Akayaofthemoon

The Wards: A Grimdark Teenage Superhero Story

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______________________________________	______________________________________________________________________________________ Location: Redline PRT Headquarters Date/Time: November 11th, 2022. 6-ish PM Interactions: N/A ______________________________________________________________________________________

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Aaliyah caught the apologetic smile from Morie before the slow shrug and instantly felt her hackles raised, her fingernails threatening to break her skin as she held back her complaints as well as trying to keep certain thoughts away. She kept the frown and anger off her face, appearing as if nothing was wrong but she wasn’t happy about the puzzle pieces that were clicking together. She would have to be careful. She knew that Morie probably knew her limits but it would make her feel like she was inflicting wounds personally upon the girl should a ‘heal’ be needed and she wasn’t sure she could handle that. She lightly shook her head, trying to push it aside, not sure if anything was even going to happen so she would worry about it in that moment should the need ever arise. Her inner struggle and thoughts were suddenly halted with someone and by someone, she meant Will had decided to lean into her space which caused her to raise a brow at the ridiculous look of him cupping his mouth which was instantly a waste with the loud mock whisper that followed.

She was still a little weary about him, the incident earlier shaking her much more than she had let on but Aaliyah truly did want to give him the benefit of the doubt and just put it behind so they could still work as an effective team.
”Your guess is as good as mine though it sounds a little more serious than a meeting.”, she answered with a light shrug. It didn’t seem like they were going to have to wait or wonder for very long though as the panel near the couch suddenly disappeared, the Vice Director herself appeared. Fashionista or Rachel if one went by her true name, honestly made her feel nervous for a variety of reasons but also was one of the friendliest people she had met so far at PRT headquarters which means she couldn’t help but enjoy her company. It had been fun to sit down and see what could work and what wouldn’t when in the design process. She had been open and inviting but it made her wonder when the other shoe might drop. Aaliyah could only hope over that time the feeling would fade and it did help that she seemed to be on a good level with Morie from the gestures before the quick reminder of who she was and letting them know that she would be briefing them on what was happening since the Directer hadn’t really felt the need to fill them in, not frustrating at all.

She swiftly stood, following after the woman as she guided them along eventually ending up in what was a glorified locker/changing room combo of sorts. It was obvious there were multiple precautions in place and it didn’t take a genius to guess why. At least it seemed like Fashionista wasn’t really gung-ho about the labeling of ‘safety concerns’ which made it feel like she was more on their side, trusting them a bit instead of just labeling some in the group or calling them out. Aaliyah would like to hope that the group wouldn’t do something horrible but everything had to be looked at as a possibility when being neutral so it made sense whether she liked it or not. She took a hold of her personal card with a soft thank you, turning it in her hands and fiddling to keep herself busy. This was exciting if not a bit terrifying but she just wanted to be useful and helpful, using what she had to do good. At the gesture over to the lockers, she didn’t need to be told twice, heading over at a fast pace and wanted to see what Fashionista had managed with this collaboration. She knew she asked for a lot. She was difficult and stubborn but the other woman had been patient and kind, offering up solid suggestions on what was plausible. It made a difference when feeling the fabric in her hands, seeing something be created that felt more like a dream but now was more solid and real.

Aaliyah stepped out of the changing room after a bit, her fingers running along the material and amazed at how soft, even light it felt as if nothing was even there which allowed for more movement speed. It seems like she wasn’t the only one that was impressed if the tail end of Caiden’s conversation was anything to go by. She was about to speak up herself but her words died on her lips, instead gaping in awe at the display of power, the pull of energy before it formed and created a blade shape before completely manifesting. Her mind raced with all the applications this could entail, curious on his limitations or how exactly his powers worked and found herself a lot more interested in the person behind the power since she wasn’t sure if he was a team player or not with the personality displayed earlier. It was almost a disappointment when the blade disappeared out of existence before she could question more or even test out what the possibilities were. It wasn’t like they had a lot of time to see how they would all work together but this had potential. ”He isn’t wrong, Rachel. These are beautifully crafted and I can’t even begin to have words to describe how impressed I am with the outcome. Truly, thank you.”, she piped in with her own mask, sitting upon her head instead of being pulled down and nicely set in place. ”So, Caiden was it? That is some power you have there.”

Reference

Current Mood in One Gif

Rangers

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_{Location: Downtown}

_{Interactions: Mila@Fabricant451}

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A woman’s scream sharply pierced over the joyous noise created by the festivities, the music from the band instantly dwindling away mid song as multiple people in the crowd paused, glancing around in curiosity to see what was happening over near the food trucks. She felt herself flinch, the distinct sound of an explosion happening in the distance causing her to turn her attention in that direction for a split second and watching a plume of smoke filter into the night sky like a bad omen. It was for this very reason that she missed the beige clad beings first emerging, interrupting what should have been a wonderful occasion. In turn, it caused people to panic, desperately trying to flee the scene and unfortunately for some, meant they were getting shoved together into a pile and trapping a few in this dangerous situation. Hana felt the grip on her wrist, gasping a bit in surprise as she was moved behind Mila and protected a lot of the chaos around them at the moment. "Hana, RUN!"

”W-Wait, what about you?!”, she insisted worriedly, not planning on being a coward or a damsel in distress though she wasn’t sure how much she could do. She could do a bit to defend but she had never really applied much to fighting, much more a lover than a fighter. That much evident when one brave soul from the crowd went to rush forward to charge, only to everyone’s horror as they were swept off their feet and tossed as if nothing. Hana rushed to the person’s side, not caring if she was going to be noticed or in the crossfire doing so to check on them. Luckily, they didn’t seem too harmed but they would definitely feel it in the morning. ”Are you alright? Can you get up?!”, she asked, waiting for them to reply that they thought they were okay before helping them get up. ”Please be careful.”, she softly, watching them go for a moment before working to try and get other people to safety or at least moving them in the right direction while other people joined the fight.

