[IC] Masked

[Eviledd1984]

(Deleted)

[auspiciousPetal]

Chicago, Outskirts, July 27th.

It was evening, cool, and as always, windy. The breeze whistled through the broken windows of the abandoned warehouse that stood roughly a mile past the city limits. It's peeling paint and graffiti covered walls stood proud despite disrepair. This building had no intentions of going anywhere.

That was why Sulfer and his gang used it as a base, of course. Isolated, strong, and defendable. The skylights had long since been boarded over, and there only stood two large doors. Impossible to enter any other way. This was the place where they did the worst of their crimes, where they performed the experiments that allowed their high tech weapons to exist.

This was where they took Witch. They are gotten into an altercation earlier with the gifted telekinetic super, and had managed to incapacitate her for just a moment. It was more than long enough to tie her down and place the constricting band around her head. It couldn't stop her telepathy, but it could prevent her from manipulating matter. The band disconnected the powers from her emotions through the use of a highly adaptive metal, therefore making her incapable of accessing them. The glare she gave them crackled with her locked power as they carried her away.

That was hours ago, however. The chair she was currently tied to was cold, unwarming against her frigid skin. Her head had began to spin from the piercing noise emanating from the box they had locked her in with. The little black box was too far to touch, and she still wore the band so she couldn't break it. The sound was so high pitched that her ears had begun to bleed, her eyes heavy from the oncoming faint. There was a click, and then relief. The box was off. Her head began to clear almost instantly, until the door opened. The scruffy ginger who walked in, Malachite, was the right hand man to Sulfer. He unbound her from the chair slowly before yanking her to her feet and pushing her toward the door. He seemed to be restraining himself, his jaw set as he gestured for her to move. Not wanting to spend anymore time near that deathly box, she stumbled out the door, only to wish she could go back in.

Standing in the open room were several people, including the tall, blonde that was Sulfur. His eyes seemed to glow lightly, and a haze rose from his skin as he gestured to the machine and back to several of his followers. Each one was disfigured in some way, ranging from lightly tinted skin to extra long frames due to hollowed and stretched bones. They belonged mostly to the class of Mutants, unlike Sulfur, Malachite, and Witch herself. Though they were gifted, their gifts didn't affect their appearance, causing them to be in the Super class. If only it was constricted to classes. But they were divided beyond that. There was the faction Justice, which both she and her partner Pyro were a part of, and the faction Obsidian, which everyone else in the room belonged to.

Attention seemed to settle on her as the door shut behind Malachite. A wicked grin grew on Sulfer's face as he threw his arms open in a welcoming gesture. "Witch! Ah, my favorite little Super. How niiiice of you to join us. Come, sit down, you must be exhausted after coming out of that room. I hear that box can cause some hearing issues. Can you hear me alright?"

While he talked, he strolled up to her, taking her arm and leading her to a wooden chair near the machine. He shoved her, hard, to make her sit down. Almost immediately, a bar wrapped over her chest, clasping her to the chair. He happily walked, nearly skipping, over to the machine. One of the Mutants came up behind her and began to stick wires to her temple, running them parallel to the band. She felt an immediate sense of danger as he did, her eyes widening as her mind went into overdrive trying to think her way out. She didn't have the kind of physical strength that her partner had. She couldn't manipulate people. She couldn't talk her way out. She felt frustrated as the machine whirled to life, monitoring her vitals as Sulfer came back into view.

"Now. This machine monitors your brain waves and your vitals. Do you know why I hooked you up to this, lovely Witch?"

"Is this punishment for not flirting back with you when you hit on me? Because if it is, you might understand why I would rather date a crocodile." Though her voice came out dry and sarcastic, there was a slight waver, a barely noticeable hitch of panic that Sulfer caught onto. He tapped her chin and laughed as he stepped back.

"No, no. But that might've been why we decided to test our new friend on you. You play hard to get too well. You and your little Justice buddies." The rest of the crew seemed to step away as well, nervous. There was a twenty foot ring around her before someone stepped forward. He appeared normal enough, with dark reddish hair and grey eyes. Except for his face, all of his skin was covered. He took a few steps toward her with a sigh as he pushed his hands from his sleeves. The sense of impending danger increased until her mind was screaming out, begging those around her to set her free. Her voice echoed through the group's minds, but they ignored it. "This guy's name is Transfer. He picked it himself. I think you'll find him fascinating, Witch."

His hand slightly touched her face, cupping the sides of it as his eyes slid shut. There was nothing, at first. And then-

She screamed. Her lips fell open silently as her mind screamed. A loud piercing shriek echoed outward, filling the building and then pushing outward toward the city. It blanketed the buildings and sunk down, briefly touching everyone around for miles before abruptly cutting off with a 'shkk'. The same noised seemed to fill the room as Transfer pulled his hands away. There was silence as Witch suddenly gasped in air, her eyes unfocused. And then...

"It is done. She is done."

