space, and non-Euclidean geometry. I assume everyone at this table qualifies in that department?"
Three of them looked confused. The scaled girl, she simply folded her arms, leaned forward, and nodded as Archie continued.
"My head acts as a universal modification tool that can be applied to any enclosed environment overlapping it, allowing me to infinitely reform the interior of any applicable item without affecting its exterior. Example." He suddenly yanked off his mask, revealing the bright yellow bubbles comprising his head. All of the girls looked quite surprised, though the scaled one's was more pleasant. Archie continued as he laid the mask on the center of the table, "I've had this bag on my head for a consecutive three weeks total. In that time, the interior no longer matches its exterior. It has grown to roughly a hundred times its original size, developing tunnels, pockets, spirals, and other sorts of formations. All of it is completely random unless I directly apply my thoughts to it, and I can add any solid material to create structures from the source infinitely."
"So..." The scaled woman inquired as Archie reapplied his mask, "You can duplicate anything that goes in? What about gold?"
"I know what you're thinking." Archie replied, "I learned many years ago that, unfortunately, anything that forms within the interior cannot be taken out of it. If it is, it simply disintegrates into nothing. So I can make all the gold I want but it will be effectively useless."
"Shame." She said in return, leaning back a bit, "Could've made a lot of girls happy if you could."
"I like to think I've already accomplished that." Archie said in return, "Just not with money."
"Have you now?"
Not wanting to dive into any details regarding the Microcosm, Archie instead replied, "I've made a lot of functionally superior purses and wardrobes for a number of girls. And even some guys. I have received no complaints, criticisms, or returns."
"Hmm."
"Woah, wait." One of the other girls interjected, "What's with your head? How do you breath?"
"I don't." Archie replied, "Don't have to eat or sleep either. I get my energy from the passive expenditure of my abilities."
"What?"
"I have to keep a bag on my head all the time or else I'll slowly die."
"Oh."
"That doesn't really make much sense." The scaled girl said, leaning back. Archie simply responded with, "I know. I lot of meta-humans don't. Not even DOVE can explain it completely."
She simply nodded. And it was at this point that Archie noticed she hadn't touched her drink, which he'd bought the round for as a (perhaps foolishly) polite gesture.
"You haven't touched your drink." He typed. The scaled girl nodded and replied, "Alcohol doesn't mix well with me. I didn't want to be rude."
"Apologies." Archie responded, to which she returned, "None taken."
It was at this point one if the male employees, tall and imposing in a fitting set of black clothes, opened up the curtains. He looked at the the two girls on the left and said, "Your breaks are almost up. Gotta go." And he turned to the scaled girl and said, "Melissa, your regular's here." She nodded, and said to him, "I'll be out in a sec." The bouncer returned her nod and left, with the other two girls following him, one of them turning her head to Archie and saying, "Thanks for the drinks!" And once again, Archie nodded and waved in reply.
"Gotta go too." Melissa said, turning back to Archie. "That was an interesting talk. Always nice when someone comes here to chat instead of getting... serviced."
"So you do work here." Archie replied.
"And I enjoy it, trust me." Melissa said, standing up. She brushed the curtains out of her way and turned her head one last time to say, with a bit of a smile, "Bye." As she left, it was then Archie noticed the sleek black tail flowing behind and underneath her dress. Yeah, that was definitely someone's fetish around here.
Archie sat in silence for a moment, checking his phone some, before he decided it was about time he left too, get back to the hotel. He reached under the table and grabbed his backpack, which he hoped hadn't been pilfered during all the chitchat. He took a minute to check - bag and router were both present, so all was good.
He stood up and exited the booth, and made his way to the exit.
Obadiah Raleigh
Somewhere in Starrybanks, White Coast
Three men were situated in a rather untidy office room. One sat behind a desk, two sat in front of him. Obadiah was one of the latter, with the man at his side being under his current charge. They were here for very impromptu meeting.
"I-I'm sorry..." The man behind the desk said, shaking his head, "Repeat that?"
"The immediate termination of your current bartender's contract, followed by Mr. Kelley's reinstatement within the position, where he belongs." Obadiah replied, "I'm sure you heard me the first time." He didn't drop that scowl of his for even a second - after so long, it had become etched into the skin of his face.
"Sir." The man replied, "Did Danny here mention that I fired him because of some rude remarks he made about Vanessa? Who, frankly, does a much better job as a bartender than he ever did-"
"Oh, shut it." The man sitting next to Obadia, Daniel Kelley, interrupted, "You keep her around because she dresses like a slut, and the cheap little tricks she does with her ice powers."
"It brings people in!" The manager retorted, "You're not gonna get me to fire her just because you think it's "unfair". It's not a matter of racism or, whatever, she's just better than you."
Daniel was about to fire back when Obadiah raised his hand to interject. He gave the manager a stern look as he said, "Allow me... if you would, to explain the bigger picture here. While your own views of Mr. Kelley and Ms. Hodges' workplace-applicable skills can be justified, you are putting yourself in a negative position by keeping her here."
"How?" The manager replied.
"The riot, that took place earlier today. Has that passed by your attention?" Obadiah asked, "Because it's still very fresh in most other peoples' minds."
"Vanessa wasn't a part of that. She was here, she doesn't support that kind of bullshit."
"It's inconsequential if she supports it or not." Obadiah continued, leaning forward, "Have you noticed a decrease in patrons as of today? I've gone over your customer reports, you're normally quite busier than this."
"So?" The manager replied, "It's just a slow day, what's your point?"
"There are going to be a lot more slow days if you keep Ms. Hodges around." Obadiah replied, "Because as a result of that unruly display of meta-human fervor, people are going to start losing trust in them. Your average bar-goer may have their own set of thoughts and opinions, but a collective can only judge by a collective. They won't take you for a neutral party purely because she's around, so to them it'll mean you must support her. With people in general, humans and metas, most everything is formed on assumptions. And people are going to start assuming the worst about metas, that I guarantee you."
Obadiah paused to gauge the manager's stilled reaction, before following up with, "Do you want your business to suffer?"
There was a moment before he tried to come up with an answer, but Obadiah interjected once more. "See it this way." He said, "Either you keep Vanessa and throw yourself in with a crowd you have no business with, or you retake Kelley and play it safe. At least one can guarantee you'll be able to keep more people coming."
The manager thought for a moment, before proceeding to say, "What if she... doesn't take it well?"
"Then you have the authorities deal with her." Obadiah replied, "Such is the case that there's just another reason not to keep her."
More silence. The manager sighed, rubbed his forehead a bit, and then said, "Just... how can you be so sure?"
"I've been doing this for a while." Obadiah responded sternly, "I know this system all too well."
The manager nodded before proceeding to ask, "Can you leave me and Danny to talk over his... reinstatement terms?"
"I'm not gonna gouge you for anything, man." Daniel said to him, "I like this place. I don't wanna see it go down."
As the manager nodded, Obadiah took a moment to stand up, getting a good balance on his cane. "Consider investing in some level of security." Obadiah said as he turned towards the door, "In the wake of the worst possible scenario, it'd be for the best."
And with that, he exited the office, and shut the door behind him.
...
Two men were waiting for him as he hobbled over to the car. "How'd it go?" Inquired one, as Obadiah approached.
"Well enough." He replied, continuing onward. "The riot is providing good leverage, but we're still only in contact with our initial supporters. I want you to start looking into local radio stations, that we might be able to use to reach out more. With how it is here, we have to mix caution with ambition."
"Yes, sir." The man replied, opening up the back seat door for Obadiah before taking the passenger seat for himself. "What about TV stations?"
"Not yet." Obadiah replied, "Little by little, James."
Ellen clicked the bumper down, held it for a half second, then released. On screen a grenade was produced, spun, and then the small brown cylinder was hurled through a window. There was the sound of scuffling feet, and then the grenade went off, the small indicator vanishing from the HUD as Ellen vaulted through the window. There was a murky haze in the air, it pixelated slightly as her game jumped, and a figure appeared in the doorway. Her room filled with the roar of the shotgun in her hands, and the figure vanished in a red smog.
She reloaded, nailing the active, and rounded the corner, only to be greeted by a mine. The explosion reduced everything above the waist to a mere handful of meaty chunks. The legs stood there for a moment, before slowly and dramatically falling to their knees.
“Lucky bastard!”
She flopped backwards onto her bed, perched as she had been on the edge. She splayed out, letting the controller fall from her elongated fingers. It had taken some practice to get used to her new digits, and in truth she hadn’t really. She was just bored, and the Xbox with its slightly unstable internet connection offered the swiftest route out of that boredom. She was tired now of struggling through the suddenly uncomfortable control scheme though, and used her toe to push the button on the sleek black console.
She flipped the channel over, idly scanning for something of interest, and skipped back briefly to the news. The images shown were of metahumans, powers were being used freely, lights flashing out above a crowd of people that flowed and moved like one being. Then the shot cut over to another of the crowd, but this time green clouds were blossoming amidst the crowd, and people were collapsing. The newscaster’s voice over the top was impassive and professional, far removed from the chaos his station was broadcasting.
“The Concert Plaza riot is leading to more questions on the efficacy of RAVEN and whether they dealt with the situation in the appropriate manner. A number of metahumans present blame RAVEN for opening fire and escalating what was intended to be a peaceful demonstration. A Raven Spokesperson had this to say-“
Ellen turned the TV off in disgust. She tried to avoid the discussions of metahuman rights, partly out of denial. After all, if anyone needed some kind of protection and support thanks to their abilities it would be her. She had no idea if she would wake up one week with fur, or with fire instead of hair. The room she stayed in was one of the Academy’s few individual rooms for students. It was isolated from the power grid and proofed against fire and water damage, as well as having a whole host of other fail safes she didn’t pretend to understand. She understood that it was expensive though, and if it hadn’t been for her waking up in her first year and releasing poisonous spores into a dormitory that held five other girls then the expense wouldn’t have been justified. No one had been permanently harmed, but if she had woken an hour earlier then she may very well have been the only one walking out.
It felt lonely sometimes, having her own room, when most of the other students were either in dormitories or at least sharing a room. As was her wont though, she made the best of the situation, enjoying the space she had. This meant that her room was rather more like a teenager’s than most teenagers, thanks to her mother not being around to stop her from making use of the floor as a wardrobe.
She tossed the controller onto the bedside table, and collected together the books scattered about the room. There were half a dozen, and she’d made it through all of them over the last week. Most people didn’t have the full twenty-four hours in the day to read, but she did, and it was fortunate that the library was both well-stocked, and accessible even in the middle of the night. She levered the books into her rucksack and slung it onto her back. At least reaching the higher shelves would be easier with her newfound climbing talents.
The library wasn’t empty, there were a few older students in here, at least that she could see, most of them were sat with heavy textbooks open before them, although one or two were also making use of the libraries computers. There was a small shelf protruding from the wall, with a small alcove set into the wall behind it. She scanned her books in and watched as the machine accepted each one and dropped them down into storage, they’d be replaced on their shelves the next morning.
She slung the bag onto her back once more, and headed into the library, she avoided the metahuman section. It didn’t interest her, as far as she concerned there was nothing more she could learn about her ability. When she had first developed she had tried to learn about it, but it had become rapidly clear to her that she really couldn’t predict it. She couldn’t even find evidence of someone with a similar ability, not to say that there was no one, but being totally unable to find records of it had been somewhat demoralising.
She’d given up on it eventually, and now only really looked up information on metahumans when her classes required it or when she manifested a particularly unusual power. Needless to say, she avoided having to know anymore about metahumans than she needed to. It was childish, and petty, but she didn’t want to know more, didn’t want to give any validation to the thing that had ruined her life.
She pulled a random book out of the fantasy section, and was greeted by an image of a demonic figure in plate armour. Heavy horns grew from the creature’s forehead and his eyes glowed a baleful red. The words ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ were emblazoned just above the title of the book. ‘Redemption’.
She shrugged mentally and took the book over to one of the many tables scattered throughout the unshelved areas of the library. She liked having her own space, but would have felt anti-social simply lurking in her room all day. Anyway, she was meeting up with a few friends later, tomorrow afternoon she reminded herself, so she could start on whatever the hell this book was before she went to meet them.
It was another late night in the Academy, and Wendy herself was merely just relaxing as she lied down on her stomach, on the floor. Merely combing through this book for the last few hours. What a day, what a day... She looked outside, and noticed that it was nighttime by now. Bah. Where did the day go? Well, it was certainly an eventful one. Starting off with nearly freezing to death in Havenfield, to getting her power revealed, to meeting some new faces.
Perhaps she should take it easy tomorrow... but, the night was still young. With the advent of her 'adulthood', Wendy gained the ability to go where ever she pleased, even at night. She had gotten in trouble a few times for staying out after curfew, but the authorities wouldn't bother her if she's confirmed eighteen.
Still, going out at night on her own didn't interest her that much. Especially when... she, for once in her life, put down her phone and looked at the contacts. It wasn't an extensive list - just people from the Academy, her closed circle of friends, and family - but she had a few people on it. Wendy scrolled down on the list until she came across Rori. Taking in an exhale, she sent the bird girl a text:
Hey Rori, I know it's a little late, but do you want to come with me to go explore Courtbridge? I heard it looks great at night, and maybe we can take a few pictures that'll help with your drawing.
Rori's response was prompt.
Yeah, sure, sounds like it'll be fun! I need some inspiration for my art :)
A smile found its way on Wendy's lips.
Alright, should I pick you up, or will you make it to Courtbridge on your own?
It would probably be best if you could pick me up - area probably too crowded for me to fly there and then change.
Good, I'll go straight there.
After that text, Wendy put her phone down for a moment. She got up off the floor, and examined her outfit, before she realized that she was presentable enough. With a nod of her head, and moved towards the exit, and started marching through the halls of the Academy. At this hour, there wasn't really a lot of people out, as they were all asleep, or just winding down for the day.