She noticed one of them was Mila and quickly tried to rush to her to help since two is always better than one, only to run straight into one of their aggressors, lance pointed at her as she was forced backwards. Hana looked around for options, panic rising rapidly as she didn’t have time to think of a plan, the weapon jutting out viciously at her and causing her to have to react by swiftly jumping back, barely being missed as she stumbled. She quickly darted to the side as it went to slam the butt end of the lance to her head, wincing as it hit her part of her shoulder instead but she bit back the pain, climbing onto one of the picnic tables and went to tackle the being but it didn’t go down. Hana didn’t let that stop her, locking her arm around its neck and holding on tight, praying that since it was a humanoid form then maybe it would need to breathe too. It struggled in her grasp, trying to reach behind at her to get her off as she leaned away which applied more pressure. Unfortunately, she was so focused on the one enemy that she had not been prepared for a second one who roughly snagged her and tossed her harshly away. She rolled along the ground, curling as much as she could to protect herself but feeling pretty scraped up.

She weakly pushed herself up with her good side, glancing between the two as one started advancing in her direction. Hana scooted back as best as she could to create some distance, not able to get up as she got a sudden kick to the stomach which caused her to curl and lay on her side. She coughed, gripping her stomach tightly and just glad the beings attention had turned elsewhere by different fights breaking out close by. She groaned, wanting to get up to assist more people who were also on the ground but she couldn’t find it in her to get up just yet. She took a few deep wheezing breaths, closing her eyes tight and gritting her teeth as she pushed herself up weakly but more hunched over. Her shoulder ached and she held her middle as she shakily headed to see how her friend was. Hana only stopped for a moment, pulling out a colorful bandaid from her pocket and holding it out for a guy who had a bleeding cut from his cheek. ”H-Here.”, she said softly, not waiting for him to take it before taking hold of his hand and placing it in his palm before slowly making her way to Mila. Once reaching the other woman, Hana carefully crouched down and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. ”Mila, a-are you okay? D-Do you need help getting up?”

𝘿𝙀𝙎𝘾𝙀𝙉𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉 ⌜ᴀ ɢᴏᴅ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏ⌟

_{𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Olympic Club
𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Tlaz@KZOMBI3 | Hera@smarty0114
𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Phobos@Danvers}

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Sweat clung to her brow, her fingers flexing and uncurling as her breaths came out in short huffs. Her back arching as she leaned, her fingers grabbing hold of the water bottle on the floor next to the bench she decided to occupy after the rigorous workout she had put herself through. She slowly undid the cap, taking a swig while lightly dabbing her face with the towel around her neck and getting herself lost in thought, music drumming in her ears to block out the other members who slowly flooded into the gym. Nightmares had decided to plague her early that morning, light barely touching the sky when she had jolted up in bed, all alone while reaching for a comfort that wasn’t there. Sure, she could have a good time and not wake up alone but it wasn’t truly satisfying, only a temporary distraction. Mortals were good for a fling here and there but when you know there isn’t a future to share, it eventually puts a damper and a hold on anything that could be built other than easy friendship. It wasn’t fair to them with their short lives if she didn’t let them go, even though some were harder to give up than others. Hathor had sat in bed silently, haunted by a past that never seemed to truly leave her even when she had thought she had moved on. However, nothing comes from wallowing in pity so she had gotten up, put on some gym clothes, and gone to vent out her frustrations and give herself a better distraction. She could only hope that would help keep a rein on her emotions later while dealing with the gods and goddess for Hera’s little ‘luncheon’. If she hadn’t woken up so early, she would have absolutely disagreed with the naming but at this point, it might have been more accurate than she liked. Perhaps Hera was an early riser as well which is where the confusion arose.

She didn’t have time to ponder further on the matter though, her music suddenly cutting off to draw her attention to the ringing of her phone. Glancing at the band on her arm caused a soft smile to pull on the corner of her lips as she noticed the name and quickly clicked her headset, ”Kristy, to what do I ow….”, Hathor started to speak playfully and ready to tease when she was cut off. Her smile quickly fell as she listened to the woman on the other end, her eyes sharpening as something fierce, dangerous, and unpredictable instantly bubbled beneath the surface and her fingers tightened enough to cause punctures to the skin of her palms, not even feeling the pain as blood dripped to the floor. ”Listen to me very carefully…first, can you tell me where you are?”, she asked in a deathly calm tone, nodding along with the answer even though the other woman couldn’t see it. She was already grabbing her things as she spoke, not letting anymore time pass to get on the roll. ”Good, that’s good. Is there a hand towel rack near the door?”, only pausing for a moment to allow Kristy to answer and taking a second to slam the door open while heading for her car. ”Okay, are there any towels?”, Hathor questioned while tossing everything into the backseat and gracefully sliding into the driver seat a moment later. ”Alright, here is what I want you to do since he could have a key. I want you to wrap the towel around the door handle and tie it to the towel rack. You hold onto it tight just in case. I’m coming, you hear me? I will be there soon, just hang on.”

Hathor barely heard the beep of the phone hanging up before she was frantically hitting dial on a different number while flying down the road, not giving two fucks if there were cops or anyone else around to try and stop her. She could deal with those consequences later should they arise. Right now, she needed assistance, someone Kristy would know and trust. Normally, she would reach out to Tlaz but with today being today, she didn’t want to add anything more to the goddess plate. It wasn’t exactly a secret that a certain God of War was already causing chaos again by hiring one of their girls. Couldn’t even wait a day before making life difficult and leaving her with the aftermath, trying to pick up the pieces of her friend's broken heart. A flood of relief hit her as the line picked up, not going to voicemail like she feared it might since he could have easily already been at the luncheon. ”Phobos, I’m sending you an address. I need you to meet me there as fast as possible! Kristy is in trouble!”
A voice raspy with sleep answered after a moment's silence. "I'll be there in 10." There were no further questions or complaints about having to haul his greek ass halfway across town. And before Hathor could offer any response, the phone clicked off.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

Another distinct thud of a body dropping to the floor could be heard, calm footfalls following shortly behind, moving with purpose as if a predator stalking for its prey. She stepped over the mess she was leaving in her wake as she moved through the entry and hallways of the modern home with no remorse currently for her actions and barely registering that they were somewhat innocent in this matter, just doing their jobs. They weren’t dead though they would be in extreme pain once they awoke and maybe a few might need some medical attention. Her rational thought was drifting further away, control snapping slowly since the moment she had been denied entrance upon her first warning and every obstacle just stacking up against her, fueling that deliciously pleasurable need for blood and destruction which was always slumbering just below the surface, waiting to be awoken and unleashed. The only flicker keeping her somewhat together to not paint the walls red and completely fall to her deeper impulses was that lasting thought that someone needed her to be calm, to stay somewhat in control so that she could be the best side of her, the nurturing and comforting one that assisted those weaker than herself.