July 30th

"WITCH!! WITCH, ANSWER ME!" Pyro flung herself higher into the sky, the air current under her pushing her up further. She had been calling for hours. Ever since she had heard the faintest cry in her mind yesterday night, she had seen neither hide nor tail of her partner. Something was incredibly wrong. It was almost as if the presence of her was gone entirely. Since they had met, Witch had been a constant presence in her mind, hovering on the edge. She'd hear whispers throughout the day, little nudges of support. It was calming, relaxing to the high strung Super.

And now it was gone.

The panic that filled her was overwhelming, and it was causing her powers to flare up. She would randomly causing trees to catch fire, she superheated rooms, and anything meltable melted in her presence. When she had encountered a criminal on the street, she was ruthless. Her hammer swung at a crippling speed into knee caps and shoulders, incapacitating people before ordering any bystanders to call the police. Then, just as quickly as she had arrived, she'd be gone. As soon as news of her "no shits taken" altitude that evening had spread, the streets seemed to empty.

Nothing left to distract her from her search.

... But Witch was no where to be found.

August 25th.

The camera wouldn't turn on. "God DAMN it!" She slapped a gloved hand to the side of the device and it flickered to life. She hastily connected it to the computer before she began to speak earnestly into it. "Hello? Is this thing working?"

The red light flickered and the uploading process began. She wasted no time. "This is Pyro, in Chicago. My partner and I are under attack. I need help, please, whoever can make it. Again, this is Pyro, calling for help in Chicago." The camera died soon after she finished once more, but she had gotten enough. She knew her voice was frantic, and she watched as the last percent on the upload bar finished. After the message "Upload Complete" showed, Pyro quickly scorched the laptop, frying everything inside it. The sound of footsteps behind the door at her back made her jump to her feet. She had just thrown the window open when the door was thrown opening. Behind her, the masked auburn super reached his hands put as he ran toward her. Without a second thought, the girl threw herself out of the window, taking flight on her hot air currents.

At least, now she knew.

[Gentlemanvaultboy]

The hot rod sputtered mightily as it shot down the street, all chrome and jet black save for the velvet red leather of the open seats and the lightning bolts meticulously painted on the hood. He drove with the top down, letting the air blow against his skin. He had to drive with the top down. It was the only way for him to fit into the car. The city loomed over him like some ancient castle. A castle of adventure, complete with its own princess! Well, not a real one. He'd have to head to Europe to strike that one from his bucket list, but superhero team up was only like three down under rescuing a princess. He hadn't actually met many superheros, the towns his trip took him through were mostly too small to warrant them.

He'd been in a cafe in what such small town when he'd heard, wandering over to one of the only tables that hadn't cleared out when he'd walked into the room and staring over the heads of the nervous couple that had been watching the video on their phone. After checking a mad to see that Chicago wasn't that far off he'd sped quickly away to answer the distress call. He didn't know who she was or whether she was a big deal or not, but she wanted his help and he was a friend of justice.

Driving into the city he realized that he didn't know what to do once he got there. He had no idea how to find this lady or what exactly her trouble was. He saw a few people out somewhere and slowed down, shouting "Hey, you. You know where that superhero lives? You know the one, yours? She have a cave or something? I saw this video and..." The people's only response was to look over then start walking much faster. "Nah, you're right. It's more of an adventure if I find her myself. Thanks!" With that he set off down the road again, calling into the air. "HEY LADY! SUPER LADY! I'M HERE! COME OUT COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE! OIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

[Deathsong12]

Day 1, Chicago

Tarek sighed as he looked down and popped the joint in his left wrist, giving that noise he so enjoys. How long has he been up here? He would guess around an hour. What brought him up here? Simple, he had been attempting to find the source of the broadcast that appeared August 25th.

By the time he had heard the broadcast, he was well on his way to Chicago for his own little thing. But now that he was here in Chicago? He decided that his business could wait so he could track down where the broadcast came from. So far, he had little luck. The only thing he could find out about the location of where it came from is it came from somewhere to in Southwest Chicago.

Anyway, enough of the background. Tarek was currently on a roof of an apartment building in New City. He had marked off New City, Garfield Ridge, Archer Heights, Brighton Park, McKinley Park, and West Elsdon. That had left Gage Park, Clearing, West and Chicago Lawn, and Englewood. His plan currently was to (in this exact order) clear Englewood, Clearing, Gage Park, West Lawn, and finally Chicago lawn.

Tarek shrugged before jumping off the roof into the alley below, letting the shadows consume him/using his powers to turn into a shadow, only to appear somewhere in Englewood. Where exactly? He doesn't know for sure. All he knows is he has a job to do and he won't let anything stop him from learning what happened for the one they call Pyro to send that message.

[Eviledd1984]

Ill Corvo was on the hunt watching a rapist whom he had been tailing for a few weeks now making notes to himself of what this man does and all the crimes he had committed, Ten counts of rape and fifteen counts of sexual assault against woman that he finds "Sexy". The blonde haired man following behind the rapist holding a box where his mask was inside finally hiding in a alleyway putting on his mask.