Which was something that Wendy should be doing, but adventure awaits, yeah? Wendy quickly made it out the doors of the Academy, and was assaulted by winds of the dark night as she casually scrolled over to her moped, and scrolled off into the Faircrest Woods.
Driving through Faircrest was a sensation that was very familiar to her. Fortunately for her, the trip from the Academy to Woodlake wasn't that long - since there wasn't that much traffic going around at night. She arrived in front of Rori's house, a place that she had visited many times like Rori had visited her in the Academy. Wendy came to a stop, and whipped out her phone.
I'm out front.
Rori had pretty much got everything they needed together, so it was only a minute or two before they practically burst out the front door of their house - heading over to Wendy before pausing and turning around to actually shut the door and lock up. Max would murder them if they got stuff stolen because Rori left the door open.
"Hi!" Rori grinned at Wendy as they reached their friend. "This is going to be fun - I haven't had much inspiration for art recently, so hopefully this will help!"
"Yeah, yeah," Wendy said as Rori hopped on. This was going to be so much fun, going out and taking even more pictures. She wondered if she could get on top of a really tall building, and then get a picture of Baybridge (or Prince Ed-Field) as a whole. Wendy made sure to adjust her helmet, before she said, "Hang on!"
It always made Haruka exhilarated whenever he took his twin's FZ-09 out for a spin; the rush of wind that slapped against his lean frame as he sped down the highway... was just like the sensation when he was literally flying in the air. He had to be careful not to actually fly off with the bike, though.
He had been to Courtbridge numerous times, but he didn't like that place much - if he could buy the same thing at a much more reasonable price around Rosemaple Lake (which was also close to where he lived), why would he want to travel all the way to Prince Ed-Field? As Shizuka would say, "Everything in that place is practically daylight robbery."
Well, unless it was something he had to get from Courtbridge because it wasn't available in Rosemaple. One of Akemi's customers was a difficult one to please, and some of the materials for the bouquet decoration were only sold at specialized shops in Courtbridge. After all, a wedding ceremony was an important event to anybody in their life.
He pumped the engine and the bike shot forward, his speed now at the maximum limit for the route. Hopefully he could finish his shopping and get back home without having to stay overnight in the most expensive district in the whole of Baybridge.
Unfortunately for him, nothing would go as he had planned. Again.
Victor looked down at his watch. It was getting late. The next day was a work day, so he'd have to get up at around 5 AM in order to get to the lab and start setting things up. He wasn't too concerned about Sarah. She rarely slept at night. Apparently, she spent most of her nights playing games or watching anime. He looked over at her phone. It was still laying face-up, now with a number as its top score that he didn't even know existed. Across the street was a local mall. It was a small one, rather quaint for a city as big as Baybridge, but it had a nice bookstore in it. He shrugged. Perhaps he'd go buy a book. Victor got up from his chair. It sizzled like a cast-iron skillet.
"I think I'm going to head over to the mall," Victor said. "You feel like coming with me?" Sarah shrugged. She downed the rest of her coffee in a single gulp.
"Eh, sure," she said. "I think there's a Gamestop in there. I've been meaning to get my hands on the newest Fire Emblem."
"When do you get the time to play all these games?" Victor asked.
"I take short naps throughout the day. Plus I can control the games still if they're in my pocket." Sarah looked down at the phone. The Candy Crush score keeper had given up now and just showed a large aleph-null.
"Eh, so long as you don't fall asleep when you're handling lab equipment, I don't care what you do." Victor said. Sarah took her cup back inside. Then the two of them walked across the street and entered the mall.
It was a fairly standard-looking place, two stories with faux-marble floors and glass ceilings. Tropical plants were scattered here and there. A large water fountain stood in front of the Macy's. The Gamestop was a few feet inside of the door. Sarah half-dragged Victor inside with her. She began perusing the shelves, looking for her game. Victor watched a kid playing a demo of Super Smash Brothers. Sarah had gotten Victor to play the game previously. All that remained of his time playing it was a contorted Game Cube controller. Sarah kept him strictly to non-competitive games after that.
As Kei had expected his sister was not entirely happy with the situation that had happened. He had let her talk at him until he had been able to explain that it didn't matter what she wanted, he was going to be under RAVEN protection for a bit. It wasn't just for him. It was for her and Thanh as well. He would visit them, though, just like he had then.
Of course, it didn't stop him from feeling absolutely shit about what had happened. It wasn't like he'd had much of a life before but it had pretty much been thrown into shambles by this. Which was just wonderful.
Worn out from staring at a computer screen for most of the day, Anna massaged her forehead as she clocked out for the evening. After passing through the multitude of obligatory security checkpoints, she entered the main lobby.
Thoughts of going out for a drink and getting some warm food in her stomachache floating in and out of her mind; he stomachache rumbled as responding to the mere thought of being fed. She was checking her smartphone for any new restaurants that may have opened recently, when she caught someone's figure out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see Kei alone in the lobby.
She had heard about the 'incident' of a meta-powered blizzard hitting the market, secondhand. The forensic specialists who dropped off the mountain of evidence towards the end of her shift were more than happy to recount the tale of a freak occurrence of a Metahuman's power overloading. Luckily, the truckload of work they left in her office was the next shift's responsibility to process. She didn't envy them, but felt a tiny bit guilty for leaving a few minutes early.
She halted when she noticed Kei's flat expression and the standard issue RAVEN collar around his neck. His mood seemed sour. Anna wasn't usually one to pry into the personal woes of others, but she felt it necessary to, at least, try to brighten his mood, especially in light of all that happened.
"If you're hungry, I wouldn't mind some company for dinner. There's a new place in the mall we could check out." She beamed an energetic smile as she stole a quick, wary glance at his collar as she approached. Images of the innocent siren girl at the Allegiance rally flashed in her mind.
"To be honest, you look like you could use a drink." Her smile now held in check a mixed, pained expression. She couldn't help feeling the need to protect her own. Metahuman life was difficult enough without a catastrophe hanging over your head. "I'd be more than happy to play chaperon, and I doubt anyone would mind."
Kei looked up from where he'd been sitting, essentially moping, as an agent approached him. "Uh, yeah, sure if you think that's fine. I haven't had anything to eat since this morning so... pretty hungry." And if there was one thing Kei liked, it was food. Company not so much. But it was better than staying here feeling story for himself. "Thank you, I'd appreciate that." He tried to smile at Anna, but he doubted it worked. "I don't imagine I'm allowed out alone, so yeah thanks."
"C'mon. I call for an Uber." She grabbed Kei's hand absentmindedly, and pulled him along at her pace. A few quick swipes and taps onto her phone's screen, and their ride was already en route.
Neither of the guards at the front gate bothered to stop them on their way out. It was late, and when they looked up at her, she simply returned their stares with a smile and flashed her clearance badge. It was just recently revoked, but they didn't know that. And judging from the nervous look on their faces, they weren't going to check it either.
Courtbridge, Prince Ed-Field_
The two stepped out of the car, but an awkward silence still lingered. Anna sent off their hired chauffeur with a nice tip and he drove away with a wave of his hand. The mall stood before them, imposing in its three-story stature, but also filled with the energetic bustle of thousands of people.
"If I remember correctly, there's a tap room that opened up on the top floor. Snake and Jake's Atomic Lounge or something like that..." She turned to Kei. "Hey, do you like karaoke?"
Kei took a deep breath, trying to ignore the fact that there were so many people in this place. It was fine. It would be fine. He turned to look at Anna. "I've never tried it, so I don't know if I like it or not. Maybe?" The chances are he wouldn't enjoy it, but he wasn't going to say that.
"Good. It's more fun and terrifying the first time you try it anyway. Besides this place supposedly serves some amazing food." She began reading from a menu she'd pulled up on her phone. "Teriyaki chicken dogs on a sesame bun, crawfish étouffée on pizza, a southwestern ostrich omelette, risotto-stuffed duck... Sounds interesting, right?"
Kei instantly, and noticeably, perked up at the mention of amazing food. His dark eyes grew wider as Anna began to read out what was on the menu. "It really does sound interesting... Let's go there. I've never eaten any of that." And he'd tried a lot of food.
Without waiting for Kei to finish, Anna grabbed his hand again and started walking. "Let's go," was all she needed to hear. The sea of warm bodies that filled the halls of the mall made the air much more hot and humid, despite industrial A/C units installed overhead blasting arctic winds on the crowd below.
Despite the crowds, it took only about ten minutes and a few escalator rides to reach the top floor. All the seats inside were taken by the time two arrived. Only a few bar-stools centered around an aluminum table remained vacant.
The two girls arrived at a mall in Courtbridge. Not just any mall, but the mall. The Ranchester Mall in Courtbridge. It wasn't the biggest mall in Baybridge, nor was it the most popular, but it certainly had it's own charm.
Wendy rolled up into a moped parking spot, and the two walked through the massive parking lot until they made it through the busy doors of the Ranchester Mall. After they stepped inside, all that was in sight was store after store, after store. Ranging from clothing stores, to food, to electronics, to whatever. What this mall had going for it was how scenic it looked. There were gardens, various fountains, and even a nice little foodcourt.
There wasn't much for Wendy... but she was here to take some pictures. This was just one stop before she gets high, and climbs on board a building to take the real pictures. Wendy took a few large steps in. "So, Rori, wanna have a look around Ranchester before we keep moving?"
"Yeah, let's look around here a bit first," Rori smiled. They hadn't been to Ranchester Mall in ages... It hadn't appealed for a while since it had been a place they frequented when essentially living in a forest. "There's some really nice stuff in here''
"Yeah." Wendy stated. "...But I want to know if there's a good bookstore in here. Y'know those are hard to come by."
"I'm sure between us we can find a bookstore!" Rori somewhat dramatically responded. "...If there is one that is. But we'll find it if it exists!"
"C'mon, every mall has a bookstore..."
Shopping had always been Haruka's least favorite pastime.
It wasn't too hard to get all the materials he needed - Akemi was kind enough to provide him a list with all the specific shop names and details - but he didn't enjoy being asked for the reason he was getting them. ("Are these for your girlfriend?" "...No.")
Sending a message to his aunt that he had everything, he glanced at the time at the corner of the screen. Maybe he could drop by a bookstore and browse a few books before heading home.
It didn't take him long to find one. It was close to the escalator down a level, and the shop was quite empty - just two staff, and a few customers. Ignoring all the bestsellers that lined up the shelves near the entrance (most of which were some serial erotica he had no interest in), he headed for the back of the bookshop - to the non-fiction section.
The man that was responsible for the previous Overload the very day mounted himself on a opposing building. Wearing a white armor with the Pure insignia on his chest, he had on a red mask that gave everyone clear view of his eyes - but well concealed his face. This man reached into a briefcase, and pulled out a specialized rifle in which the weapon was modified to fire darts, opposed to bullets. He knelt down on the very edge of the building, and aimed down the scopes of the rifle.
The Metahuman menace wasn't going to end through violence... No, they have to turn the world against them. He's doing God's work here. He leveled his scope towards Anna. A RAVEN... most of the RAVENS were Metahuman, and going off the information he'd gathered, this was one of those Metahumans.
"...God's work," The man muttered to himself.
The man fired the rifle, and a dart full of a blue, glowing, liquid came flying out the barrel of the gun, and went flying towards Anna's neck.
Anna recoiled the moment the hypodermic tip stabbed into her neck. She could feel of rush of cool liquid under her skin and in a few moments, arcs of white energy crackled around her. The floodgates holding her power in check had been destroyed, and as the cascade tore through all of her mental barriers, the torrent of metahuman energy lashed out from Anna in every direction. The sensation was so overwhelming, she couldn't barely think or move. Her body shuddered and spasmed as if the energy inside her was clawing to get out.
A wave of shimmering silky white light rushed across the walkways and into the bar nearby. As the seconds dragged on it threatened to cover the entire corner of the building. Pedestrians just getting off the escalator, shoppers in a nearby clothing store, and every plastered patron in the nearby bar were blasted with ethereal white waves that seeped into every fiber of their being.
Anna's power stoked the fires of creation and spurred the birth of dozens of new metahumans in only a few moments. Her energy quickly pervaded the entire area.
A woman who'd collapsed on the ground writhed wildly as shocks of black fur tore through her skin and twisted her muscles. The nearby store clerk wretched at the sight, and fell through the floor like a ghost as she fainted. A small boy nestled in his baby carriage took flight, taking the stroller with him as his distraught mother held desperately on to the handle bars.
A gout of fire seared the air inside the restaurant and ignited several bottles of hard liquor in a colorful ball of fire. One patron at the bar became as black as the cinders of his cigarette; the ashes falling off his body burned through the fabric of the two ladies sitting next to him. Another fell into a rage and with inhuman strength ripped a booth from restraining bolts in the floor and threw it into the main thoroughfare.
Myriad bystanders were forever changed, and still more would fall victim to Anna infectious, energizing power in the minutes to come. Mass hysteria wracked the building as nervous shouts of bombs and Allegiance attacks created a rancorous atmosphere of contagious anxiety.
Chaos had descended.
As Wendy was leaning over towards the mall map, she was unaware of the disaster that would be overcoming the area. She felt a wave of white energy overwhelm her as she suddenly felt stronger. "Huh?" Wendy said as she took a few steps back, and found herself staring at her hands as she felt her grasp over her power slipping. Her hands started turning white like paper as paper, cardboard, and everything similar started flying around out of control.
The paper around her had started to form an uncontrollable storm as tons of paper began to whirl around. Wendy's head started shifting from right to left as she realized the mighty storm that had begun to form around her. "What? What? What the hell is going..." Wendy trailed off, worried.