Hathor felt herself being roughly slammed in the wall, a growl pulling from her throat as she felt a split second of disorientation before being greeted with a solid punch to the face. A hand reached out, giving her no time to block or dodge before pinning her up by her throat so her feet had no hold on the ground. A smirk appeared on the lackey’s face as he watched in amusement at her fingers clawing at his hand to try and get him to release her. He felt victorious…he thought she was going to cave. Oh how wrong he was because she was going to wipe that smirk right off his face. She spat her own blood at the one engaging her, grabbing their own arm for leverage instead of the digging her nails had been doing and she kicked the man square in the chest with both of her feet, sending them both tumbling to the floor. She gave a rugged cough, trying to get air back into her lungs but not wanting to miss the opportunity to gain the upper hand so she pushed off the wall to tackle the man who was still trying to get up. It was truly his own fault for turning his back to her, a miscalculation or fault for underestimating her. Hathor quickly wrapped her arm around his neck, locking her grip in place as she leaned backwards to apply more force, her legs pressing to the back of the knee in an awkward way so it would buckle. He threw himself backwards, throwing her into the wall with enough force for pictures to fall and shatter glass along the floor around them. She grunted at the force but didn’t let up until he seemed to be close to collapsing, finally letting go so he could stumble forward with a hoarse cry of pain at his hands landing in the glass.

Hathor felt a twisted sadistic smile pull on her lips, slipping a bit further into bloodlust as she yanked his arm roughly backwards close to the breaking point, leaning him closer to the glass as a wince of fear slipped from his lips. ”Who’s smiling now? Hm?”, she practically purred in a whisper against his ear, thoughts drifting for a single moment on how easy it would be to permanently punish this one for laying his hands on her…all it would take is a little shove, no…she had to focus, someone needed her protection. ”Now, you are going to be useful and tell me what I want to know or…well, I’m sure you can use that imagination of yours. Where is your employer? And it would do you well not to lie to me.”, she hissed as if spitting venom. The sheer panic from the man trapped at her whim was enough to bring a thrill of joyous fluttering to her heart before it was instantly squashed, that nagging feeling tugging at her…something wasn’t right but she couldn’t pin it, guilt perhaps…maybe shame, though that truffle emotion hardly seem necessary. The man’s shaky voice brought her attention sharply back on him and pushed aside the voice that was ruining her fun, “Y-You won’t b-be able t-to get to him!”
”We’ll see. The woman….no, Kristy, where is she?”, she asked, some of her senses coming back a bit more as she was forced to talk and think precisely on why she was here. She would regret parts of her actions and worry over the slip up later, knowing fully well she wasn’t out of the thick of it yet as she didn’t have too many good reasons to fully hold back. “I d-don’t know…” he panted, suddenly frantically adding to his statement as he felt more pressure applied on the already painful hold to his arm, “I swear! P-Please! M-Maybe with h-him. H-He l-likes to take them to the basement. That’s all I know!”
”Hm, how do I get to the basement?”, she questioned, lessening the pressure once more to a painful but tolerable level as a reward. “There is a code for the door. I d-don’t know it b-but maybe it’s in the security office?! The b-basement is t-the opposite way. T-The door is d-down the stairs c-close to the kitchen.”
“And the security office?”
“C-Continue down t-that way, you’ll find the second f-floor stairs. D-Down the hall, around the corner and t-third door on the r-right. T-They will know y-you are coming.” He said, trying to scare her a little, make her hesitate but even he knew that was a hopeless wish when she spoke up once more.
”Good.” Hathor tossed him to the side, letting him avoid the glass but still delivered a harsh kick to knock the guard unconscious before proceeding.

Up until this point, she had been obviously dealing with more of the main staff of guards than the professional security team since while she was dealing with yet another problematic obstruction to get through, the cool feeling of a barrel was felt on her temple. The security from upstairs finally deciding to join in to help their incompetent allies, feeling she was actually a worthy risk at this point. This caused her to pause, her glare still burrowing into the bloodied man in front of her as she stood still, punch held in mid air at the sobbing mess of a man caught in her grasp. She was in a bad position to move and if she didn’t want to take a bullet, Hathor needed to think of something fast. She was fine with taking damage, continuing on her merry way until she collapsed, already looking a little roughed up but a bullet to her head was a slightly different story. It wouldn’t be long before back up arrived and if they were armed then that would be troubling.

"Damn Hath..." The voice of one God of Fear suddenly broke through the tension, carrying with it what could've been a mix of genuine approval and surprise. His footsteps had been gentle against the wooden floorboards but now, stopping midway down the hallway, he raised one to nudge the body of a half slumped guard beside him, checking that he was actually knocked out. At least she'd done a thorough job. A smirk dared to tug at the edge of his lips but he pushed it down, his features instead forming a mask of calm composure.