"Showtime..." He said underneath his mask turning on the go pro inside of his mask letting the video being played while he "Worked", Climbing the fire escape of the building and climbing the building getting a good spot to intercept the rapist into a dark alleyway. Getting in the alleyway, Waiting for the rapist to come by quickly grabbing him and dragging him into the alleyway taking him to the near by abandoned apartment complex.

Once there Corvo handcuffed the rapist to a radiator getting the man's face on camera beating him with his foot stomping on his face, Pulling out some duck tape form his jacket taping his mouth and then pulling out a hatchet cutting off the man's privates and showing it in his mouth before slitting his throat then leaving the building to upload the video in his mask as trademark.

Making his way on the roof taking a moment to relax looking up at the sky seeing a flaming figure flying though the sky, He did not know what happened but had this gut feeling following the superhero via the roofs.

[Elle Santiago]

It was always chaotic, the happenings when Supers battle in civilian vicinity for no apparent reason (there was always a reason but Levy refused to think that it was worth anything, fighting in broad daylight) and started wrecking the whole place! Debris falling from the sky, an odd shot (often powerful and dangerous) barely glancing at a bystander’s life, explosions everywhere… Really, couldn’t the world just stop punching each other for a whole day so she could take a moment’s rest?

But no. No, the world wasn’t that kind so Levy would never be able to get that rest she always wanted. The most she could do was dream about a nice, peaceful vacation in one of the islands in the Philippines, lying on a hammock under the shade of a tree with the cool breeze caressing her skin, the whispers of the sea lulling her to sleep. No doubt, if something that good ever happened to her, something bad would just snap her back to reality. Like a falling fruit from the tree or a storm coming out of nowhere.

So, here Levy was, waiting outside the hospital in her civvies for her ride to come get her after a busy day tending in the site of battle, soon followed by an agonizing work in the ER to help the doctors for even just a little bit with the chaos created by Guild members and criminals. It didn’t help that there were few agents of Death awaiting the souls of mortally wounded and it lowered her spirits as the day continued on. The agents of Death weren’t really classified as evil. Humans died and those agents were their guides for the afterlife.

While her powers were increasing due to her almost always using it in the field or in her spare time, Levy didn’t think she could take on an agent of Death. Maybe she’ll try to do it when she arrived on her breaking point, but that day was not today.

A car horn broke her reverie. She saw the car come to a stop, the passenger door opening for her. “Sorry for the wait, Levy. Something came up in the HQ.” The man in the driver’s seat was a familiar one. His name was Ian, resident Super mechanic capable of fixing anything mechanical, acting as her guide since becoming a notable figure in the Guild. Any kind of healer would receive that treatment from a smart organization, really.

Finding herself physically exhausted and emotionally drained, Levy quickly shuffled herself inside the car, the vehicle moving immediately after she got her seatbelt on. The silence was a welcome affair after her long day. She was about to relax, take a small nap, and ignore the world until that plan was dashed when she saw the guilty look on Ian’s face. That usually happened when he became the messenger of a message that Levy wouldn’t be quite fond of hearing.

A scowl appeared on her face and Ian audibly gulped, focusing very intently on the road ahead after he saw Levy’s face. “Spill.” She snapped, crossing her arms in front of her chest, eyes glaring at her reflection in the window.

“Something’s happening in Chicago.” He answered quickly. “The Guild wants to send you there, check on what’s going on, help to the best of your ability. I think they just want to foster stronger ties by sending you but I’m not really there for my opinions, you know?”

A headache was forming and Levy could only sigh in frustration at the point. Today had been a long day and sending her to Chicago, of all places… An ethereal figure of a bird caught her attention as the car came to a stop due to the red light. It cawked at her. Well, she was the champion of the Gods and ridding the world of evil was high in her priority list. She didn’t have much choice on the matter and that ghost would just annoy the hell out of her if she didn’t.

“How am I going to get there?” Levy asked, eyeing the bird that phased through the windshield and settled on her lap. It was fascinating how her ghost guide had the ability to shapeshift. First, it was a firefly and now, it could transform into a bird. Perhaps it had something to do with her getting more powerful? A thought for another day, she supposed.

“Your flight’s already scheduled for this evening.” He supplied, taking a turn, the Guild HQ a few blocks away now. “Mitch started packing your things since I last told her what’s happening and we’ll swing by to pick up your bag then go straight to the airport.”

Levy hummed. “Well, Mitch knows me better than I do myself so I guess that’s okay.” She relented, eyes immediately zoning on her scale-skinned friend standing outside with her bag on tow. Exiting the car, Levy gave her friend a warm hug before asking important questions on what were the exact contents of the bag. Once she was satisfied with the answers, Levy placed the bag in the trunk, waving goodbye to her friend inside the car.

As her ghost friend transformed into a cat, it started to purr as it relaxed on her lap. At the sight, Levy ran down her hand on the ethereal ghost cat, petting it, ignoring the strange looks Ian was giving her again. Well, it really wasn’t her fault that they couldn’t see nor feel ghosts. Closing her eyes, Levy was quick to submit to the hold of exhaustion as her dreams involved of a flaming Chicago and its great evils.