She started floating up into the air, and she began to panic as her body turned into paper - starting at her hands. Her hands were turning into paper slips that were being added to the growing paper storm. It was a painful experience that caused her to scream.
Before she had completely vanished.
Standing beside Wendy, Rori had only just realised that they were being hit with a lot of paper before the white energy also hit them. A hot, prickling pain moved down their arms and legs along with up towards their face from their neck. Not sure what was happening, and ignoring the other chaos that was happening around them, they pulled off their hoodie to try and look at their arms.
It wasn't a pretty sight. Feathers had began to grow from whatever part of their body that was left uncovered by them, sticky with blood from piercing through Rori's skin. No. They didn't want to become more like a bird.
The pain intensified and spread across their entire body. It was similar to the feeling they got when they got stuck mid change, yet different all the same. Rori fell forward, landing on their knees with a pained cry. A loud crack, coming from their own body, just about reached their own ears through the loud noises from other panicked people. It felt like something was ripping into their back and tearing away at the flesh. They didn't know what was going on. Something was seriously wrong with their body, and it hurt so badly. They just wanted it to stop.
Haruka looked up from the book suddenly - although muffled by the loud in-store music, he could hear sounds of screaming. He was about to put the book down when a flash of white light hit him. He could feel the Metahuman energy inside him growing stronger...
No, it was beyond just becoming stronger. It was getting out of his control.
His wind power made the shelves the rattled before the books were ripped off from them, spinning around him as the cyclone grew bigger and faster. The hardcovers shattered the lights, plunging the bookstore into darkness. Then the whirlwind of books knocked the shelves over, tearing through the ceiling and sucking more air from the ventilation... from everywhere within the mall. To feed the growing tornado that was soon bursting out of the bookstore, pulling more than just books into the vortex.
Haruka had no idea what was going on, but he knew he had to do something... because if he couldn't stop his power, he would end up suffocating everyone in this entire building.
But how?
Gritting his teeth, he poured every ounce of his willpower to try regaining his control over his air manipulation power. The rate the whirlwind of books and debris was expanding was starting to slow down a little, but he knew that dispelling the tornado was going to take a lot more work.
At the moment, that was impossible for him. Not when merely holding the cyclone at bay was already draining his stamina very quickly.
While he had an outstretched hand to hold down the whirlwind, the other was clutched to his mobile. Should he try to call for help? He thought of his twin, then decided against it. Sure, Shizuka would abandon whatever work he was doing and come running here at top speed, but Haruka had sworn to himself that he should stop being overly dependent on his younger brother. Besides, he didn't want Shizuka to be caught up in this - not with how his intangibility could become a double-edged sword.
Pocketing the phone, he continued to try slowing down the tornado's growth as much as he could, now with both hands. A part of him was hoping that help was already on its way, while the other part posed a question in his mind:
What is this deja vu feeling?
Kei tried not to panic as white energy arced off Anna. People all around started losing control... At least that's what Kei assumed it was. He stood beside her, frozen, with no idea what to do. He could only assume he was unaffected (mostly) due to the suppresant collar around his neck.
He knew he should do something to make Anna stop. But he wasn't exactly the right guy for the job. When he'd lost control he'd been knocked out by something. He didn't want to knock out Anna - it didn't really seem like the right thing to do.
He didn't know what the fuck he should do.
Shortly after the child at the demo station had won his third straight game of Super Smash Brothers with Bayonetta, Victor felt a strange wave of nausea overtake him. A blinding light from outside flooded the store. He fell to his knees, his hands covering his eyes, his eyes filled with blinding orange light. It didn't take long for him to realize that the light wasn't coming from the hallway anymore. Orange flames flew from every spot of open skin on his body, igniting whatever it touched. Soon, the store was engulfed in flames. The shelves of video games melted into plastic sludge and dripped to the floor. The TV screens exploded. The glass windows shattered from the fire. He held out his hand to grasp the wall. A jet of flames rocketed forcefully from his fingertips. Ceiling tiles collapsed. Light bulbs popped. Chaos ensued. Sarah had run from the store and was now laying on the ground in the hallway, covering her ears with her hands. A nearby cell phone cart was alight with ring tones and vibrations. The mall security cameras spun three hundred-sixty degrees around. The elevators started moving backwards. Her jacket was on fire.
A wooden beam crashed down from the ceiling. Victor heard screams from the floor up above. He guessed that the heat was causing the floor up above to burn. Victor wracked his brains for ways to stop the fire. He considered smothering himself with his jacket, but that wouldn't work. The fire had spread from him and was now consuming other flammable objects in the room. A portion of drywall collapsed. The fire began to gnaw away at the wooden frame holding the store up. Victor could feel his body grow thinner with every second. The wood in the walls was ripped away and flew telekinetically to his fingertips, fueling the fire. More flames rocketed towards the floor from his idle hands. If someone didn't do something soon, the walls would collapse and another store would be engulfed in flames.
Victor pulled his hands into their sleeves. Then he took his jacket off. He threw the jacket over his face. Then he pulled it tight with his hands, hoping to prevent more flames from spreading. All he could do now was cross his fingers and hope that nobody died. He didn't see any bodies around, but someone easily could suffocate from smoke inhalation if they were behind the counter. He thought he could hear someone screaming nearby. He hoped to God they'd be okay. A crash came from overhead. A jewelry kiosk collapsed through the burning floor with a deafening "WHOOSH!" Victor was crushed under the weight. Then he blacked out.
Moments ago, Quentin had just parked up somewhere and was about to head inside to pick up a parcel for Reed. What it was, he'd no idea and now it didn't matter. Seconds after stepping inside, he'd noticed the screams resonating through the crowd, the glowing white energy pulsing in rapid succession as it spread from one to another.
Instinctively, a hand shot for his holstered P-01, the other for his phone to call in backup, but the wave of glowing energy grew ever closer and it seemed as if 911 was overwhelmed. Out of options, he dialled one of the few people that he knew he could count on.
As the call dialled, then picked up, Quentin said what he could.
"Quentin? I'm in the middle of..." Meifeng tried to answer, but Quentin trailed off. "Quentin - Hold on, help's on the way!" She tried to state, but the phone went dead.
And then.. Quentin didn't know what the hell it was, but it made him feel... overwhelmed. Hairs bristled on the back of his neck, his bare skin tingled every time anyone else stumbled near him, as if just a single touch would overpower his senses. Luckily, he still had his gloves on, but it still took an intense amount of focus just to fight it.
Already, people in the crowd were running or turning on each other. He saw a hundred faces die and be reborn anew, their new abilities adding to the unnatural glow. Some stumbled towards him, he felt a hand grasp his shoulder and pulled away.
Then another tugged at his leg, then at his palm, then his face - that last one was overwhelming. With all the might he had, Quentin tried to focus, stop them from using him as a conduit before they ashed themselves out. He fought through the crowd for as long as he could, before finally blacking out.
Still panicking, Kei glanced around him to see if there was anyone else was around to help. Unfortunately, everyone in the near vicinity was in the process of losing control to some degree; after all, they'd gotten the full effects of Anna's power.
He didn't have any fancy stuff like the RAVEN agents had when they took him out but he was just going to have to deal with that. Not that he knew how to safely knock someone out. Or anything combat related, outside of the video game world which didn't help.
Trying to stop panicking Kei grabbed Anna by the shoulders and started shaking her in the hope that doing just that would somehow help. Unsurprisingly it didn't do anything to stop the energy that was spreading from her and causing chaos in the mall. Great. Kei tried to breathe. He could do this. He had two choices that he could think of: knocking her out with some kind of punch or semi-strangling. He didn't feel like either were safe. Though... with this chaos the entire mall wasn't safe.
He should probably do something. Sighing slightly to himself, he gathered his attention. while trying to ignore everything that was going on around him, Kei hesitantly wrapped his hands around Anna's neck and squeezed hard.
As he did, Anna's body twitched on instinct, but she still couldn't move her arms to resist. Her nerves were on fire and her mind was being blasted by the stimulus of her own power. She had no way to keep it in check. Arcs of pale white energy struck at Kei's skin, as if trying to enter his body. Like a swarm of wasps, they stung at his skin.
Kei's eyes widened as the energy hit his skin, wincing at the pain. Confusion crossed his features as he slowly realised what exactly was happening. He loosened his grip on Anna's neck so he was no longer actually constricting it, but didn't move his hands. If he could continue like this maybe it would drain whatever she was doing...He could handle the stinging. Probably.
He didn't really expect the pain to get worse. It began to feel like something was growing inside of him, something he couldn't release. It felt absolutely horrible. He realised that this must be something to do with his power. He was beginning to overheat slightly, and he desperately wanted to cool his surroundings. But he couldn't. And he was glad that he couldn't, considering what happened last time.
But the collar would stop him from losing control like then. At least, he thought it should.
However after a short while of doing whatever the hell he was doing, however, he realised that the collar wasn't going to hold it all back. The growing power inside of him had only gotten a lot worse, the stinging seeming to increase. It was as if his power was try to push out of his body and past the restraints as best as it could. He felt like he was either going to melt, or the inside of his body was going to rip itself out.
It began to get cold. It was gradual, a lot slower than when he was first overloaded. The cold slowly moved outwards from him, combatted within the restaurant by the person who had began setting things on fire. Slowly, but surely, his power began to leak out around the restrictions placed on it. Ice began to form on him. First the top of his hands, slowly spreading across his arms. The thin layer began to thicken. Thankfully the ice seemed to stay put as it slowly covered his body. And he didn't feel like he was melting anymore.
However what had begun gradual suddenly got a lot worse, whatever was happening was now speeding up. The cold aura that hung around him increased in radius and temperatures plummeted to well below freezing near him. Any exposed water, including a few spilled drinks due to the chaos, froze instantly. With most people dressed for the summer weather, the sudden drop in temperature would make them very uncomfortable at least.
It was different from when he had been overloaded himself. The ice that had begun on his hands was quickly spreading to all of his body and increasing in volume, some of it breaking off and in a small area around him. A bit spread from his hands and onto Anna. Soon he was coated in a solid layer of ice that covered every inch of his body. As it continued to grow on him it began to break off and actually shoot off him in most directions; only small
His power seemed to be fighting against the continual restraint from the collar... Pushing against it more and more. What had been an uncomfortable feeling at first escalated as a small ice storm localised on Kei formed. Thankfully for anybody nearby this was short lived as what seemed to be a classh between his power and the collar trying to restrain it set off a large, extreme burst of ice and cold, only solidifying the ice around him, before it got too much and overwhelmed his body.
Frozen into place, hands still placed on Anna's neck, he blacked out.
This is... true freedom.
The thoughts whirled around in Wendy's head as she became one with the paper storm. It felt like she was losing it. Slipping into an insanity as she stopped panicking... and stopped feeling anything for this matter. This is the longest she's ever been paper, she didn't feel like she was out of breath even in the slightest. This is true... freedom. Her entire consciousness was spread out throughout her paper form - a true storm of paper - and she could see everything through her eyes. The destruction, the pain, the chaos.
Yet, it didn't matter much to her.
There was only a sense of bliss as she felt like she was attaching happiness to this moment as some desperate attempt not to lose herself. It was working. She couldn't control herself, or her power, but everything was fine. Wendy saw the world tear itself apart around her, but she still had all the books that she had loved oh so very much.
A brief fear appeared in the fear of ashing at any given moment now, but Wendy would hold onto hope long as she could. She had no idea what was going on, but she hoped that it would come to an end soon. Before she, or Rori, died. Wendy just wanted the two of them to make it out without dying...
"...Huh?" Wendy voiced mentally as she noticed a change.
The paper storm that had been raging, causing so much damage was beginning to slow down. Wendy was weakening, and the paper began to slowly descend downwards. She didn't know whether or not to feel relieved that she could maintain her paper form while not having to worry about holding her breath.
It wasn't long before the paper slips that Wendy was previously comprised of were added back to her main body. Forming a vaguely humanoid mass of paper that slowly lowered to the ground. Once every piece of Wendy was reassembled, she immediately snapped back into her human form. Flesh, blood, and bones. The Wendy she's used to.
Her fall back to earth was graceless - falling facedown onto the dirty mall floor - but she was glad to be alive. Albeit, exhausted. Her eyes reflexively closed, before she forced them open as she raised her head up into the air to have a look around. The paper she was controlling was all over the place, slowly falling to the chaotic mall peacefully.
For a moment, everything seemed peaceful. Whatever the hell happened came to a stop, and everyone was confused as hell as to what happened. A relieved sigh managed to escape Wendy's lips as she stopped wondering what happened, and focused on the fact that it's all over.
However, as she was scanning the area, she saw something familar.
"...Rori!" Wendy tried to cry out, but she was far too exhausted to climb back to her feet. She... she needed to make sure Rori was okay! It was her damn fault she got caught up in this like she was. It was all because of Wendy's selfishness because she couldn't be alone for one night.
Every bone in Wendy's body was telling her to get up, and help Rori. She has already paid the price for losing control merely by coming here. She could afford to spend a little bit more just to help Rori. Using every once of her strength, Wendy managed to push herself to her feet. She stumbled a little bit, greatly weakened by the previous experience, but she managed to collect herself.
It was a challenging experience for Wendy to walk her way over to Rori, she was exhausted, and in pain. She couldn't use her power at all, either - she was simply too exhausted, and it'd be a waste of her resources given that she was so hellbent on getting over to Rori. She pulled her feet to the best of her ability. With every pace, she managed to drag herself closer, and closer to the bird girl-
Wendy was suddenly blindsided when someone ran up to her. A tall man, with a head of blonde hair, and blue eyes. Wendy didn't get a good look at him as he bumrushed her in a blind panic. Screaming into her face as he desperately grabbed onto her shoulders and shook her back and fourth. It didn't take Sherlock Holmes to deduce what had gotten the man so frightened.