Running a hand through his still bed tousled hair, the young god carefully threaded through the war path, avoiding the pieces of splintered wood and glass. He moved as someone who was used to such scenes of chaos. "Why don't you just put the gun down?", Phobos spoke softly as he approached, holding up his own hands in front of himself and taking one...two steps closer towards them. "Toss it on the floor and walk away." He nodded to the ground in front of him, his sharp blue eyes taking in the vengeful Egyptian goddess before snapping back to the guard. Even the dullest of deities would recognise that in this moment, she was not her usual self. It triggered a small spark of curiosity within him but he pushed that aside. Phobos did not really see how that was his business to know or understand. And she had never designed to reveal that side of herself to him anyway.

The gun slid along her forehead to the other side of her temple as they both turned to the voice, a sense of relief flooding her and relaxing her tense muscles at the sight of the God of Fear. It should have probably been terrifying, especially in this moment while she was practically close to losing the last thread of control, one of her greatest fears but instead, all she could do was feel grateful. Obviously, it wasn’t a thrilling prospect that he was getting to see her in a whole new light, one she didn’t like those close to her to see but at least disgust or horror wasn’t gracing his features. Hathor watched silently as he tried to talk the guard down, her gaze subtly shifting to the one threatening her. “Stay back!” the guard demanded, not liking the fact that there was now someone else to worry about and the gun shaking lightly against her skin. She tilted her head, waiting to see what the guard would do, a piece of her hoping that the guard would simply comply but that was tossed out the window when he pulled another weapon from his hulster, now pointing one at each of them. Hathor’s eyes darkened, her gaze getting unfocused but fierce as her mind was racing through all the ways to maim the one before her. Threatening her was one thing but to threaten those she cared about, that was just tipping the scales and asking for her wrath. This one deserves no mercy and she was shaking, struggling to hold herself back from making fantasy reality.

Phobos let out a small sigh, a hand reaching up to idly scratch the side of his nose. " Guess that's what I get for trying to be nice..." He murmured more to himself than anything, a look of disappointment flashing across his face. "Let's have a look then." He uttered gently as he dared to edge a few inches closer to the guard, seemingly unconcerned by the barrel now pointed directly at him. The fear radiated off the mortal like a wave of heat, rolling across the sun-kissed skin of the god who now basked in the raw emotion. Phobos suspected that his presence had made the guard more nervous but it was Hathor who had pulled out this exquisite feeling of panic. "Oh yep, that's a classic." He offered the man a small, almost pitying smile, before his world came crashing down. Fear embraced the mortal, wrapping its icy tendrils tightly around his fragile heart.

The shaking stopped, the mortal seeming almost stunned in one spot like a deer in headlight but only for a moment before the real shaking began. He dropped one of the guns to the ground in sheer blind panic while taking a few steps away, the gun switching who it was pointed at. Hathor didn’t waste a moment to drop the man still in her grip so she could grab hold of the other mortal's wrist while stepping to the side, protecting herself from the line of fire as shots went off. Usually she would have just moved to flip them to the ground and work on disarming without the need for harm but instead she started to repeatedly pound the man’s wrist against the banister of the stairs, waiting for that loud crack even when he had been forced to let go of the gun long before that point. The man slid to the ground, hugging his wrist to his chest as he cried in fear and pain. She really would have liked to continue but someone else deserved punishment far more than this mortal. She made quick work of knocking the guard, slowly turning to pick up both guns before locking her eyes onto her companion. It took a moment for his name to click, a warm smile tugging on her lips even if it didn’t match her state of appearance. ”Hello Phobos, glad you could join me.”, she purred, holding out one of the guns for him to take, knowing full well neither of them needed it but it would help to have fire against fire.

"My pleasure." He replied softly as he took the gun from her. For an escort service, they really had gotten themselves into a fair bit of trouble. Though with a boss like Tlaz, he wasn't all too surprised. It wasn't exactly the first time he'd had to get his hands dirty on behalf of one of her bustling enterprises. "So who's the asshole?" Phobos nodded his head in the direction of the closed door ahead of them, hands deftly unclipping the magazine, checking how many bullets were inside - there were two, and clicking it back into place. Having finished, his eyes scanned over the lithe form of the goddess in front of him, looking for any signs of injuries. There were a couple of scrapes and scratches here and there but nothing to call home about. Not that anything more serious would be likely to stop her anyway. And as his gaze roamed back to settle on her face, he realised that it might've been misconstrued as checking out instead of checking over, and he couldn't help but shoot her a playful smile before turning his attention back to the problem at hand.

”If his file is to be believed, some fat cat lawyer who, on paper, seems on the up and up but clearly, that isn’t the case. Believe me, I will be finding out who their source was for our fine establishment.”, she replied while looking into her own weapon before continuing, ”Make sure they understand the company they keep and to be more discreet with our information in the future if they don’t want a visit as well.” Her attention drew back to Phobos to see if he was ready to proceed, only to find those gorgeous blue eyes scanning over her form and feeling a sense of pride swell at the fact he wouldn’t find much wrong with her if he was worried for injury and if he was looking for other reasons, well, just another to be confident. It wasn’t like he didn’t work at JJ so there was more than a chance he had seen her on stage with a lot less than her current ripped and ragged gym clothes.

”Let’s divide and conquer, I’ll head for the basement while you head for security. It’s upstairs, the third door on the right once you round the corner. Once you have the code for the basement, give me a ring and I’ll meet you down there. Be ready to get Kristy out of here and to a hospital. I’ll handle the asshole and clean up here. Jason owes me one and I would rather not deal with cops today.”, Hathor stated, focused and ready to get down to business. She took a few steps in the opposite direction, heading for the kitchen area but paused, ”Thank you…”, she said softly, not stating more on why she was thanking him though the reason could be taken many ways. For example, just showing up at all, saving her from what would have been a sticky situation, bringing her mind back just a little bit, not being horrified by a part of herself that she hated, helping Kristy after all this…really the list could go on but she didn’t have the time to convey it so the simple phrase would have to do and with that she headed for her destination.