[RBYDark]

Sammy preferred to move around at night. It meant he couldn't return to the foster care building, true - doors closed at 7 PM, no one allowed in or out barring a medical emergency, he did actually remember the rules for the record - but the night just felt better for walking around. Well, it had before, anyways, before, well, things had started going badly. For all his positivity, even he wasn't sure he could find something nice to say about the situation. It was just better to make sure he made it back in time and keep away from the windows and try to keep his pranks small, stuff like loosening saltshaker lids on outside tables. Nothing they could call police on, at least. He just wanted to keep out of the situation as much as possible.

His social worker Hugo commented that he hadn't behaved so well in years and asked if he might be able to focus enough to consider a GED or online high school. Sammy just nodded in response, watching the window in his office.

Maybe he should've accepted the Obsidian offer back when he first got started. He hadn't really liked the idea - tying himself down, no joking around, all very boring things and not really why he pranked people - and instead politely refused by blowing multiple raspberries until the Obsidian representative finally walked away in disgust. He wasn't sure how Obsidian was doing these days, since he hadn't heard much, but maybe he hadn't heard much because they had holed up someplace safe. Or maybe he wasn't paying attention enough.

Honestly, that sounded equally likely.

But the point was, things were going sour, and it was probably best to try looking after himself because not like anyone else would but that wasn't really their problem anyhow, and honestly it wasn't too bad. He could deal with it, and he was doing a pretty good job of it - excepting when he had to get new gloves. That had honestly gotten pretty harrowing, and hiding in a mall dumpster wasn't exactly fun, but it was effective. Now, though, he was starting to get bored. He could go for a classic at this point, like going out and high-fiving people. It'd be better than the twitchy fear. At least, until he saw the video.

It was corrupted, and his first glimpse had been over a man's shoulder in the library. Sammy had just gone to cool off and try to sneak one of the free meals they offered to children when he caught a glimpse of Pyro onscreen, before corruption distorted the image. The man watching looked genuinely afraid, and Sammy couldn't tell what was going on exactly. Just that it was Pyro. Had he missed Witch? He hadn't seem much of either, but chalked that up to trying to lay low. He waited among the book aisles until one of the users got up and headed towards the bathroom. Sammy snuck over and checked; a few minutes left. Hopefully enough time. Searching for Pyro brought up news stories and interviews - he chuckled as he caught a glimpse of himself in one of the thumbnails - but he tried again. And again. There was only a minute left before he thought to check by the upload dates.

It was the first one - a re-upload, apparently, by a concerned citizen who wanted to get the story out as far as possible. With no earphones, the computer's speakers crackled and buzzed. The message was short, but Sammy's felt his curiosity fading as well. Why was Pyro calling for help? Where was Witch- she wasn't even in the background anywhere.

Was it a trap?

Yet, he hadn't seen Witch in a while. He looked down at his soggy gloves and then at the smear on the edge of the keyboard.

He wiped it off with his sleeve and left the computers, left the library. Maybe Witch could explain this.
--
After a day of searching, he realized he hadn't seen either of them. Sure, he had to keep low, but he expected they'd be somewhere, protecting the city. They... they were fine.

Right?

Sammy slumped down on the park bench. It was well past 7, he was tired and hungry and...bothered, maybe? That seemed like the word. He crossed his arms. How in the world was he supposed to find them? Just looking wasn't working! They were always around when he just wanted to have a little fun, but now that he wanted to talk to them-!

He paused, and he grinned. Well, there was an idea. It was risky, to be sure, but so was just searching blindly. May as well try it.
--
Hour 1 of "Operation Gravel Drop" was so far not a success. Sammy had already decided he was going to keep going until Pyro or Witch showed up, but so far, nothing. It was just him, a bag of gravel 'borrowed' from a parking lot, his bare hands, and unsuspecting passersby six stories below, several tending to the oddly-collapsed people.

Jeez, where were they?

[Dark Light]

August 27th.

-"Hello? Is this thing working?"
"This is Pyro, in Chicago. My partner and I are under attack. I need help, please, whoever can make it. Again, this is Pyro, calling for help in Chicago." -

---

Kain let out a slow painful sigh as he rolled his eyes.
"Now it's even on the TV..." his words sifted like acid in the cool nights air.

Kain then turns away from his view of the old TV through the open curtain drapes and with slow careful strides heads toward the garage once again.
He frowns as the roller door opens to his touch. He didn't feel the security measures protecting this pride and joy were enough, but they would never be no matter how much someone may try to convince him otherwise.

He steps inside and carefully closes the door behind him. The automatic lights flicker to life and Kain is embraced by the still empty silence provided by the rooms thick sound dampening walls. The garage was large, larger then it needed it to be. It made Kain wonder what they might have intended to build or work on when they constructed the building.

Those thoughts fell aside when he came to stand next to a hidden car beneath a large cover in the far corner of the garage. He trails his fingers slowly across the fabric for a short distance before suddenly stopping and dropping to his knees. He reaches up under the skirting and smiles as his fingers find the sleek cool metallic surface.