He was ashing.
The whole experience was too much for him, and his Metahuman abilities, and his body was self-destructing. Flicks of black ash fell off him, and it's rate was increasing. That wasn't the problem. What Wendy had noticed was that he was touching bare skin. His electrical ability was causing the energy to dance across his skin. It wasn't bothering Wendy because it was transferring to her.
As the man was making contact with her, his very touch was causing her Metahuman energy to glow brightly. She started shaking as she subconsciously absorbed a bit of his Metahuman energy, and added it to her supply. It wasn't long before her own energy shifted and changed to mimic this change. It went from paper manipulation, to electricity manipulation. As his grasp continued, electricity began to dance across her own body.
Desperate to get the man off her (being geniunely frightened), she used all of her strength to push him off, screaming, "Get off!" Since the man was already weakened by Ashing, he started falling backwards, before he hit the ground. His rate of ashing had drastically sped up, and it wasn't long until he was nothing. Gone for good.
Throwing him off her had managed to throw Wendy herself off balance. She fell backwards onto her side, her body was still arcing with electricity. Wendy tried to push herself back up to her feet again, but she was just too weak at the moment. Which meant that she had to take the high route here.
This all meant the Lucker girl had to physically drag herself over to Rori. Which is what she did, using her determination alone to crawl along the floor. Every arm movement she made, every inch she moved towards Rori, she came closer and closer to her objective.
Her determination paid off when she made it over to Rori.
Right before she reached out to Rori, grabbing her by the arm, and giving her some gentle shakes to make sure that she's okay. "H-hey... Rori...." Wendy trailed off... before she realized that her newfound electrical ability was still active. She didn't give Rori any electrical shocks, but she made sure to let go before she could.
"Hey..." Wendy said, raising her voice. "Are you... are you... okay?"
Rori was in something of a sorry state. They had been moving in and out of consciousness. The pain due to whatever was happening to them was enough to cause it. They're arms were something of a bloody mess from the elbow down, with new feathers having painfully poked through and only just shed their protective coating. This was also true of the underneath of the chin and lower face; which were also now covered in soft brown feathers. That definitely, however, wasn't the worst of it.
Rori's body seemed to have decided it need to take a step further towards being a true human-bird hybrid. And it had taken the most logical leap. Out of Rori's back potruded what could hardly be described as wings. They were small, perhaps the length of Rori's arm, and shared some similarities to the wings of a baby bird. Flesh had only just formed on the bones, sticky with blood due to literally ripping through Rori's back. The sparse feathers than had formed on the membrane will still surrounded by a protective coating and as a result taking the appearance of tubes. It certainly wasn't a pretty site; nor were the longer tube-like feathers that had grown from her lower back to form something of a tail in the making.
Though everything seemed a little fuzzy, the pain had now moved from sharp to dull as they stopped turning more birdlike. Things moved a bit more into focus as they heard Wendy speaking.
"Huh?" Rori blinked for a moment, turning they're head slowly to look at Wendy. "Oh, hi Wendy. I'm not sure if I'm fine. I think that something hit my back, it hurts. Feels like there's something there. What even happened? We were-" Their eyes widened as, through their somewhat delirious state of mind, they recalled what had happened. "Are you okay?! You were turning into paper and everything more than normal! It was all papery everywhere." Though they seemed to be able to talk normally, if a bit pained, it was more of a constant stream of delirious thoughts coming out of their mouth. "You're not paper now though..."
"Yeeeeah, I'm... fine." Wendy stated as she finally rested her head down on the dirty floor. After what just happened? Wendy couldn't care less. She just kept her eyes on Rori. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine... I just want to know if you're okay..."
"I think I'm okay now," Rori just about managed to say, voice growing weaker. "I don't hurt everywhere... just more covered in feathers I think... And I kind of want to go to sleep." They frowned, trying to keep their eyes open. Something in the back of their mind told them that they should probably stay awake.
"That's... great." Wendy said as she was slipping into unconsciousness. "I... don't know what happened... but I'm just glad that you're okay."
"I'm glad you're okay too..." Rori said, before closing their eyes and blacking out.
Meifeng Zhao, Cindy Keagan. Maxine Diaz, Alice Barrett, Shizuka Takashiro, & Doctor Victor Calahan .
The very second the shitstorm at the mall started, the RAVENS who were investigating the cannibalism went straight to Courtbridge in their vehicle. They were going to leave this one to another group. Driving there fast as possible, but they knew they wouldn't be the first people there. The vehicle came to a stop right in front of the building. There were many RAVEN and DOVE vehicles already on scene. Along with a lot of ambulences, and DOVE vehicles carting out injured metahumans.
Meifeng was the first to hop out of the vehicle, and she quickly scanned the area, before she pressed her earpiece.
"Agent Meifeng Zhao, on scene with Agent Diaz, Agent Barrett, and Agent Takashiro," she announced on the comms as she quickly jogged onto the scene. She had to be prepared for anything, but... Jesus. This was a complete disaster. What... who the hell caused all of this?
Arriving next to the RAVEN truck was a black sedan with the DOVE insignia on the hood of the car. Hopping out of the vehicle was Agent Cindy Gabrielle Keagan with a clipboard in hand, and the first thing she did was pressed her earpiece, and started chattering incessantly into the comms.
"Yo, Cindy!" Meifeng shouted as she walked over to her friend in DOVE. "Do you have an idea of what the fuck happened here?!" Meifeng's voice was raised in irritation.
"I don't know myself," Cindy answered as she took her finger off the earpiece. "All I know was that every Metahuman in the mall went out of control."
"...That doesn't happen without a fucking reason." Meifeng crossed her arms.
A sharp exhale left Cindy's lips as she shrugged in resignation. "Look... I ain't got no idea what brand of loony shit happened here myself," she started off. "What we gotta do is pick up the pieces, put 'em back together, and then figure out what happened ourselves." Cindy sighed.
Facing Meifeng, she narrowed her eyes. "What you can do is search for the injured, dead, alive, whoever, and find some clues, anything."
"On it, Cap'n." Meifeng saluted Cindy as she moved on.
A wooden hand burst out from under a jewelry case that had fallen into the Gamestop. Victor pulled himself out from under the case and crawled his way out of the store on his elbows. The lower half of his body was missing. His shirt hung about him in rags, with large black burn holes growing as he moved. As he crawled, splinters of wood and pages of magazines drew themselves to him. They began to reform his lower half, slowly but surely. It would still take some time for him to regenerate from damage like that. The Gamestop itself was completely obliterated. The temperature inside had risen to ridiculous levels, and smoke made the air nearly opaque. The cashier behind the counter was motionless. A small hand towel covered their mouth and nose.
Once he reached the outside of the store, Victor saw that the phone kiosk had stopped gyrating. The energy burst was over. Sarah was unconscious in the middle of the floor, her jacket ruined by the flames. She would probably need a visit to the ER to heal the burns. Victor could hear the droning cacaphony of sirens off in the distance. Help wasn't far away. Exhausted, he rolled onto his back and stared up at the flames.
"Son of a bitch." The entire strip was ablaze. The fire had consumed several stores in a row on both levels. The fire chewed through dry wall like it was chewing gum. The haberdashery next door to the Gamestop went up near-instantly. Its polyester and cotton clothing caught flame with ease. The jewelry store above the Gamestop had burned and the fire was beginning to spread to a bookstore next to it. Mall employees fought back the flames with fire extinguishers to keep the bookstore from igniting. They knew that once it went up, there'd be no stopping the fire. A man with a fire extinguisher ran over to him. When he realized that the man crawling from the blaze didn't look human, his jaw dropped.
"You sunnovabitch!" the man shouted. "You did this!" He pointed the hose of the fire extinguisher at Victor.
"I didn't do it...intentionally," Victor was finding it hard to speak. His vocal cords had probably been crushed. "I don't know what-" The man shot him with the fire extinguisher. Victor screamed. The man shot him again.
"You bastard! I knew we shoulda killed off your kind long ago!" The man sprayed Victor as he spoke. Sodium bicarbonate. Toxic stuff to a man made of fire. Victor felt his right arm go numb. He felt as if his skin was being torn off.
...That sensation came to an end the moment something literally jumped in between the angered man, and Victor. Unfettered by the extinguisher.
A curved wall of ice (like a circle) had appeared in between the man, and Victor. Which blocked the fire extinguisher effectively. The man had already stopped, but by the time the cloud of the chemicals faded, it had revealed that Meifeng had leaped to Victor's rescue.
"Dude!" Meifeng shouted from behind the shield, trying to plead with him. "You're killing him! What happened here wasn't his fault! You need to calm down!"
The man shook his head and ran back to the Gamestop. He began to spray the flames. "Metahuman freaks," he shouted. "The Grand Imperial Reign was right! You all deserve to suffer for harassing people like us!" Something in the back of the store exploded. Violet sparks shot through the air. One hit the man's shirt. He shouted, cursed, and threw his fire extinguisher onto the ground.
Meifeng sighed as she put her hands out, and turned the ice into water, and then funneled the water into her pocket dimension. She'd need it. Meifeng then turned around and faced Victor. She couldn't help people's perception of Metahumans. What she could help was this poor bastard. She pressed her earpiece, and stated, "Hey, Greenbird, I found the Metahuman who was lighting up the west end of the mall. He appears to be a Mimicry-type Metahuman that's made of wood, shoots fire apparently. He's badly injured, send some meds over to the gamestore A-S-A-P."
"Yeah, I'm on my way," Cindy stated.
There was a hesitation to approach Victor in this state. He could blow at any minute... but that man was lighting him up with that extinguisher. Meifeng used the element of water, and that was the direct counter to fire.
"Hey, hey, buddy," Meifeng called out to him. "Are you okay? Help's on the way, hold on." Victor looked up at her. He couldn't move much. The fire extinguisher had struck his right leg stump. The left continued to regenerate, pulling shards of debris from the fires to repair itself. It had regenerated about halfway down his thigh. He noticed the RAVEN badge on her chest.
"I-I swear it wasn't me," Victor said. "I just started...erupting. Please, stop the fire. I don't want anyone else to get hurt."
"Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay..." Meifeng trailed off. "Don't worry about it, I'm going to handle it when my friend gets here." Victor pointed over to where Sarah laid on the ground.
"That's my assistant," he said. "Sarah. She got burned in the blast. Can you get her medical attention? I'll be fine. I'm regenerative... in nature." At least, he was when not covered in fire-retardant foam.
A mass of footsteps approaching signalled Cindy's arrival with a team of DOVE medics right behind him. Cindy arrived with a mask over her face (just in case of smoke, or a lethal gas being excreted throgh the air). She stood overtop of Victor.
"Shit, good thing we brought the heavy duty stretcher," Cindy mused out loud as she faced the medics behind her. Fortunately, one of them was Scarlet Obott, who had super-strength, and was fully capable of lifting Victor onto the mechanical stretcher that had been enhanced to the point of being able to withstand most weights. However, he was much lighter than they anticipated. They put him onto the stretcher, and hauled him away.
"His friend there also needs a hand," Meifeng noted as she pointed at Sarah. "Sarah... yeah, that's what he told me."
Cindy nodded her head as she pressed her earpiece and called for another team of medics that quickly tended to Sarah, and hauled her off. Victor stared over at his assistant on the other stretcher. He shut his eyes and cursed silently. Something high above exploded. A crashing sound followed a second or two later, then a scream. All of it was Victor's fault.
"God dammit," he seethed. If he weren't made of fire, one could almost say he was crying.
"Good," Meifeng said as she watched them go. "Now, if you excuse me..." She said as she put on a gas mask that would handle the smoke for her. "...There's a fire I have to fight." She said with a cheeky grin, electing an eyeroll from Cindy right before Meifeng ran off.
Meanwhile, Shizuka broke off from the team and chose to wander around the the debris-filled mall - alone. Well, he was through following Meifeng around and entertaining her stupidity. Besides, everyone had already run off to somewhere, probably acting on their own as much as he was.
Strolling through whatever was left of the mall, his eyes scanned the wreckage around him; it reminded him of the market incident a couple of days ago, but this time the scale seemed to be bigger, and much worse. Not just one Metahuman, but multiple went berserk - according to the brief report he had gotten from a passing DOVE agent.
First, a Metahuman-eating freak was on the loose, and now this. Two major events happening in just one night. He rubbed the back of his neck and let out a tired sigh as he began to climb up a halted escalator.
... ...
He reached the topmost floor without so much of a pant. Seemed like all the agents were too busy dealing with the lower levels to actually come all the way up here. As he swept his penlight around the dark, his eyebrows shot up with amusement at something that glittered before him.
Among some upturned tables and chairs not too far away from where he was, there stood a very familiar sight - an ice sculpture. As he walked over and moved closer to the ice, he realized that there were two people encased inside the frozen block.
Didn't the same thing happen before?
He recognized their faces: one was a fellow agent who were with them during the riot incident, Anna; the other was the boy that went berserk at the market, by the name of Kei. Kei's fingers were still wrapped around Anna's neck, which made Shizuka wonder what the hell had happened with these two.
He could worry about the details later; first, he would have to thaw them out.
Holding the penlight in between his teeth, he phased his hands into the ice, pulling the two victims out of the ice cage by their shoulders. A quick check of their weak - but still beating - pulses told him that they were still alive, though Anna's was dangerously slow, and there was something foreign stuck inside her, roughly around the neck area. He then lay them down on the ground as gently as he could, shining the penlight over them, turning their heads sideways slowly so that he could study them more carefully.