"No need to thank me Hath." Was the gods nonchalant reply before he turned away. It wasn't that he was trying to dismiss her gratitude but more that he wasn't used to receiving thanks and knew not what to do with it. He did things just because he felt like it and he was pretty happy with that. As Hathor walked away he paused at the bottom of the stairwell, listening for any sounds before slowly making his way up to the next floor. It wasnt until he paused on the second to last step that Phobos could hear the sounds of muffled conversation. It was coming from what Hathor had identified as the security room, the door of which had been left ajar, likely when the majority of them had scattered to investigate the source of the chaos.

Stifling a yawn, for he was still feeling kind of sleepy, the god stretched his arms above his head as he pondered on what to do. Listening more closely, he made out only one voice, the other coming from a phone or walkie-talkie or something. As he neared the security room it became clear that the guards back was turned to him, attention focused on a series of screens plastered on the back wall. Shrugging, Phobos aimed for the back of the guards knee, placing an easy bullet into the soft flesh. Watching as the man fell to the floor in gasps of barely contained his pain, he heard an almost (for the guard was making an annoying amount of noise) imperceptible creak of aged floorboards. Turning his head, he had no time to react before he found the butt of a gun slammed into his face, droplets of warm blood instantly falling from the cut that had formed on his cheek.

"Really?" He muttered as he wiped some of the blood away with the back of his hand, irked at the fact he'd been caught off guard. Pulling at the strings of the man's unease, he strode towards him as a wash of fear overcame the man. Grabbing the back of his head tightly, he slammed the guard into the wall, the sound of broken facial bones crisp and a clear confirmation that he was no longer in the land of consciousness. It only took him a couple of minutes of rifling around the room to find the code and pulling his phone from his pocket, he quickly dialled Hathor’s number. "Codes 4559. Meet you down there...and watch your back." The greek added the last part as an afterthought before strolling out of the room.

”I will. See you soon.”, Hath answered, letting him hang up the phone as she input the code. The thunk of the unlocking door could be heard as the metal door creaked open, allowing her to slip inside. She started down the stairs slowly and cautiously so as to not make a sound, that is until she heard a woman’s wail of pain causing her to fly down at a swift pace. The sight of the small blonde woman curled in a fetal position to protect herself from another oncoming kick was Hathor’s last straw, not even giving the man time to react or blink to the noise she had made coming down. She aimed for the leg that was currently the most offensive to her sight, hitting him square in the calf and watching the blood splatter to the floor while the stunned man cried out, limping backwards to try and grab hold of something to keep himself up before glaring in her direction. “YOU CRAZY BITCH! FUCK!” he cursed, holding his leg and eyeing his own gun on the end table. ”I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Mr. Callaway. I’ve got four more bullets in this gun and as you can see, quite the aim. Maybe my next shot goes higher. Now…” she stated in an eerily calm tone that hinted to the dangerous venom beneath, letting the words hang in the air for a moment. On gliding steps, she moved through the room and grabbed a decorative wooden chair sitting at the corner before sliding it along the ground behind her as she stepped closer and closer to her next victim. She presented the chair before him, glaring harshly as gesturing towards the chair, ”Have a seat.”, she demanded, watching the defiant look burning in his eyes but ultimately calculating the situation and having a seat.

”Move and I promise that you will be sorry.”, giving the only warning she was going to as she was using every once of her control and patience not to just let herself physically rip this man to shreds. Hathor moved to the woman still curled in a ball, tears pouring down her once beautiful freckled face that looked close to unrecognizable with the massive swelling facial features, the break in her nose, an eye which was blackened and unable to open, and topping it all off with a split lip. Hathor had no doubt her body was probably worse off, no doubt there would be some broken ribs and who knew what else could be wrong. Kristy flinched at her light touch, still in shock and not registering she was no longer being attacked until that very moment. The only eye that could open looked at her, terrified but joyful relief finally appearing as well as she desperately crawled to be in Hathor’s arms. “J-Jas-mine…”
”Shhhhh, don’t try to speak. I’m here. It’s okay, he can’t hurt you anymore. Caleb is going to take you away from here. It’s going to be alright.”, she cooed softly in a warm motherly tone, holding the poor girl as if she was made of glass but giving her as much comfort as possible. She started petting her hair gently before letting the tingling flood of her powers work their magic as she took on the woman’s physical pain. The onslaught of pain made her want to vomit, to cry out loudly, to curl into herself and not move for days so she could lick her wounds but she did not of these things, only allowing tears to spill from her eyes.

Hathor pushed the feelings of pain aside, her eyes glazing over a bit so when she heard the chair behind her squeak slightly and she swiftly turned, firing another shot that caused another scream of pain but also a cry of surprise from the girl in her arms, though she buried closer into her savior’s arms instead of moving away. ”Did I not warn you Mister Callaway, the consequences of moving? Be thankful that we still need to have a discussion or it would not have been your hand I went for.”, she said, her eyes sharply on his and holding back none of the righteous fury she felt while he now stared back at in complete terror as he clutched his hand to his chest, one that now had a nice hole through the middle.

Whilst the man lamented the loss of several centimetres of flesh, Phobos followed the sounds of pain to the basement floor. The scene in front of him would've been horrific if he hadn't spent millenia fighting in an endless series of wars and battles. As it was, he simply looked on at the whimpering man in front of him, holding back the desire to shoot him in the other hand. It was at least good to know that Hathor would take proper care of him though it would've been satisfying to partake himself. This was always the fun bit. But she had asked him to look after Kristy, so instead he approached the pair, unable to miss the injuries that covered the mortal from head to toe. Crouching down in front of them, he glanced over at Hathor, eyes following the path of tears that rolled down her cheeks. "Can I?" He asked before taking Kristy gently into his arms. Her body was as light as a feather and he could feel the trembles of fear that still coursed through her, though she did not make any sounds of pain as he stood. As he carried the girl he offered her a small smile, one that was surprisingly genuine for a god who knew little more than blood and pain. "We'll get you sorted out in no time, okay?" Seeing that she wasn't too distressed by being in his charge, he glanced back over at Hathor, "I wouldn't keep him alive personally." He said matter of factly as if they were simply discussing what to eat for breakfast or which movie to watch. She stood slowly from the floor, rolling her shoulders lazily and keeping her eyes locked on her prey now that there was nothing to hold her back, ”We will see if I have enough mercy to grant that wish once I’m done.”