Kain closes his eyes and his conscious sinks into the machine. He can feel every groove and part, all the varying types and densities of metals. He measures the aspects of the motor. Tinkering with it bit by bit. After enough focus, thought and time the mechanical beast beside him had practically been serviced and fine tuned without Kain so much as having to lift a tool. Not that it really needed one anyway.

"Well now that we are re-acquainted" he whispers with a devilish smile as he stands up.

Kain found a serene comfort in the nostalgia and familiarisation that came with working on cars. He knew and understood their inner workings far better than he could understand other people. That is perhaps what led him to underestimate the people he should fear the most. Perhaps that's why his senses were not sharp enough to notice the footsteps of people marching around the building, encroaching on his position, surrounding him.

It wasn't until the exact moment when the doors and windows suddenly burst open and the once still silent room exploded with commotion as security flooded the floor that Kain realised perhaps the security system was more efficient than he first thought after all.

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

A few hours later the BMW OHV V8 engine of the 1958 507 series 2 roadster spurred to life. It ran so smoothly and purred with a dormant power. To Kain this machine was art.

car

1958 BMW 507 series 2 roadster

With a broken and bruised hand Kain awkwardly shifts the gear stick before wiping away the thick wet blood pooling from his nose around his mouth. Through a swollen eye he looks back at the carnage of the garage behind him as a wave of fresh air sweeps in under the roller door slowly winding open.

As the car rolls out, Kain awkwardly shifts in the seat, leaning his head out over the door he spasms in a deep revolting wet cough as he sprays an atrocious splotch of bile and blood across the pristine driveway.
He looks back at the closing garage door one last time.
"What a damn shame dad." his voice filled with resentment and a spiteful sarcasm. "What a damn shame!" It could have been interpreted as a trap but Kain knew better, this was a test.
With a short press on the accelerator Kain takes off down the street, leaving behind the merciless rent-a-cops that nearly beat him to death, the large empty garage and the building he grew up in.

Now more than ever Kain needed the Shamans help. He hadn't seen Levy for quite some time and the last meeting didn't end too well. But he almost didn't have any other option, he just couldn't use the public hospitals. His wrap sheet was too large and there was always the case of the copious amount of metal running around in his body.
No he would make amends with the Shaman.

With a groan Kain reaches into his jacket and pulls out an old flip phone, opening it with a flick of his wrist. He thumbs in the unused speed dial for the Shaman and puts the phone on loud speaker.
The cold nights air was rustling heavily through his hair, it burnt against his warm skin, swollen bruises and bloody open wounds. He couldn't get to the shaman fast enough but luckily he had a pretty good idea where he might be able to find her.

Kain floored the car all through the night to arrive in Chicago by mid morning.

@Elle Santiago

[Gentlemanvaultboy]

"oiiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIII," came a shout that echoed down the street as the Frankenwagon puttered around the corner. "OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE! HOLLAR IF YA HEAR ME! HELLO! HERO? HEROES? VILLAINS, I DON"T CARE, COME ON OUT!"

The voice of any normal man would have crapped out hours ago. The patience of any normal man would have crapped out even sooner than that. Danny West was not an ordinary man. He did not, on the whole, get tired and was possessed by a singular bloody minded determination. He had been in Chicago for a while now, and besides stopping at a novelty shop to purchase a big Chicago city flag that now flew majestically from the back seat of the Frankenwagon, had not stopped calling out for the duration. Even Danny's single mindedness had a limit however. Not even the flag had gotten any attention. Well, the attention of anyone he was looking for. Tomorrow morning social media would be flooded with pictures and video from all over the city of a loud blue weirdo seemingly calling Pyro out but that was a story for another day. The next day.

For now the Frankenwagon sputtered a few times, the engine went dead, and it coated to a stop to the consternation of the drivers behind him. For the first time today Danny looked down at his fuel meter and swallowed as angry horns started to blare behind him. "Out of gas?" He asked no one, bewildered. "I just filled her up this morning through." He turned the once or twice, as though this was all some mistake, and signed as the honking behind him grew louder. He stood up and stepped out of the car, grumbling. The honking abruptly stopped.

"Seriously, I couldn't have been out that long." He said, gingerly hefting the car up onto his shoulder and started to jog down the street looking for a gas station. "Knew we should have gone electric. I'm electric. I run fine."

He was disappointed in today. There had been nothing interesting at all. When he'd got here he'd expected chaos, but the streets seemed almost like they were on their best behavior, like they were at a funeral or something. Maybe the distress call had been a hoax. He'd been gotten that way before. Dad had once had him listen to some old radio show as a joke, and he'd had a bucket on his head and was halfway down the driveway before he'd explained that there weren't actually any martians. He was going to be really mad at her if it wasn't true. He wasn't asking for the moon or anything. He just wanted something odd to be happening here!

The six foot blue skinned walking corpse trotted down the road carrying his car on his shoulder, Chicago flag still flapping out the back. It wasn't long before he got his wish.

He skidded to a stop as he saw a bunch of people laying prone in the street, surrounded by even more people. He stepped off the road, much to the relief of the motorists that had been behind him, and set the Frankenwagon down in the nearest free parking space before he made his way over to the scene. He stepped behind the group tending to the nearest fallen man, proudly puffed out his chest, and said with his clearest super heroic voice "What seems to be the problem, Citizen?" The group, as once, turned to him.