Kei wasn't in a good state. While the effects of the ice that had coated him were less than they would be for most people, due to a natural resistance to ice also enhanced when his power grew, his power straining against the restrictions places on it had taken a toll on his body. There seemed to be burn marks around his neck, spreading up and down from where the collar sat. However, even though he was mostly resistant to the cold there were purple-red like cold burns along his hands and arms were the ice had been at its worse. Along with this he seemed to almost worsen slightly as he was taken out of the ice, face flushed slightly due to the temperature increase. He was barely breathing, but he was alive.
A solid layer of rime had encased much of Anna's neck and shoulders, while veins of ice had wrapped around much of her chest, arms and face. A dusting of pale frost coated everything else. Annd had long since passed out, and her breathing had become dangerously slow and shallow because of the penetrating cold. Even after being extricated from the ice, it almost seemed she wasn't breathing at all. Her body shuddered pathetically, desperately trying to maintain a moment of warmth. The ravages of crippling frostbite marred much of her skin: a layer of sickening purple buried just below a swollen yellow pallor.
Noticing that Anna was shivering, Shizuka removed his hoodie jacket and put it on top of her trembling frame. "Guys..." he began as he breathed into the comm. "I've found two freezing victims outside a bar on the topmost floor: one is the ice manipulator who went berserk at the market previously, and the other is Agent Aikau." Then in a harder tone, "Both require immediate medical attention - especially Aikau, who has a severe case of hypothermia."
He placed a hand on Anna's forehead; there was something else he wanted to reconfirm. He channeled his power into Anna, connecting his senses with hers as he felt around her internal makeup. He concentrated on the head to shoulders area, where he had felt the foreign object stuck inside of her. His eyes widened when he finally figured out what that thing was.
...A needle?
He didn't have the necessary tools with him to store this piece of important evidence right now, but that didn't stop his thinking mind as he started to see the link between the information he had gathered so far: multiple Metahumans all went berserk just within this one mall about the same time, the needle, Agent Aikau's ability (according to what he had read about her in the database prior to the riot incident)... and then the similarity with the market case. Putting them all together, he could begin to see the bigger picture. A grim one.
Someone out there seemed to be making Metahumans to go out of control by injecting - or even shooting - something into them.
Both instances did cause lots of damage and chaos, which further increased the people's hatred towards the Metahumans... but were those all that the attackers wanted to achieve?
Or maybe something else much worse?
Max had missed having to deal with the first shitstorm of someone losing control - but she could only assume that this was worse. Still there wasn't any time to get too stuck on what had happened. She went right to work navigating the mall in a search for any people missed by the other groups, splitting of from those she'd been investigating with. The mall was large and it made sense to work alone (at least to her). She'd call for stretchers if she found any, hopefully alive, people.
She almost missed two girls, seemingingly unconscious on the floor, holding hands. One seemed to be a bestial type who had fainted pretty much face down - her back was a bloody mess of what might be wings. Max couldn't tell what exactly had happened to the second, but she was sure it must have been bad. From a distance both seemed somewhat familiar to Max, like she had seen them before.
"This is Mimic - I've got two metahumans," at least she assumed that second one was, "unconscious at the east end of the mall. They seem to be stable, but medical attention should be sent over when possible." Max frowned as she approached the two.
She saw Wendy's face first. Ah, so she did know at least this one... It was the replicator who she had talked to earlier. "I've found one of the children you oversee, Greenbird," she spoke into the comms, keeping her tone even. It was probably the best to inform Cindy even if she would rather avoid her. "Seems she was caught up in this." So if the first was from the Academy, was the second...
"Shit, give me her location, and I'll be right here." Cindy spoke into the comms.
Shit. Because of the mass of growing feathers that covered their lower face, Max hadn't recognised Rori at first. Why the hell was her cousin here? Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she had to stay professional, Max moved over to crouch in front of both of them. She didn't want to try to move either before medical assistance arrived, just in case. She doubted either would wake soon. She'd wait until others arrived, however. Just in case.
Shaking her head, she realised she hadn't responded to Cindy. She quickly so, giving the location with an added apology.
Not too far away from Max and the two unconscious teen girls, Haruka was still in the dark bookstore. He had pushed himself off the ground and got up on his feet unsteadily. He felt drained from trying to hold down the berserk tornado, and the cut off was as sudden as it had started, dropping the books and debris onto the ground with a deafening crash around him. He was vaguely aware of the noises outside the demolished shop - radios, sirens, and shouting people - as he began to wobble out of the store. He was tired, but he still had some strength left to blast the obstacles out of his way, finally stepping out of the shop.
The state of the whole mall was as bad as the bookstore - and many times worse than the market incident. However, that wasn't the main point; he spotted a silhouette towards his right, and he jogged towards the petite figure. "Uh, hey!" he called out. "Do you know what---"
Once he reached the person, his raised his eyebrows at the lady clad in some sort of armor that took him a full second to recognize that she was probably a RAVEN agent. Then his eyes widened further at the sight of the two bodies lying near the agent.
Two girls that he had just met quite recently: the multi-elemental manipulator Wendy and the human-bird Rori.
Bodies. Bodies all around him, unconscious or dead - he wasn't sure. Quentin stirred as others made their way into the building, grunting with discomfort as he pushed himself to his feet when another voice caught his attention.
"Get off me, you f-"
"You fuckin' did this to us, god-damned bigots..." Not far from where he'd slumped, another metahuman - one with a crystalline appearance - had a Silver Hills boarding school student pinned against the wall by their collar.
"What, no, I-"
"Don't fucking lie to me, you little shit! Look at my wife. Look at her!" A couple of metres away was a woman hunched low, coated in blood with a crude tourniquet around her legs. She was alive, but in a bad way - not helped by her husband.
"You made me hurt her, you tricked me... now I'm gonna even-"
"Back away from the kid!" Quentin had found his feet, then his weapon - and had it levelled on the metahuman's crystalline features, for what good it may have done.
"What, another bigot? Haven't you types already done enough, huh?!"
"Look, you're scared for your wife, but this kid isn't responsible. Let him go, calm down - we'll get her medical attention." Quentin kept the weapon levelled, but temporarily softened his demeanour. He wished Reed was here, at least he'd have handled it better.
"Bullshit, it's a trick, I know-"
Before they could continue, Quentin withdrew his RAVEN badge and flashed it at the both of them, taking on a far more stern tone. "You know what this badge means? Back down, or I'll put you down."
After a brief standard, the man relented and set the kid down. "I'm.. alright, I don't want anymore trouble. I'm sorry. I just.. "
"Just shut up, and help me." Quentin set the weapon back in his holster and shrugged off the apology, heading on over to check on the unconscious woman.
After the situation with Victor had been handled, it was up to Meifeng to fix the little fire problem they were having. She did promise him she would, after all. There were already firefighters on scene, but they could use a little hand from a RAVEN. The fire was raging, and Meifeng strapped on a gas mask so the fumes wouldn't bother her even in the slightest. The raging fire in front of her would be intimidating for any average person, but a RAVEN couldn't be afraid of a little flame?
A few stores were on fire, and it was fortunate that Meifeng had the ability to counter them like it was nothing. She rubbed her hands together as a devilish grin had formed on her face. Jets of water came out of the palms of her hand like it was nothing, and surrounded her hands in domes of aqua. She then shot her hands forward, before shooting a thick jet of high pressurized water at the burning businesses.
The water was cold as the artic, so it did wonders for cooling off the hot area. All that could be heard as Meifeng expulsed her water supply was the sizzling sound of the fire going out, and it wasn't long before the orange lights of the flame went off as well.
Observing her handy work, Meifeng bit her hands on her hips... before realizing there was a lot more fire to take care of.
And she was out of water.
And dyhydrated a bit.
God damn it.
Alice had gone into the mall before the truck had rolled to a stop and opened it's doors, taking advantage of her ability to cross great distances with a simple step to enter in seconds. She had pulled a half dozen people from collapsed stores, kiosks and architecture.
She'd jumped them out of the mall to the area where paramedics were setting up, each one draining a little more from her. It was harder to teleport passengers, it was extra mass. Although she could jump a dozen times in a minute by herself taking double, or even triple the mass slowed her down, and left her exhausted. She was sweating, heavily, as she returned to the mall, her body armour uncomfortable and her shirt sticking to her back and flat chest. She could hear crying, a frail, thin sound breaking through the suddenly thick air.
It was a child, wailing, tiny, ensconced between a young man and woman. They were maybe twenty-five. They were also dead. What looked like thousands of needle sharp blades had pierced their skin, and blood was already congealing in a pool around them. She carefully lifted the child from their still cooling fingers. She was still crying, and she tried her best to calm it, rocking it gently, making shushing noises, but she was out of her element.
"It's ok... It's ok..."
Even though she knew that for this child it would never be ok again. Would she grow up hating the metahumans that had ended up killing her parents? She did her best to soothe the squalling child. From a crime scene to a disaster. This job just kept getting better and better.
"Shit, shit, shit..." Cindy muttered out of irritation. It was some time after they managed to get everyone out of the mall... that was alive, that is. Metahumans, and "baseline" humans were being carted out of the mall by the boatload. This was not good, this was easily one of the worst disasters to ever hit Baybridge. It'll be absolutely awful to deal with as a DOVE. She pressed her earpiece, "Okay, is everyone loaded?"
"Yes, ma'am!" The familiar voice of Jade West spoke. "I'll be doing my best to heal those in critical condition."
"Good, good... I'll hold the fort her-" Right before she could finish, she saw an object - a bottle of beer - fly right by her face super fast. She took a step back as she looked towards the source. The crowd that was being held back by the police was getting angry.
"Metahuman freak!" One shouted as he grabbed a rock, and prepared to throw it. Apparently everyone else was following his example, and was beginning to grab everything they could, and start chucking it. Along with throwing a variety of insults at them.
It wasn't long before the crowd went rabid and began pelting RAVEN, DOVE, and the injured Metahumans with whatever they had. Cindy had to cover her face with her clipboard. "Shit, think fast!" Cindy thought out loud as she looked to the glass entrance to the mall - completely shattered.
Using her ability, Cindy telekinetically lifted up the various glass shards, and quickly put them between herself, and the crowd as she formed one solid glass pane. This pane acted as a shield that absorbed the thrown projectiles. This gave Cindy enough room to think as she looked around and gathered more broken glass from the windows to form a greater shield.
A shield that acted as a guard for the injured, and the Agents.
"They're out of control!" Cindy shouted.
"I got this," Drake said as he reached for the tear gas grenade at his waist, and chucked it overhead and it landed in the group. Creating a cloud of painful chemicals that made the angry crowd scatter, but it wasn't enough. Other RAVENS began chucking tear gas that made the angry group disperse, but left the truly determined there to stay.
"Leave this to the regular police, just get everyone outta here!" Cindy ordered, and the ambulences quickly pulled out.
She used her will to to keep the glass pane floating up into the air as it absorbed what was left of the damage. The BPD were quick to move in, and detain the determined fools.
Yet, Cindy couldn't help but sigh as she watched the police cart them off.
...Because this was just the start of a loooooong shitstorm.
The Mannequin, Bison, Eliza, Toro de Oro, and....
Havenfield Market, Roseview.
Just as Bison stated, the van arrived in Roseview in front of a warehouse that was some distance away from Havenfield. Where no one would be going.
The vehicle was shut off, then the back doors opened, and everyone else stepped out the vehicle. The Mannequin in particular grabbed onto the sides of the van, and hopped out the vehicle out into the treeline. Landing on a branch like it was nothing. He didn't say a word as he attempted to make his grand get away.
"Hey!" Bison called out, hands over his mouth. "Where you goin' Robotman? Don't we got a job to do?!"
The Mannequin didn't even move. He merely stood still.
"... It's best if I'm not seen."
The Mannequin's robotic monotone relayed his voice and intentions well.
"I must remain hidden for long as possible if our plan will be successful," The machine started off, awkwardly winding his head up backwards. "Besides... Jiang can carry the plan without me."
All eyes fell on the Mannequin's quiet assistant. A Chinese man of average height, and sporting body concealing clothing - a trench coat and a wide-grimmed hat - that concealed the features of an older looking man with angular facial features, and a faint beard. He was behind a pair of small, round, glasses, that gave him an air of... sadism, a hidden threat.
"Oh, I'll handle the job well, Mannequin." Jiang said with confidence in his voice as his lips curved upwards.
"Good," The Mannequin nodded his head. "I have business to tend to..." He turned his body around to face forward. "... I'll contact you when I'm ready." Before he hopped into the trees, and disappeared.
Once again, Jiang was taking center scene. He merely calmly shrugged as he stepped forward, followed by Bison and Eliza. "Now, does everyone remember the cover story?" Jiang asked.
"Yeah, yeah... you're a former Hand Scientist." Bison huffed, finger quoted. "And... we're going to-."
"Yes." Eliza said.
"Come now, we don't have to repeat it, do we?" Jiang stated as he made it to the entrance of the warehouse. Which was a heavy door. Bison walked up to it, and pounded on it a few times, and someone walked up to it, and a little hatch opened up revealing some eyes.
"Password." The man sternly said.
"Maaaaan, you know exactly who it is," Bison said, cracking his knuckles in sheer annoyance. "So why we goin' over this rhetorical "mysterious organization" bullshit? Just let us the fuck in already."
"Oh it's Bison." The door guard said, rolling his eyes, before mouthing the words "Dick." He was about to close the hatch, before he took a look at Jiang and narrowed his eyes. "Hey, hey, hey, Bison, who's this?! You know Winter said not to allow any strangers among us."
"Oh yeah, like could ever I forget what bullshit that dumbass spouts?" Bison rolled his eyes up into his head as he put his hands on his sides. "In case you're too stupid to piece this together... this is someone I've recruited to the cause."
"Can we-"
"Yeah, yeah, he's loyal to our cause- Like, seriously? Where the hell does Winter find you dumb assess when you can't do your jobs worth shit?" Bison mouthed, balling his fists and finally getting angry. "Know what? Open the door, or I break it down and beat the stupid outta ya'."