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The goddess of many names found herself standing before the Olympic Club, fashionably late and debating if she should just turn around right now, skip the show for just one year. It wasn’t such an unreasonable thought, given the catastrophe she had done this morning while also still carrying the weight of someone else’s pain while physically fine. She knew she wouldn’t though, Tlaz needed some support after all and she wasn’t letting her best friend brave an emotional battlefield alone. At least she had the sense to go home after the clean up crew had arrived to take care of the mess from her destructive rage that had been unleashed. She figured that the Greek queen would probably forgive her tardiness in this case, after all, if she had wanted to show up on time…she would have been in gym clothes and decorated in the blood of her enemies which didn’t seem quite appropriate for the occasion. Thankfully, for all those inside the clubhouse, Hathor’s control was locked back into place, her emotional state shaky at best and her physical one in agony but at least the guilty party had taken the brunt of her destructive tendencies and those somewhat innocent in the matter had only taken a beating instead of waking to the line of judgement.

She had threw on one of her favorite outfits, hoping it would make her feel irresistible and confident, neither of which she felt emotionally at the moment but it was a start at trying to make her feel better. A full tray of booze was rather tempting and would be a good start to numbing both problems that plagued her. Perhaps she could even coax Dio into a contest of some kind…no, that was probably a bad idea, she would just end up drinking him under the table again even with his claim to fame that he was the winner every time which was laughable and it make cause unwanted trouble. Hathor took a deep breath, trying to drown the fear that she would trigger again with everyone else here and telling herself she could handle anything that came her way when she heard someone on the steps behind her causing her to tense, turning to politely greet the arrival but found herself relaxing a tad bit and even able to pull a smile through the pain. ”Phobos…”

As he approached the Egyptian goddess, Phobos returned her smile with a small knowing one of his own. "She's okay." He reassured, speaking of course of Kristy, who had looked…well like shit, when Hathor had last seen her. The switch in both her demeanour and dress had drawn his attention, the calm facade a stark contrast with the fierce rage that had encompassed her not too long ago. The goddess definitely wasn't boring. Personally, he'd not had the time to go home but he always kept a change of clothes in the trunk of his car, so his attire was, at the very least, not covered in blood stains and the tears of the poor girl he'd taken to hospital. As amusing as it would've been to see his grandmother's reaction, he'd decided against looking like he'd come straight from a battlefield. His face still bore the signs of their mornings activities and admittedly the nurses in the emergency department had offered to patch him up but he hadn't been concerned about one little cut. Unlike mortals, they didn't have to wait weeks for even the most minor of injuries to heal.

Speaking of, their exploits had left him parched and what better to quench it, than some overly priced alcohol. "Want to get really drunk?" Phobos asked his fellow deity as they walked into the grand, and entirely over the top, country club. Not waiting for an answer, he strode over to one of the male servers. After a couple of minutes of gentle persuasion, he returned with two uncorked bottles of true french champagne. "Guess this'll do for starters." He shrugged, more than willing to drink by himself if she didn't want to partake.

He knew her all too well, both answering the question she was going to ask while also offering up one of his own that was in direct line of what she had been thinking moments before his arrival. She couldn’t help but smile, not even able to answer, instead letting herself be led and casually strolling into the country club together. He hardly seemed bothered by her lack of answer though and began instantly working to procure them libations but not just simple glasses as she would have assumed. Upon his return, Phobos had managed not one but two bottles of French champagne. Hathor stepped forward, wrapping her fingers around one of the bottles to claim it as her own. ”I could kiss you, this is exactly what I needed.”

The god raised his eyebrows at the statement, before popping the cork off his champagne, which he ignored as it knocked an extremely expensive looking vase to the ground, and took a swig. "Be careful Hath, you'll have me thinking you're flirting...and I'm not sure I'd be able to resist the charms of a JJ girl." And though his tone was light and teasing, his gaze remained firmly focused on her soft brown eyes.

The sparkling amusement in her eyes at the once beautiful extravagant vase was dimmed as he spoke, turning into something darker as he received her full attention. Her sultry gaze didn’t leave that sea of blue which many could easily get lost in or probably already had as she stepped forward, leaning into his personal space to place her bottle on the table behind him. Her other hand came up, slowly skimming along his own, gently taking the open bottle from his own fingertips before stealing a swig for herself.”And if I was? How long do you think that resistance of yours will last?”

Phobos maintained his calm composure as her body came closer to his, though the corners of his lips began to turn up mischievously. "Oh, I think I'd be broken instantly." He narrowed the space between them even further, the feel of her body warm next to his. "So you really should take pity on me." A playful grin made its way to her own features, leaning up so there was barely an inch between them as she spoke, It’s a shame we are in a place that we can’t test if that’s true or not.” Hath moved to the side, placing a soft kiss to his cheek before pulling away, taking another swig from the bottle she had claimed from him. ”So, I’ll take pity on you this time. Besides, I should really find Tlaz and give her an update so she isn’t surprised later. Catch ya later.”, she replied with a wink before sauntering away. At her words, a flash of disappointment crossed Phobos' features, whether in protest against the end of their game or something else, it wasn't entirely clear. But he quickly covered this up as he watched her walk away, turning to grab the discarded champagne and make his own way into the throng of deities.

Delbrook Academy: Senior Year [ FULL ]

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______________________________________	______________________________________________________________________________________ Location: Loft → Delbrook Academy Interactions: N/A ______________________________________________________________________________________

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Water dripped onto the tiled floor, tresses of damp hair being gently held to keep it from flying in all directions as the hairdryer loudly ran past it. Her hands kept up the mundane task of drying hair while her mind wandered, spiraling over all the details that left her nervous about the day. This would be the first time she entered a school, let alone an official classroom since she was in elementary school. What if this was a mistake? What if she just embarrassed herself and made a mess of everything? What if she didn’t like it and her brother’s last kind gesture went to waste? No, she wouldn’t let that happen even if the worst came about but still, this was a big step. One of many she had been making recently and Charlotte could only force herself to look at the bright side and hope for the best. Her father was at least making an effort in her life even if it was for all the wrong reasons and her mother was just waiting in the wings for her to fail so she could rub it in her face and try to prove that she knew best on how Charlotte should live every aspect of her life. She wasn’t letting the woman get her clutches on her again if she had any say in the matter.