The resulting screams were accompanied only by deflated, "C'mon, please, don't do that."

@RBYDark

[Elle Santiago]

The trip to Chicago had been a quiet affair. Thankfully, there were no hostage attempts, bombing situations, or a woman’s water breaking. All in all, Levy was able to rest for four hours before shit hits the fan. One thing she knew upon entering the Super scene was that someone will always need something from her. After checking in at the airport, she was looking quite hesitant on turning her phone on.

The black screen seemed to mock her, making her feel like she was turning back from her responsibility. The ghost-bird chirped, phasing its head through the phone. A small smile appeared on Levy’s face, amused at her ghost’s antics. “What would I do without you?” She murmured, opening the phone. Meanwhile, the ghost-bird perched itself on her shoulders.

And, just as she predicted, there were messages, e-mails, and a missed call lined up on the screen. Levy released a small sigh with it all, carefully reading each and every one of them while she waited for the assigned Guild personnel that would drive her to their branch. Thank the Gods that she rested during her flight or else she would’ve ignored each and every single one of them.

There were usual greetings from the branch here in Chicago with the time and place specified on where she’ll be picked up. She was already at the airport’s lounge so that was good. The Guild personnel should really know what she looked like with her rank and all. It would be disappointing if they didn’t. Building good relations wasn’t a one-man job, after all.

After reading the Guild messages, Levy went straight to the e-mails. A sigh escaped her lips upon reading them. There were tons of requests in regards to healing the requestees’ family members. While she would normally be fine in doing so, some cases were just impossible. While some agents of Death would take a step back, allowing her to heal some patients, there were others that wouldn’t budge and all she could do was look on as they die.

Levy was a miracle worker but she was no God. There were also some patients that made a pact with evil spirits. Those were the troublesome kind of requests. Purifying or killing the evil spirits were sometimes not worth it. She had to chase them, had to make sure they were far enough from the host so they wouldn’t take the body hostage. Remembering her first case of that was a traumatizing experience. Thankfully, it seldom happens.

Filing those mails away for now, Levy was now confronted by an unfamiliar number that called her about two hours during her flight. There was something familiar with the number but she couldn’t remember why it was so. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to call back. Someone might have needed her and wanted to check on her so calling back wouldn’t hurt. If not, someone probably just punched in the wrong number in between and telling it to the caller won’t hurt.

It would also stop pesky repeated calls.

Tapping the number, Levy put her phone near her ear, hearing it ring. After a few second, the call was answered. “Hello?” She asked.

[Dark Light]

@Elle Santiago

Kain was still cruising about when his phone startled him out of his near sleep driving. A wide grin swept his face, causing him to wince in pain, as he saw the number. He cleared his throat and prepared his best fine and friendly voice.

"Hey Shaman, how have you been?" Kain's voice explodes over the phone in an excited bubbly tone.

"Good to hear ya, say I was wondering, are you and your guys checking up on that pyro thing?

It's just I'm in Chicago tryin'a do the right thing, you know 'use my powers for good and all that,' but I kinda ran into some trouble."

On his side of the call Kain crosses his fingers and pauses, giving his lip a nervous little bite as he prepares his hopeful little request.

"Whadda ya say Levy? Got a minute to help a guy out?
It's ok I'll come to you."

Just then the flash of blue lights caught Kain's eye as a loud siren whooped behind him. He looked in the rear vision mirror. Cops!

"Shit" Kain curses forgetting to move the phone. Then he hastily blurts out the rest.
"Hey Lev, sorry will have to chat latter, bit busy, text me that addy and we'll swap notes! Cheers doll, see ya soon." with that he quickly hangs up giving her nearly no time to have talked or reply at all.

[Lady Athena]

Day 1, Naperville

Eleanor was under an apple tree on a farm, munching away on an apple with some headphones in her ears playing music. Everything was peaceful and quiet. She yawns and starts to drift asleep. She sat in a mental state between dream and reality, she was conscious of what was happening around her. After what could have been moments Eleanor starts to hear a voice of a female. "H-h-hello?... Is this thing..." Everything started to fade as Eleanor awakens from her state. "HEY, YOU WHAT ARE DOING ON MY PROPERTY?!" Eleanor got up and started to walk through the tree, well at least that’s what she made it look like.

Day 2, Naperville

Eleanor was walking through a nearby town taking down notes and well trying to earn some cash by performing so called magic tricks. After a few hours of making people believe she could do magic, Eleanor had purchased herself an Icy-pole and was walking down the street till she saw a crowd around a window. What she saw was inhuman, a young lady was on the TV screen and being discussed by news reporters around the world. Eleanor ran off towards an alleyway and climbed onto a roof of an apartment complex.

Night 2, Naperville...Ish

Eleanor awoke from her resting state and started making her way towards the signals origin. It was at least a two or three day trip by vehicle. She climbed onto the nearest bus and put some coins in the bus fair box before heading off.