"... Dick." The doorman said as he finally opened the door for the group.
"Thank you!" Bison sarcastically said as he strut on by with Jiang, and Eliza behind him.
They weren't entering any other warehouse. As they stepped inside, the warehouse was busy with activity from a variety of people - baseline human, and Metahuman alike. However, there were massive crates... each with the insignia of a tree on them. The whole warehouse was plastered with this insignia. The symbol of Eco-Natura. Each person in this building was a member of this organization, and as the trio walked through the building, they came across a lab.
It wasn't long until the two lead Jiang into a dark room on the other side of the warehouse. There wasn't anything in the room, other than a chair that was facing the window. Inconspiciously enough, there was a man sitting in the chair. It was hard not to notice him, because there was a massive stream of ice that went from his body, all the way to the floor, in which in pooled. On the back of the chair were several sparrows made out of ice, and they were all facing Bison and his group as they walked in.
"Hello, Bison." The man in the chair said. "What do I owe the occasion?"
"Hehe, yeah, Winter," Bison said as he scratched his head. "I got us a new recruit!" Bison valiantly said as he bumped Jiang on the shoulder. "He one of them Hands guys that you like so much." He flashed the man in the chair a grin.
All the ice around the chair disappeared into thin air. The man got up, and turned around, facing Bison's group. He was a thirty-something year old man with neat, slicked back dark-brown hair that was more befitting of someone in the 1950's. He was wearing no shirt, which showed off his thin, scrawny body, only a pair of jeans and boots. He was Caucasian, and his facial features that are a mixture of many different European countries that it was impossible to tell which ones. His face was the face of a tired man, that has seen far too much.
He was Old Man Winter, leader of Eco-Natura.
"... Bison, this is quite rare." Winter stroked his chin a bit. "You never bring in recruits."
"Well, this one's different! He worked with the Hands, I worked under him, too!" Bison fipped with a cocky grin on his face.
"Well, what's your name?" Old Man Winter asked.
"Song Jiang," Jiang answered, forgetting that Americans put their surname last.
"Uh, it's Jiang." Bison quickly corrected him. "Any way, he's full of those breakthroughs that'll help us big time! Especially with your big judgement day plan - or whatever you're callin' it!"
"Oh really?" Old Man Winter asked skeptitcally. "If you wish to join the science division.... then you have to prove yourself that you are willing to dedicate yourself to the cause of restoring nature to where it once was."
"Oh, my, my," Jiang said with a grin. "I am all about that goal... the world is much more beautiful without all these buildings in the way." He stated. "I'll do anything for the greater cause... even lick your boots."
"That's what I want to hear...." Old Man Winter said. "I won't divulge too many details just yet... However, you best get over to the science wing and get to work with the others. Bison, Eliza, escort him."
"I wanted to examine your... nature bombs, yes." Jiang stated. "I know how to work the Metahuman energy, perhaps I can... improve it?" He asked.
"Perhaps... but I only want the trusted scientists touching the nature bombs." Old Man Winter stated as he sat back down in his chair, facing the outdoors. "Now, I have much comteplating to do, can you get to work together?" Old Man Winter asked.
"Yes." Jiang answered. "Show me your workspace, and I'll produce results."
"Now, let's get a move on." Bison said as he carted Jiang out the room. Once the doors closed, Bison grinned. "What a dumbass. He just let you join without even askin' for any proof!"
"Heh... that was dumb, but it works in our favor." Eliza said as she walked alongside him.
"Now... if the Mannequin's is successful, I need to get into that lab." Jiang said.
"... From there, I'll ensure all goes as planned."
Tired of the indoors, and realising that her current form seemed to have an affinity for the trees she had headed out to enjoy them. She wasn't someone who was particularly interested in going for walks in nature, but what she was doing now wasn't walking. The trees were close in this part of the forest, blocking out what little light remained in the early evening. Not that it seemed to matter, her eyes attracted a lot of attention that she wished they didn't, but they were far more effective at collecting light than normal human eyes. The forest, which otherwise would have been enar pitch black to a human, was instead merely dim to her.
She leapt from the branch she was perched on, enjoying the sensation of the wind flowing through her extended fingers and blowing out her hair behind her. Her fingers curled around the branch she ahd been aiming for, and she brought her legs in sharply, bringing her to a dead halt and clambering up to crouch on the branch.
...The very moment she hopped up on the branch, the trees around her rustled like something hopped from one to another. Before she had much of a chance to react, her treebranch suddenly snapped under it's own weight, and Ellen was sent sprawling to the ground.
She landed hard, and would have cried out if it weren't for the breath being driven forcefully from her lungs. She lay flat on her back for a half second before survival instincts kicked in and she realised that something else had snapped the branhc beneath her. She scrambled to her feet, her head swivelling as she searched for whatever it was that had dislodged her. Her mouth dried up in terror as she spotted it.
"... My apologies." A... machine-like voice stated as it slowly approached Ellen from the treeline. Descending was a white, inhuman, frame made out of ceramic. It landed flat on the ground, before it rose up into the air. It was the Mannequin. Hunched over, and his body twitching. "I... accidentally knocked you down while attempting to get your attention." He stated.
The thing was massive, maybe ten feet tall, it's physique entirely composed of some strange machinery. His voice did not sound dissimilar to a text to speech program, though with a strange sense of intelligence behind it. The thing did not appear to have any eyes. How could it see her? How could it talk? She wanted to run, to leap away into the trees, but her body seemed unwilling to obey those simple commands, and some deeper instinct told her that perhaps running would be even worse for her health. Her voice quavered as she spoke.
"You could have just said hi."
"Do not be frightened by my form...." The Mannequin took a few steps forward, before coming to a stop several meters away from Ellen. He put his hand on his "chest" as false body language. "I, too, am a Metahuman that has been... cursed by their ability. Forced to abandon my body in favor of a... machine." He whispered in his monotone voice. "However, I have heard of your plight, nonetheless... and wish to assist you...."
The creature's olive branch hardly eradicated Ellen's fears, but it did not seem to be making any immediate moves to rip her limb from limb, and then it continued to speak.
"You're a..."
She trailed away, the creature wasn't an it, it was a he, or a she perhaps.
"... Scientist." The Mannequin answered.
He had no need for pronouns anymore.,. he is a machine, after all. "As a being of science... I dedicate myself to exploring the meaning of the world, and hoping my knowledge to improve it." He started off, facing Ellen. "Like I said, I've heard of your plight. How no one wishes to help you, nor even attempt to understand you... Merely push you into the background. That's how people are. When they can't truly help you, they merely pass it off as patronizing sympathy...." He trailed off.
"I..."
Ellen fell silent, processing what he had just said. She no longer had quite the same desire to run screaming, or indeed the limb gripping terror that had kept her still. Even so, the creature unnerved her, there was something about it's blank, featureless face, about the way it seemed to look straight at her while having nothing with which to observe her. The complete opposite of her grapefruit sized eyes.
"I don't want any sympathy... I just don't want... this..."
Her gesture encompassed her whole body.
"Of course you don't," The Mannequin sensed that she was easing up around him - letting her guard down - so he slowly approached her. Walking on all fours to brace himself. "... You want a solution." He said.
Her face, such as could be seen beneath the enormous orbs, steeled, a look of anger flashed across the surface of her eyes. her voice was stony, annoyed, at herself, at the world, only partly at this newcomer.
"There is no solution. I can't use suppression... it'd kill me. I'm stuck with it. Like you are."
"... That is because you haven't tried the correct solution." The Mannequin stated, as he leaned in closer to Ellen. He reached down towards his lower-torso and a compartment opened inside of it. Out of it, he pulled a vial that was pull of a glowing purple liquid. "This... this is a serum I have created just for you. It will... bring your changes under control." He stated.
The vial was mesemerising, despite her misigivings, and her scepticism, Ellen had not given up on the hope that she would find some kind of cure for her 'condition'.
It took her significant effort to tear her eyes away, not least because the vial was less horrifying than the blank clinical faceplate of the robot. Nonetheless, she managed it, cocking her head back towards him.
"Bullshit!"
Despite her curse, her eyes were still drawn hungrily back to the glowing glass vial, as though it did indeed hold all the answers.
"This is... no lie." The Mannequin stated. "It is my personal mission to assist those with powers that are... unfavorable. Because my power made me lose my body... I can't bear to see a young child with potential losing herself to her power...." He trailed off. "I just want to help you... no one else will. DOVE? They can't help you, nor is it in their interests to. The ISD...? They're full of fanatics only interested in stroking their own ego, and getting profits...."
He trailed off.
"... But, me? I am after the betterment of mankind... one person at a time...."
Ellen stared at her feet, ashamed that she had been afraid of this being. She hated when her powers ended up changing her physically, hated seeing something else in the mirror, and hated even more how people looked at her. And that was only one week out of three, usually. He was stuck like this for ever.
"But... but why me?"
"Your case is... unfortunate enough to warrant immediate assistance." The Mannequin stated.
She bit her lip, uncertain, but tottering now on the edge of indecision, a gentle nudge away from saying yes, from snatching the vial. It was hope. It was how she had seen the suppression collar as well. She hadn't wanted to listen, just to click it on and forget about the ability she had suddenly developed. This wasn't DOVE though, it wasn't an organisation that had completely failed to help her. This was someone who understood.
"I don't know..."
"If you are unsure..." The Mannequin started off. "Take your time to consider it." He reached over and held the vial out for her. "Consider it well, and contact me when you make your final decision." He took a few steps away from her, that blank glare staring her down. "But be aware... it is no final solution. It's merely a temporary serum that'll bring your power under control until I can... study it." He explainedi.
She took the proffered vial numbly and stared at it for a moment. So it wasn't a true answer. It wasn't a cure, just a stopgap, a temporary measure. And yet it was still more than anything else that had ever been offered.
"Wait!"
She looked from the vial to her mysterious benefactor.
"How... how do I contact you?"
Another hatch on the Mannequin's body opened up, and he reached inside and pulled out a crumbled up slip of paper. He used his extraordinarily long limbs to hand it over to her. On the slip, a phone number was displayed (It was actually means to directly contact his built-in communication systems). The Mannequin stated, "My... number." He said.
She folded the paper carefully and pushed it into a pocket.
"Good..." The Mannequin stated as he continued walking away - before suddenly stopping and his head making a full rotation towards Ellen. "... One more thing... This encounter never happened..." He stated as he hopped up into the trees, and disappeared.
She stared at the spot where the machine had been standing. She almost could have fooled herself into thinking nothing had happened here, were it not for the paper in her pocket and the glowing, strangely warm vial resting in her fingers. Was this the answer?Or was it yet another useless hope. She buried it carefully in her bag, and then turned and headed back towards the Academy. She didn't know if she could trust him, or the vial that nestled in the bottom of her bag, but she felt indefinably lighter. She didn't know why, she hadn't felt like this in years, that maybe there was something that could be done, even if she didn't trust the strange ceramic creature or the even stranger chemical he had given her.
As the Mannequin swung from tree to tree, he thought to himself.
...You aren't the only one who longs for normality, Ellen.
...
Hailey Boulevard, Silver Hills.
Papers were neatly placed into a filing cabinet as a middle-aged woman closed up shop for tonight.
She put her hand on her head, and gently shook it from left to right as she examined the lab equipment in front of her. She let out a sigh as she finally typed out a few things on the computer, before pressing the shut down button, and getting up. She grabbed a jacket that she had over her chair as she started moving over towards the door, and flipped the lights off. The woman shook her head as she moved over to the hallway, and started putting her jacket back on. The woman made it to the lobby, and then she looked around at the large room, with many, many windows. There wasn't a soul in here - everyone else left looooong before she closed up - which meant no one would even notice that she was gone.
... Nor would they notice the guest.
A large shadow was cast in a window above her. The moonlight illuminated this figure enough for the woman to notice, and look up.
"... Dr. Cross." The man stated, cockily.
"Don't call me that; it's Emily." Dr. Cross snarled, annoyed that her name was being spoken in public like this. Dr.Cross stared at her nails for a moment. The woman was average heighted, and had a head of grey hair, and most prominently, a black eye patch. She had that stern expression she held seven years ago... When she was the former head of the South-West branch of the Hands of Science she was something. Now... she's a lackey in someone else' plan didn't like this job, at all - but, it was what she had. "I thought you were long-gone, Ignatius."
"Gone?" Ignatius said as he hopped down, and landed in front of Dr. Cross. He pulled off his cap, and ran his hand through his hair and grinned. "I never left... I just went on vacation to see a little bit of the world." He started laughing as he continued, "It's so fun to see how the world changed."
"Now, you've come back?" Dr. Cross asked, crossing her arms. "I thought you were done being a "lackey" of our new employer." She growled.
"Oh, I am," Ignatius replied. "But, I'll eternally be by your side. Regardless of what stupid decisions you make." He said with a grin.
Dr. Cross put her hands behind her back. "... And it was a stupid decision," She regretfully said. "We should have gone with Suan-Ni while we had the chance...." She groaned.
"Hey, hey..." Ignatius stated. "You know, during my travels... I've learned, many, many, things. Learned different perspectives on this little green earth of ours...." He trailed off as he began walking a circle around Dr. Cross, he stopped and raised a finger up into the air. "One universal I've learned is that the world has forgotten the Hands." Ignatius said.
Dr. Cross crossed her arms, and stared Ignatius down.
"If we were to... betray our masters, and then forge something new; now would be the time." Ignatius said with a grin on his face. He looked at Dr. Cross over his shoulder. "Wouldn't it be preferable to being a worker bee for the Foundation Woman?"
Dr. Cross stood there as if she thought about it for a moment.