She furiously shook her head, as if to ward off the unappealing thoughts and stood up, flipping her hair back into place instead of letting it dangle towards the floor so she could finish up and get ready for the rest of her morning. She snapped off the dryer, making her way up to the bedroom loft, and switching the towel she was currently wearing for a simple pair of jeans, a black shirt as well as a plaid button up thrown over the top with the sleeves rolled neatly to her elbow, and a pair of converse. Charlotte wanted to be comfy and relaxed, not worry about being a stylish perfect model for once. Sure, she lightly did her make-up which resulted in a lack of breakfast since she wanted to get to the campus early and at least get a map to figure out where she was going instead of being a lost lamb but in the end it was still worth the effort, at least in her opinion. Either way, she had been informed by her one last childhood connection, Danny, that the first day neither breakfast nor supplies were really needed but he hadn’t said why. She was just honestly looking forward to actually being able to see him in person instead of the random snuck text which could go months in between depending on her availability which was more code of when she could trick her mother’s obsession to control her contact or looking over his Facebook though she never posted on hers. She was also looking forward to seeing everyone else from elementary school, instead of playing lurking on social media since she couldn’t risk texting multiple people that her mother had deemed ‘unworthy’.

”Alright my toasty Marshmallow, I’ve got to run but you watch after the house for me, okay? Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”, she smiled, lavishing pets and chin scratches on the beautiful siamese while only receiving a ‘meow’ in response to her words...or more likely due to the stopping of said affection.
”Good boy.”, she praised, moving out of her crouched position as her phone chimed. ‘Who on earth could that be?’, she thought, digging her phone out of her pocket. A sense of dread hit her and it felt like rocks were sinking into her stomach as she looked at the title name of who had texted. It wasn’t much of a surprise but it still made her shake in fear as well as anger as she gathered up the courage to at least open up the text and have a look.

To: Devil Incarnate
Don’t you think it’s about time you give up this rebellious act, young lady?

Charlotte glared, quickly hitting delete on the message before jamming her phone back into her pocket. She wasn’t going to dignify an answer to such a stupid question. Her mother was clearly still in her own world and thought she had done nothing wrong to her daughter growing up, that she was just being hard on her to encourage her to be her best self. Yeah fucking right! That was definitely not how it was in everyone else’s eyes. Crazy bitch was just lucky that all she wanted to do was wash her hands of it all instead of going to the police and trashing her reputation to everyone she knew or associated with. She wanted to text back a snippy reply, to tell her that it wasn’t a fucking act and that she was simply done being the woman’s whipping post but that would just make it worse. She would never see reason and a reply would just give her more ammo or worse, think she had won in some way by dragging out a reply. She didn’t need the headache which a conversation would absolutely bring. She took a deep breath, tossing on her leather jacket and sliding on her backpack before locking up and heading out.

The drive was pleasant and gave her a chance for her temper to simmer and dissipate. Traffic held her up a bit but she was still reasonably early which she was thankful for as she yanked off her helmet, switching her leather jacket for her backpack in the bike's storage compartment and just hanging the helmet on the handle. If someone really wanted to be that much of a dickbag and steal something like head protection then more power to them. It was relatively easy to find the office, sorting out her paperwork and being released with map, lock, and schedule in hand. Charlotte ended up stopping by her locker to drop everything off since she knew it would hardly be of use the first day but was at least preparing for tomorrow before navigating the halls. It had taken a bit longer than she cared to admit but once she found the room, honestly, she couldn’t help but chuckle a bit as she didn’t realize that lining up was something they did even in highschool. She remembered it from her elementary school days but it seemed childish still or maybe they just liked order? After a while, she started to believe the latter was the correct option as no other class was doing the same.

She waited patiently, popping on her headsets so she could listen to music and not stand in complete boredom. Once the line started moving however, she slipped one of them out so she could at least pretend to pay attention. Charlotte gave a pleasant Spanish greeting to Miss Goldman before making her way in, looking for her assigned seat before plopping down. Her heart did a quick flutter as she noticed who exactly was across from her but tampered it down fast as she remembered that he was currently dating someone though who she couldn’t say, still she gave a brief wave with a soft smile and looked around to see if anyone else she knew was close by. She watched as people greeted each other, obviously knowing each other from last year while others were doing greetings to the new people around them. Miss Goldman quickly went over what she expected from the class and what they could expect shortly. The announcements were average and when she was asked to stand she did, going with the flow. She followed as requested to the assembly which was not her style whatsoever, both headphones promptly going in and ignoring the world around her for a bit. It totally didn’t click that this would have been the perfect moment to hunt down her friends to chat with them the whole time but oh well, no use crying over spilled milk as she was sure she could find them at the carnival. Charlotte only realized the assembly was over as people started to stand, the Seniors getting excited as they exited to the field.

To say she was surprised was an understatement. Sure, she had listened to what to expect but when you hear school carnival, this was hardly what she had in mind. She thought they had just been exaggerating to make it sound more inviting. Instantly, she shoved her music into her free pocket, one single destination in mind as she sprinted excitedly to find a funnel cake stand and maybe somewhere for a corn dog before seeing if they had that dart balloon popping game…okay, maybe finding friends before games but they would understand the need for food first, right? It took a bit of wandering, shuffling through the crowd but finally she saw the most beautiful sign around ’Southern Momma's Funnel Cakes’ and she made sure to pop in line pronto. ”Finally! Glad they had one…”, she muttered to herself, the smell making her mouth water. Charlotte glanced at the menu while she waited and raised a brow in curiosity at deep-fried Oreos. ’Huh, maybe I’ll get one to try. I do like sweets after all and how bad can it be?’, she thought to herself.