[Deathsong12]

Day 1/2, Englewood

Tarek grumbled as he ate the hotdog he bought five minutes earlier, adjusting the backpack he recently. So far, he has had little success in finding the source of the broadcast, but he did find things to help his search. For one, he found out the broadcast did indeed come from Englewood. The how is not really important (AKA I'm lazy.) and it doesn't matter. For now? He had to search for where in Englewood.

Currently, he was on the ground of Englewood, walking down Kings Drive. Not really how he'd normally chose to spend his day, in a very dangerous area, but he still had to find the source of that broadcast. Tarek shrugged before he raised his hood and put on gray aviators, looking around for anything that would normally seem out of place (Which isn't much.) in the area. He proceeded to pop the joint in his right elbow before he noticed sirens in the distance. Normally, he would check it out, but he has food and he is on the search for the place of origins where the broadcast Pyro sent came from.

"Really need to get less civilians in this area..." Tarek mumbled. "Could've got this search over with much quicker if it wasn't for citizens being freaked out." He sighed and continued his search, stopping only when he got into his natural habitat/an alley with no light on ground level. With that, he used his powers of turning into a shadow to break into buildings and cars before he searched them until he found a laptop in one of the various buildings, the laptop itself obviously being scorched.

Tarek raised a brow and scavenged what he could from the laptop despite it being useless because it is scorched. Now all he needs is someone who can repair this stuff and he might be able to find out if this is what the broadcast was sent from or not. He sighed before placing what he scavenged in the backpack he found and continued his walk.

[RBYDark]

@Gentlemanvaultboy

Sammy had bent to grab another piece of gravel to launch down when he heard the faint screaming below. He froze. Oh no. Had he attracted them instead? He hadn't meant to, this just seemed like the fastest way to get Pyro and Witch's attention. They always came around when he was playing jokes on people. This seemed like the the most attraction-getting prank he could pull short of walking into a convenience store and announcing himself loudly as a supervillain archenemy of the two.

He was pretty sure he wasn't, by the way. But he was also pretty sure he'd be believed anyways.

But if he hadn't attracted those two, then this was going to end badly. Mostly for him. He glanced at the pebble, now coated in slime, and then swallowed the lump that had appeared in his throat. He then glanced over.

He stared. Ok, that was... a bit unusual, he wasn't going to lie. He'd never seen that guy before. He'd never seen anyone like that guy before, except maybe on old Saturday cartoons. He didn't look like one of them, though. That was good. Less good was that it still wasn't Witch or Pyro, and now if this guy ran, they might not show up here! ....hey, wait a sec, that was very bad! He glowered down at the newcomer, fear temporarily forgotten, and cupped his hands around his mouth. The poison stained his skin; he was pretty sure it also affected him once upon a time, but now it took a pretty good amount on skin not attached to his hands or arms to even give him the numbing sensation. He took a deep breath and shouted down:

"Hey! You're not Pyro!"

This high up, he wasn't sure if the guy could even hear him. Still, he pulled his hands away and made a dismissive wave. "You can go! Not needed here!"

[Gentlemanvaultboy]

@RBYDark

Danny looked up and saw a guy high up on the rooftops. He was yelling something. He wasn't who? Wait...

The girl from the video! Oh man, he'd actually stumbled on a lead! He cupped his hands round his mouth and called up. "HEY, YOU KNOW WHERE SHE IS? SHE GOT A CAVE OR A HIDEOUT? I'M HERE FOR HER! I'VE BEEN AFTER HER ALL DAY!"

[Elle Santiago]

@Dark Light

“Hey Shaman, how have you been?” The moment the words escaped from the lips of the anonymous man made her tense. While her popularity in the Super world was increasing, there were very few that would have her phone number. Usually, the requests for her assistance travel through official channels. Unnerved, Levy was silent.

Thankfully, the man liked to hear himself talk. “Good to hear ya, say I was wondering, are you and your guys checking up on that pyro thing?” As the man kept talking, a memory buried in her mind due to recent stress floated up to the surface. “It’s just I’m in Chicago tryin’a do the right thing, you know ‘use my powers for good and all that’ but I kinda ran into some trouble.”

Right, Levy thought. Trouble, again. She remembered that time when she was only a greenhorn, a nobody in the world of Supers, just trying to blend in like any normal human. One day, when she was walking home after a busy day in school, she saw a trail of blood leading into an alleyway.

Introductions were made, questions were asked, and, apparently, the young man she saw leaning on a dank alleyway was Kain, an unfortunate guy that got into some trouble because he was in the wrong time and the wrong place. She healed him, of course, even gave her real name and number due to him giving his, as well.

After that brief meeting, they parted ways. And, after a few days, the news showed Kain’s face followed by the list of his charges and that he was a wanted man. Rage built up in her heart at the betrayal but, due to her ghost friend, stopped a rampage of destruction in her home.

And now, he wanted her help?

“Whadda ya say Levy? Got a minute to help a guy out?” Well, she certainly had a minute to punch a guy in the face. Or cause nightmares. “It’s ok I’ll come to you.” She could feel a headache coming.