"... But, the Hands was an organization decades old," Dr. Cross started off. "It would take ages-"
Ignatius put a finger to her lips, loudly saying "Shhhhhhhhh...."
The woman complied.
"I know." Ignatius answered. "I was there."
Dr. Cross was reminded of Ignatius' true ability.
"I walked this earth as thousands of different men and woman... I know a thing or two about how it works. Trust me." Ignatius tried to assure her. "The Hands just got... arrogant. Pride comes before the fall, after all." He started laughing.
Another shadow appeared at the same window Ignatius was previous at. The two looked up, and noticed the Mannequin... a face they never thought they would see again in their lives.
"... Both of you will be very interested in an offer of mine." The Mannequin said.
"Oh how exciting!" Megan said like a gleeful child, clenching her hands together, and hopping up and down. "Cross and Ignatius in one place? Must be our lucky day, yeah!"
"Shut up Megan, I can't hear them." Ray said as he leaned forward. The group was gathered inside their vehicle, and Rush had inconspicuously snuck bugs into the building via Megan disguised as an employee (After they beat him up, of course). They were listening in on the conversation, which was streamed through a device that was resting on the dashboard.
As they went on, and on, Megan came to a group decision, "Okay, boys and gals; we found Cross. Let's keep tailing her until we can dig up dirt on the others."
"Right," Ray said as he spread his legs. "Long as we found two ringleaders, we might as well gather as much evidence as we can."
"Cross' car. Has been tagged. Will be locating place of residence soon." Rush said as he hammered away at a computer, and was largely ignoring everyone else as he worked on his projects.
Missy, who was mostly silent as she had little to do with this, was merely sitting in one seat of the vehicle with nothing to do but listen like the others. "Why the hell is she just walking around like it's nothing? Aren't the feds after her after everything she did?" Missy asked, her voice was hoarse.
"It's like she said, darling," Megan said, looking back at Rush. "The world forgot about the Hands. It's all about the new big thing! The Allegiance! The Pure! The Order!" She over dramatically said. "Dr. Cross would begin to ease out as RAVEN literally just gave up on finding her."
"Which is why we're here?" Ray said, with his arms crossed.
"... Well, look who it is," Ignatius' voice spoke through the device. "It's our good old friend, the Mannequin. How have you been doing since that cockroach Luis has been crushed?"
"Wait," Megan lost her composure for a few moments. "The Mannequin?!" All livable reports state that the Mannequin was taken out with the rest of the Changeling Unit. That, or he went underground. He's back now.
"The hell is the Mannequin?" Ray asked.
However, hearing that name made something inside of Missy awaken.
"What do we owe the occasion to?" Dr. Cross skeptically said.
"I require your assistance," The Mannequin spoke in his monotone voice. "I'm gathering people for a new organization."
"If it's another Changeling Unit; forget it." Ignatius was quick to hiss. "The world doesn't need another Changeling Unit."
The Mannequin was silent for a moment.
"I'm not interested in another Changeling Unit." The Mannequin coldly said. "What I'm truly interested in is another Hands of Science... and the demise of the DOVE, RAVEN, organizations."
"Hmph... As much as my gut says, don't, I think I'll bite." Ignatius said. "So speak up machine man...."
"Okay. This is a... what's the word for it, loves?" Megan asked. "Curve ball. Oh, yes, a curve ball."
"And when you get thrown a curve ball, it's time to sit it out." Ray botched that metaphor, but the point was the same. They shouldn't get rash, especially when they're only trying to gather some information.
"Of course... let's just listen and hope that the Mannequin is feeling chatty today." Megan trailed off, attempting to compound her point that they should just sit back, and chill. "But, it's not like he can feel anything. Being a robot, after all. Haha-"
The whole conversation was halted when Missy loudly screeched, and shot out a bone blade out of the palm of her hand.
Everyone looked at Missy as she opened the door, and hopped out the car after kicking the door open.
"Wait, what are you-" Ray said.
Hearing the Mannequin's voice... his voice... all but confirmed Missy's suspicions. Something inside of her awakened - a hatred like no other. She couldn't control herself. She had to kill the Mannequin, here and now. Which is why she found herself pacing towards the building, shooting a painful blade of bone out of her other hand. She marched through the parking lot towards the door.
"What the hell is she doing?!" Ray loudly shouted, ready to lose his shit since Missy was ruining what they were doing.
"Go out there and stop her." Megan said, her eyes wide open. "She'll get butchered by Ignatius!"
"Disabling cameras. Alarms. Just in case." Rush quickly said as he switched off the systems in question.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll do it." Ray quickly opened the door and hopped out the vehicle. He was immediately wrapped in a dark-blue aura, he quickly took to the air and started cutting through the air, leaving behind a blue aura in his wake. His target was Missy Baroness, and he was homing in on her just as she was walking in through the window....
... And the worst case scenario happened when Missy's arm inflated with muscles, before punching through the glass window like it was nothing.
Everyone faced Missy as she made her dramatic entrance.
The glass that impacted her did nothing but superficial scratches that were immediately regenerated with her god-like factor. She stood before them, and then loudly groaned.
"Mannequin..." Missy groaned as she faced the machine. "You know how much I've been hoping one of you fuckers survived, so I can take a piece out of you myself." Her voice got deeper, almost demonic. She pointed her blade at Dr. Cross and Ignatius. "... And you two better stay out of it, or you'll be next."
"Actually..." Ignatius said with a devilish grin on his face. He created a massive blade out of a dark-red energy that almost appeared to be like hard-light. It had a white aura around it that almost looked like chains. He pointed it at Missy, and grinned, "... You won't be laying a finger on my brand new associate here. This is your first, and last warning... you are trespassing, after all."
"To hell with you!" Missy loudly shouted as she hopped up into the air towards the Mannequin, with both of her blades raised up into the air.
"Oh well." Ignatius dashed forward, and swung the blade at Missy - but the telekinetic weapon was parried by a transparent giant blue hand that bumped the blades off course, and right into the ground.
"Oh no, you don't." Ray said, catching Ignatius' attention. This was the worst case scenario, and he was going to lay into Missy after this. He charged Ignatius with his fist cocked back, and when he threw it, another giant blue hand appeared and went crashing towards Ignatius. The REAPER put both hands up, and created a bubble shield that cracked and shattered on contact with his fist. Ignatius grit his teeth, he looked over his shoulder, and noticed that Dr. Cross had left.
Ray quickly followed it up with another brutal blue fist to the shield that finally broke it, and sent Ignatius flying backwards. With that bastard out the way, he can worry about Missy.
The Mannequin was prepared for Missy's assault, and when she came flying down, he rolled over to the side. Missy's blades cut the ground, but that wasn't enough to stop her. She shot her head over to the side, and tried to continue, but she got the receiving end of the Mannequin's foot hitting her square in the stomach. The blow was so powerful that it sent her sprawling backwards a bit, holding her gut.
The Mannequin quickly capitalized on the opportunity and rushed Missy with his blades, and stabbed her square in the gut with one of his hidden blades. He came "face" to face with Missy, and leaned in closely to her. "I don't know who you are..." His voice was a monotone whisper. "... but, you must be one of the people who have been wronged by the Changeling Unit in the past... a ghost of the past."
He brought the blade upwards, cutting through Missy's flesh, and she let out a hoarse screech.
"... You should have died there."
Right before the Mannequin could disembowel Missy, a blue fist cut through the air and punched the Mannequin in the head that sent him flying backwards off of her. While Missy was panting, letting her regenerative factor repair her, Ray flew over to Missy and grabbed her. Wrapping both arms around her midsection, and flying right out the way they came.
"Put me down! Don't let that bastard get away!" Missy hissed.
"Shut up, we gotta go!" Ray replied as they went flying through the air. When he looked down, he saw Megan nod, hop back into the vehicle, before driving off.
Ray brought Missy down inside a park some distance away from that whole shitstorm.
Immediately, Missy pushes herself away from Ray, and snarled at him, "Why did you get involved!?"
"Oh, gee," Ray scratched the side of his head like an idiot. "It couldn't have been because you were almost butchered after running headfirst into a fight with three of our enemies." Ray crossed his arms and starred her down. "Missy, what were you thinking?"
Missy starred at Ray from the side. "... It's none of your business."
"It is my business, because you ruined everything!" Ray hissed as he got up into Missy's face. "Do you understand what you just done? Now that they know about us, it's going to be impossible to actually find them!" He pushed her by the chest. "Seriously, I don't know where the hell Megan finds people like you."
Missy extended the blades out of her hands, and stared Ray right in the face. "I... you don't understand what I went through, Drager." She got even closer to Ray's face. "... Understand?" She asked.
At this point, Megan, and the rest of the group walked up to the two.
"Hey, hey, hey..." Megan said with both of her hands up into the air. "I know things are tense, but that's no reason to tear each others heads off, now is it?" Megan asked. "Let's just talk this all out - like friends!"
As a display of her freakish power, Megan's arms turned into a grey, metal-like, liquid as they quickly formed tentacles that wrapped around Megan and Ray. Bringing them in close.
"We're all friends, friends love each other!" Megan loudly said.
"Okay, Megan, I get it," Ray said as he tried to get himself free. When Megan released them, he found himself much less, angered. "But, now we have a problem."
"Yes, I know, I know..." Megan mused, literally shrugging it off. "We can worry about that later!" Megan faced Missy, with a toothy grin on her face. "It seems you have history with the Mannequin... unfortunate, because I can travel the lands and find countless people who have been wronged by the Changeling Unit."
That caught Missy's attention.
"... That isn't the half of it." Missy answered, sarcastically.
"But, understand, we'll kill the Mannequin soon enough! I promise." Megan said. "So, how about we all go take a break for awhile?" Megan was trying not to agitate Missy further in this situation by mentioning how much she screwed up. She did innately agree with Ray, but she would rather not set Missy off further. They'll discuss things once she cools it.
Ray groaned.
"... Sure. Whatever." Ray shrugged, "Let's grab something from Starrybanks."
"... Actually," Missy started off as she began walking off. "I think I'm going to take some time to myself, as well." Before anyone could object, Missy hopped off into the treeline, and kept running until she was long gone.
"Missy, wait!" Megan said. "Damn it! We can't have have her...."
"... Ruining everything?" Ray said. "I can chase after her."
"At this point... there is none." Megan answered, shaking her head. "Might as well just wait for Missy to clear her mind."
Ray crossed his arms.
"... Or get killed."
One week later... Wednesday, 2:18 PM.
The very next week, the aftermath of both the disaster at the Mall, and at Havenfield took it's toll on Baybridge's populace. In addition to many people being dead, and many more were injured, many of the baseline civilians were transformed into Metahumans. They may not have manisfested immediately, but they turned into Metahumans down the line. Which lead to a massive workload to the DOVES of Baybridge as they tried to sort out the disaster. In addition, the tension between Metahumans, and Anti-Metahuman Supporters have reached an all time high as violence erupted between the two groups.Metahumans showing up brutally murdered did not help matters.
A cloud of fear was over the city as no one knew what would happen next.
Meifeng Zhao.
Stonecliff, Silver Hills.
A group of people ran by in an alleyway, followed by one sole person.
Each step they took, they disrupted the puddles on the ground. That determined person foolish enough to take on a group alone? That was Meifeng Zhao. Chasing after some Allegiance members in her RAVEN uniform. She turned a corner, but had to dive out the way as a orb of energy taking the shape of a wheel came flying towards her. The wheel hit the wall behind her, and kept going until it lost momentum on the third wall. She hit the ground, and quickly looked behind her.
She'll have to make sure to avoid that.
The fucker responsible started laughing like he's the Joker. Which pissed Meifeng off as she summoned her water, and shot herself right back up to her feet using her element. Meifeng dropped into a stance as she stared her opponent down. A tall man, shirtless, and muscular (Not that muscular... but enough to make him a threat in a physical fight). He had the Allegiance symbol tattooed on the right side of his chest, which was reason enough for Meifeng to arrest him. The rest of his Allegiance buds were making a break for it... and he's just slowing her down.
"You RAVENS...." The man said with a grin. "... Always think you're above it all, but you're all- SELLOUTS!"
The man's voice suddenly took a more demonic tone as he began a transformation on the last word. He started getting much taller, and bulkier, as spikes and other bone-like constructs began to grow on his body. The Allegiance member began cackling- Only to come to a sudden stop when Meifeng's boot was slammed into his face, and he was promptly sent flying backwards when she channeled a water blast into it.
"Yeah, yeah... I'm the sellout because I want to stop people like you." Meifeng groaned as she came to the ground, rolling her eyes. She was didn't waste any time in grabbing her containment foam sprayer-
However, she was utterly blindsided by the Allegiance sneak attack. A fist from an elastic Metahuman came flying through the air and hit her square in the face. She didn't have time to even brace herself as she went falling off to the side. She hit the ground, but quickly rolled over. Everything was ringing, and her vision was blurry. She was in the perfect position to be beaten sense.
And she knew that.
Which is why she thought fast, and then stuck her hand out, and summoned her water. She rolled onto her back, and the water followed, and then immediately froze. It was the sloppiest wall of ice that she has ever created, but it would have to be enough until she catches her bearings.
The brutish member of the Allegiance got up, and scratched his head. "Damn it!" He loudly hissed. "I'm gonna... gonna...." He groaned.
"Forget about it." The elastic girl said, running up to the brute. "We gotta go!"
The two quickly escaped into a man hole, and disappeared.
After Meifeng collected herself, she rubbed her head. She heard them run off, and she removed the water shield. She quickly ran off after them, and saw that the man hole cover was open... They're long gone now. Meifeng slammed her foot on the ground. This is the eighth time this happened.
"This is Agent Rogue Wave... I have lost track of the suspects." Meifeng said, swallowing her pride.
"Understood, we'll bag them later," Mission control said. "Get back to Headquarters."
(You can substitute basically any Linkin Park song here. They're all the same anyways)
The Wright Institute Baybridge Location, Old Raygate, Prince Ed Field
The Wright Institute in Baybridge was a large modern-looking building on the corner of a street in Old Raygate. It was a perfect square, with an open-air courtyard in the center. It was four stories tall, made of alternating rows of grey steel and tinted bluish glass. One corner of the square, the one which contained the main entrance to the Institute, was a five-story circular steel cylinder with windows at each level. Once inside the Institute and past the circular foyer, one walked into a large open lobby with hallways stretching down two directions. Steel stairwells spiraled to the second floor on either side. A marble-topped reception desk was at the far wall. Behind the desk, in large steel script, were the words "Genes are the staircase to the human soul. -Tobias Wright". A large sculpture of a DNA double helix hung from the ceiling above the room, twisting its way up towards the second floor.
So far, only half of the building was completed. While the external facade appeared finished, much of the right half of the building was still being constructed. Once finished, this part would contain more labs, as well as classrooms for metahuman students. The institute also contained an underground section, which would eventually contain an auditorium and several blast-proof concrete training rooms. The idea was that the Wright Institute of Baybridge, like its parent department in Mendel, would become a place for metahumans not interested in the constraints of the Academies to learn how to control their powers, as well as a space where the Academies could eventually use for some training. Though only partially-completed, two research teams were moved to the building from Mendel: the research team of Doctor Gillian Wallace and the team of Doctor Victor Calahan.
Doctor Calahan's project, however, was now on hold.
Victor sat at his desk. A very large transparent computer monitor sat at the desk in front of him. On it was a running genome analysis of a young woman. Another, smaller monitor to his left had a Word document pulled up on it with research notes. A fire-resistant iPad and touch pen were in Victor's hands. Victor watched as several data analysis programs condensed the raw data into understandable statistics. The building's computer, though powerful, was by no means a supercomputer, but back at Mendel was H-MAN, the Wright Institute's Hyper Meta Analysis Network. The supercomputer there was receiving information from Baybridge's B-MAN computer, analyzing it, and then sending it back over. This was how all high-level analysis in Baybridge was to be done until B-MAN (Baybridge Meta Analysis Network) was upgraded.
Two doors down from Doctor Wright's office, past the wetlab, was a room with glass walls. Inside was a large metal tube with a grated staircase winding around it. A bold-print sign on the door read "WARNING: POWERFUL MAGNETS". The machine was designed to separate proteins in a biological fluid to be analyzed. In this case, it was separating the proteins found in a blood sample from Anna Aikau. The machine had been running at capacity for about a week, analyzing small samples to identify abnormal non-human proteins. Its data was sent wirelessly to Mendel and then back to Doctor Calahan's computer.
A screen to the right of Doctor Calahan had the DOVE file pulled up on Anna Aikau. Twenty-four year old. Metahuman caucasian female. According to DOVE, she was a reservoir of metahuman energy. He read the document over and shrugged. She sounded like quite a useful metahuman. He looked up at the wall clock in the corner of the room. It read 2:25 PM. He was expecting a visitor from NEST in a few minutes. Victor rocked back in his chair and put his hands over his face. In the last week, he had slept little in the past week. So far, his team had narrowed the suspect chemical down to four proteins, and the Mendel office was in the process of replicating them. Once they were replicated and sent to Baybridge, Victor would test the different chemicals on mice altered to contain metahuman energy in order to see what the culprit chemical was and what its physiological effects were.
Victor stood up from his chair and left his office. Sarah met him in the hallway.
"Hey, doc," Sarah said. "I just brought some lunch from a deli around the corner. It's in the kitchen, if you've finally decided to take a break."
"Thanks, Sarah, but I can't right now," Victor said. "I'm about to meet with a DOVE representative to talk over what the Institute has discovered about this energy-overloading chemical. Do you have the slideshow completed?" Sarah handed him a tablet. Then they walked down to the conference room. Victor flipped through the information as he walked.
"Alright, can you head down to the lobby and bring the agent up when they get here?" Victor said. "They should be here shortly."
"Alright, doc," she said. She walked to the end of the hall and down the stairs to the lobby.
RAVEN/DOVE West Coast Joint Headquarters, White Coast.
A door into a cold room was opened, and Cindy Keagan stepped inside.
The first thing she was hit with was the cold air of this room... Literally the last place she wants to be in while in Headquarters. This place just screamed depression. All the bad parts about her job in one place.
And that place was the morgue.
Every step she took, she passed a refrigeration cell, each with a tag (and a story). It was something that Cindy didn't take time to really bother with. Since they're usually either Metahumans killed by the Pure, or criminal Metahumans killed by RAVEN (which was surprisingly common). She was looking for someone killed by the former.
There was a cold silence as she moved through the various storage cells. No one really liked this side of the job. It was a dirty business, but someone had to do. RAVEN had to put down the Metahumans that were too violent to be reasoned with... While it was up to DOVE to handle the other end of things.
She stopped when she saw a familiar name on a tag, and she immediately grabbed it. After she received her confirmation, she let out a sigh.
Jade Martel.
Academy 61 Student. Killed by the Pure while out with some friends. Shot five times in the chest, and long bled out before anyone could even help her.
Cindy clenched her fists.
...Sometimes she had to be reminded why she was a DOVE.
After making a few phone calls, the Martel family were gathered in a comfortable sitting room. Cindy made sure that anything that could offend the Martel family were far away from here as possible. It was a comfortable sitting room, with pleasant music playing. Cindy herself was sitting down, with a clipboard held with both hands (pushed onto her lap). The moment the Martel family sat down, there was a silence for a brief moment. It was hard to beat around the bush, when the family probably had assumed as much at this point.
"Hello Ms. Keagan," Father Martel said, he was a tall man, that had a very wide frame - not due to muscles, but due to sheer body fat accumulated over the years. "You've... called us here?"
It was hard not to sigh when Cindy said. "Yes, Mr. Martel, I have." She's done this plenty of times, why was it so hard to hand this man a photo of his dead daughter. "We have possibly found information on your daughter..." She sighed again. "...We need confirmation from the two of you - but, I'll be here for you the entire time."
The two looked at Cindy, disheartened... but, like Cindy thought, she could just feel how much they've expected this. "First... I have to explain to you that it's a picture of whom we believe is Jade Martel... it's a photo of her face with a blue sheet covering her lower body. There isn't anything done to her face, so..."
Reaching to her clipboard, Cindy produced a picture of the deceased - placing it face down on the coffee table in between herself, and the Martel family. After it was placed, she slowly retracted her hand, and waited for them to muster the strength to look at it.
Only thing Cindy could do was watch as father Martel grabbed the photograph, and looked at it. His wife at his side covered her mouth, and let out a gasp of sorrow as both of them immediately recognized the person.
"Yeah, that's... our little girl." Martin Martel said, almost crying.
Cindy couldn't help but feel his pain.
This was just the start of a loooong day.
Some time after that, the Martel family were handed off to other DOVES while Cindy got some work done... Which was basically head over to the Wright Institute with some RAVENS, and hear them talk some scientist mumbo jumbo. Nothing that she was looking forward to. Ugh. Today was so stressful.
The only thing she could do was press on. She marched down the hall to her office, just to grab something before she was going to head off to Prince Ed-Field. However, she was cut off by Meifeng jogging her way to her side. Well, seeing her friend was certainly something to cheer her up, at least slightly.
"Heeeey," Meifeng said as she greeted Cindy. "Why do you look all glum?" She asked.
"It's just..." Cindy stopped, and shook her head with her hand on it. "God damn, ever since that shit at the mall, everything's been flarin' up." She exhaled. "The Pure are being assholes, the Allegiance are being assholes, and everyone's getting caught in between."
"Yeah..." Meifeng said. "I've been working my ass off, too, to keep them from bothering people..."
"And I've been working nonstop since then," Cindy groaned. "Two of the kids under my care are dead - both were killed by the Pure. No one has any idea . I feel so God damn stressed, and pent up..."
Meifeng crossed her arms, and looked at Cindy. "Sounds like somebody could use a break." Meifeng said. "Is there a bar 'round here we can head off to at night?"
"Actually," A lightbulb turned on in Cindy's head. "I have to go to the Wright Institute... We can probably stop at a bar I know for a few before we head there."
"Sure, let's gather some of the guys..." Meifeng said, before she was cut off by Cindy.
"For once, let's just try to get the old group back together." Cindy voiced. It was surprising for her, and Meifeng. "You know... Quentin, Reed, Shizuka.... Just to have a chat, since we're all in town."
"Ooooooh..." It didn't take long for Meifeng to catch on. The ol' Verthaven group. She didn't want to exclude anybody, but she knew what Cindy meant. "Sure."
Cindy reached into her phone, and typed in a text that she sent to Reed, Quentin, Lihua, and Shizuka:
Hey guys... wanna meet up for some drinks rn? Just for old time's sake. We're gonna be at the Sugarbush Tavern, at 8199 Carriage Drive.
After sending the text, she nodded at Meifeng.
"We'll take my car."
Lihua Zhao.
Oakdell Harbor, White Coast.
It was a less than expected turn of events for the day.
Lihua went from teaching in the classrooms of Academy 61, to lying on a lounging chair on a patio with a pool, which overlooked a nice private beach. Wearing a black bikini, and having a straw hat over her head to block out the sun. It was interesting how Jiao-Long wanted to meet after work with Lijuan. After she picked up her daughter, and slipped into something more appropriate, the two Zhaos enjoyed their time on this nice beach.
She looked down at the beach, and spotted Lijuan playing in the water with Honghui... her new nephew. It's great to see that Lijuan and Honghui are getting along quite fine. Splashing water on each other, and playing various games with the waves.
Only thing that ruined this perfect day was the fact that she had to share it with Jiao-Long and his annoying business partners.
"...My personal belief is that peace between man and Metahuman is possible if the two sides reach a new understanding and remove the perceived differences between each other."
That made Lihua tilt her glasses and look at him. It's not that easy. Or else it would have been done by now. Understanding what you perceive as an enemy was the hardest thing in the world.
"Oh, how will the Liu pharmaceutical company help others understand?" One of Jiao-Long's business associates said.
"We will be funding and assisting the DOVE organization whenever we can. It's the best we can do. We're scientists, after all."
Then why even suggest it...? Lihua thought to herself. It was a test of her patience to lie here and listen to her brother and his business partners rhetoric. However, she had plenty of patience, but that didn't mean she liked it.
She merely took a sip of her drink, and drowned them out to the best of her ability. Then the thought occurred to simply go down to the shore with Lijuan and the others. However, a text popped up on her phone. Reaching for the small table at her side, she read a text from Cindy:
Hey guys... wanna meet up for some drinks rn? Just for old time's sake. We're gonna be at the Sugarbush Tavern, at 8199 Carriage Drive.
Well, it's better than lying here. Lihua thought to herself, as she looked over to her brother again. She can take a little bit of time off, she trusts Jiao-Long with Lijuan, after all. Though... this black bikink of hers, which showed plenty of skin, was not appropriate for such an occasion. She got up off the lounging chair, and faced Jiao-Long.
She would have to come up with a convincing fib.
"... Jiao-Long, I have to go back to my job in Roseview for a second," Lihua started off in Chinese. "Can you watch Lijuan for a few?"
"Of course, of course, sister," Jiao-Long started off. "She's having a great time with Honghui. She'll be perfectly fine by the time you get back."
Nodding her head, Lihua walked over to the dressing room, and didn't even bother taking off her bikini. She didn't get in any water, nor did she even step on any sand. If she's planning on coming back here, she's best to simply put back on her modest black dress, and step out. She moved over to the parking lot, where she got into her vehicle, and drove off towards the bar.
Wendy Emily Lucker.
Academy 61, Roseview.
Wendy's hand was sparking with electricity as she aimed it at a training dummy.
Despite her best ability, she couldn't channel electricity into a blast. She let out a hiss of sheer frustration as she couldn't shoot even a small blast of electricity! Wendy slammed her foot onto the ground, and ran her hands through her hair in some sort of tic... Wendy herself wondered if she could even shoot electricity. She didn't even know what the guy was capable of before he perished. For all she knew, this was all he could do.
Clenching her fists Wendy looked off to the side in irritation as she gave this metal room a look. The training room was a massive square room made out of a smooth metal. One that's capable of taking some pretty major blows. All around the room were various training dummies that ranged from targets, to dummies that looked more like humans. Wendy herself was practicing on the latter.... sort of. She was angrily trying to figure out this power.
The problem wasn't that she wanted to learn how to use this power... It was that she couldn't switch out of it until she does. Which meant that, for a week, she was using a power that she had no idea how to use. Accidentally activating her power, and frying electronics (She's not going anywhere near her camera until she figures it out).
Yet, all she's accomplish was learn that she could absorb electricity.
There was probably a lot of wonders she could do just by learning this powerful, powerful, element, but she wanted to use her paper manipulation. Just once. Yet, she couldn't. All she could do was hope she could figure it out in time. Which was a challenge.
Maybe... Maybe... She isn't coming at it the right way. Maybe she's just trying it the direct way.
The electricity vanished, as she channeled something deep inside herself. Wendy's right arm started glowing with electricity again, as she slowly raised it up. She concentrated, inhaling... a stream of electricity finally shot out of her hand, and struck the training dummy. A blue light brightly flashed, before disappearing.
There was a black scorch mark on the dummy. Wendy didn't realize what she did, until it was over. Once she did, a smile appeared on Wendy's face as she did. She hopped up and down. "I did it!" She triumphantly said.
Afterwards, her hand started crackling with electricity again, as she practiced her miniature lightning strikes.