As Kain cursed and Levy heard the familiar sirens of the police through the phone, she couldn’t help but let out a dry smile for him. “Hey Lev, sorry will have to chat latter, bit busy, text me that addy and we’ll swap notes! Cheers doll, see ya soon.” With that, the call came to an abrupt end. With her increasing amusement at the event, Levy sent the Guild address to him.

Well, let him come. The dry smile became a little bit sharper, little bit terrifying. Let him come only to feel disappointment and betrayal as she looked down on his wounded form. An almost evil laugh bubbled up in her throat, only to be lodged in there permanently as her ghost-friend chirped repeatedly right into her ear.

Levy shook her head, looking at the ethereal bird perched on her shoulder. “Please,” she murmured quietly only for her and her friend to hear, “I didn’t really mean it.” Or did I? We’ll see what it will be when our dearest friend Kain finds us.

[auspiciousPetal]

Sally paced the floor behind the check out counter at the local game shop. It was nearly closing time, four and a half hours past sunset, and it had been nearly a week since her video was sent out. Tonight was the night for searching. She was hopeful that someone would have answered. She knew that she hadnt been very specitc about where to meet, but if thwre was one thing that heros knew, it was where to find crime. So she would start her roundup in Englewood, and hopefully find some decent allies.

Her shift finally ended and she locked up the shop, practically running into the backroom. She was quick to pull her gear fom the triple locked locker, her finfers shaking as sh pulled the outfir on, tugging the gloves and mask into place last. Once she was fully garbbed, she threw hwr clothes into the small bag that she slung over her shoulder, latter to be hidden at some easily remembered place. She stepped out the back way and locked the day before superheating a stream of air, using it to jump high into the sky, throwing off the remains of Sally as she once again became Pyro.

Once she reaches low cloud level, she steadied out and slowly scanned the city. She headed toward Englewood after confiming a lack of fire light and police sirens. Since Witch's abduction, she'd been left to care for the city on her own once more. She had forgotten how tiring it could be, single handedly upholding Justice. The stress that her partner had helped with.

She shook the thoughts away as she cautiously landed a block away from Transfer's hideeout, where she had sent the video from. If she were a Justice being begged to assist, she would pinpoint the origin of the video first, and work her way out from there. Probably a bad point for her, consiering she had sent the video from the home of the man causing the need for assistance in the first place.

[RBYDark]

@Gentlemanvaultboy

Oh good. He had been heard. Jeez, though, this guy was loud. He hadn't expected to be able to hear him back. Then again, he looked a little...off, to say the least. People who noticed the blue eyes and blue slime gave him crap, but that was nothing next to the look this guy sported. Briefly, Sammy wondered if blue was just magical.

Then again, Pyro didn't exactly have blue fire. Nevermind. That theory lasted all of three seconds. Oh well.

"No idea! Trying to get her attention, but you scared everyone off!" Of course, had his mood been a bit better, he would have to admit it wasn't like his plan was working anyways. He was causing some trouble, yes, but he was facing some pretty stiff competition too. There were probably bigger things for the cops and Pyro and Witch to deal with than just knocking people to the ground. It was the one thing Sammy heard over and over again: he just wasn't really a danger. He couldn't kill people with his powers, and he knew when a joke was likely to turn deadly. Those jokes weren't fun, so he didn't go out of his way to try them. "But you're not one of them, right?" Probably proven by the fact he had yet to be blasted from the rooftop. Guy seemed reasonable enough.

[Gentlemanvaultboy]

Danny looked around. The people on the street had indeed run off, leaving him alone surrounded by a bunch of unconscious bodies. At least he hoped. Reaching down, he sight with relief as he took one of their pulses. Yeah, no, unconscious, that was good. Not good good, but better than dead at least. He carefully picked each one of them up and leaned them sitting against the wall, legs splayed out in front of them across the sidewalk. Then he looked back up, and grimaced.

He squatted down, feeling the electricity that powered him at the core of his being. He grunted, and his legs crackled with white sparks as juice was momentarily pumped into them. Then he pushed off from the ground, launching himself like a bullet up the side of the building. His hand reached out and caught the a windowsill, and his big blue body swung this way and that as he mantled from window to window up the side until he grasped the roof and pulled himself up beside the guy.

"What'd you say?" he asked, curiously. "Am I one of what?"

Danny's Charge: 99%

@RBYDark

[Deathsong12]

Tarek frowned as he looked around the street he was on. He has been walking around Englewood for awhile now and he must say, the cops are awful at their job in Englewood. You'd expect the cops would do a better job, especially when compared to Iceland. Sure, crime is rare in Iceland, but Englewood is in an area with great temperature and terrain that is easier to maneuver through!

Tarek sighed as he looked up, noticing a figure in the air fly by. His plan and first reaction? Follow them and confront them. Sure, may not be the safest idea, but he has to start with something. He popped his left knuckles as he turned into a shadow, following the figure with their OWN shadow.

Once they had landed, he came out of their shadow and tapped their shoulder, waving. "Halló þarna... Uh, sorry. I mean hello there."

@auspiciousPetal