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______________________________________	______________________________________________________________________________________ Location: Home → Delbrook Academy Interactions: N/A ______________________________________________________________________________________

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There was a sharp intake of breath followed by the rustling of sheets as a chime loudly rang out. Arms stretched out, slipping out from under the covers as the sound of crackling pops followed just behind. The single occupant sat up with a groan, rubbing her eyes lazily as the background noise of the tv continuously droned on, some type of news program or whatever. The brunette scoffed at it, not giving trust into any of the bullshit they were trying to sell. ’Cause the news is so transparent, my ass...everyone has secrets or an agenda.’, she thought. Her dark eyes finally fluttered open, a hiss on her lips as she blinked a few times against the harsh sunlight. Once she was again blessed with the gift of sight, she only found herself greeted with an amused smirk of a man with a cup of coffee in his hands while he watched her clear look of beyond belief confusion on why she was on the couch and not in her room. “Rough night, Jordan?” the older gentleman chuckled and held out the mug for her.

She leaned forward, taking the mug gently and giving a quick dip with her arm in thanks before she took a swing only to spit it instantly back into the cup. ”What the fuck is this? Sludge? Did your taste buds shrivel up and die, old man?”, Jordan gagged with her nose wrinkled in disgust as she readjusted in her makeshift bed on the couch to place the vile drink onto the coffee table. The man gave a hearty chuckle, ruffling her messy bed hair before he happily took a seat in the recliner. “Now is that any way to talk to your favorite uncle? Next time get up and make your own coffee then.” he simply stated, turning his attention to the television.”Yeah, yeah, yeah. We both know you're my only uncle and besides, if I wasn’t given you a hard time then you wouldn’t feel loved.”, she snickered. “You got me there, snapdragon. I’ve become immune to your insults and now they feel like compliments. I might take you to the hospital if something nice popped out.” he teased.

”Ha ha Benny. Very funny. Why are you even watching this garbage?”, Jordan asked honestly, standing up and digging under the pillow for her phone. “I like to be informed and besides, it doesn’t seem all that bad.” he shrugged gently. ”Trust me, don’t fall into that corp….orate...bull….oh fuck my life!”, she cursed, panic hitting her in the gut as she noticed she had set the wrong time for her phone and was most likely going to be late. ”Why didn’t you wake me!?! I’m going to be late for school!” she whined, quickly racing to her room and digging into her dresser for clothes. “You looked like you could use the rest! Plus you need to learn to be independent!” Benny called out from the living room. ”Did grandma really use that line on you as a kid or is this an Uncle Benny special just for me?!”, she called from the bathroom, quickly slipping on a pair of black leggings and a simple grey shirt with a random print design. She didn’t have time to mess with her hair so she simply threw it up into a bun, placing a headband on that had a mix of color for a bit of pop to break up all the dull colors she had managed to grab. Jordan dashed to the front door, pulling on some running shoes and her leather jacket to complete her outfit. “She used it, though not sure I ever followed the advice even if it would have done me a world of good to do so.” he replied as Jordan rolled her eyes, ever the typical teenager.

”Got to jet, old man! I’ll call you if I end up hanging instead of coming home right after school.”
“Much appreciated. Drive safe, Snapdragon.”
She watched him for a second longer, a gentle smile on her features before slamming the door shut and rushing to her truck. ”Come on baby, let’s get this show on the road.”, she said, petting her steering wheel lovingly before turning the key and peeling out of the driveway before getting onto the road. Jordan had been accurate that she was late as hell, slipping into the assembly as quietly as possible. She doubted her presence was completely missed in the homeroom and half the stuff was a rehash of last year so that was a plus. It might bite her later but when did she not get in trouble? Her grades were good so could the teachers really complain all that much? She sure didn’t think so. The whole assembly was snoozeville and she almost wished she had slept in longer but oh well. She was simply grateful when it was over and made it her mission to hunt down her favorite peeps. Food was better with friends after all and she didn’t plan to miss out on that fact.

Rangers

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_{Location: Downtown}

_{Interactions: Mila@Fabricant451}

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She found Angel Grove was a completely different change of pace and style in comparison to the small sleepy town boarding the forest she had grown up in. It was quicker in many ways, still friendly but there was no denying it was a true California city. Heck, the festival just proved people came to party as well as enjoy and knew how to let go from their everyday lives. She understood why this appealed to her mother even though the other denied that this was part of the reason she settled here and wouldn’t clearly state how she had met her new husband who had come as a package deal. Either way, the downtown area was a bubble of warm lights, fabulous sights, sounds, smells, and full of cheer as people explored the various food trucks or danced to the free music while waiting for the countdown to occur. Hana felt herself smile at the chaotic mess of bodies from her bench as she sat watching the joyous festivities in full swing while munching on a carnitas street taco. She hadn’t planned to come to the festival but was glad that her mind had been changed due to the invitation from Mila. The woman had put up some fantastic points and arguments in the cafe when she tried to shakily explain she didn’t want to be a bother to her but with the tempting opportunity to at least make a one friend, one who was kind enough to invite her out without even really knowing her and one who insisted she wouldn’t be a bother, it was hard to resist so she had caved.

Sitting here now, she was actually having a nice time and had no regrets even with the vast crowd gathered. Hana heard more than saw Mila return from her adventure to the pizza truck, offering her a drink which she instantly reached out to take and cupping it in both of her hands with a shy smile. ”N-No, that’s okay. T-Thank you for getting this for me, that w-was sweet of you. I was about to get one myself anyway.”, she answered, playing lightly with the tab of the can as she tried to keep her nervous fingers busy. The blare of sirens startled her, making her grip the side of the can a little tighter as her attention shot in the direction of the pasting police cars flying by. She hoped it wasn’t anything serious again but then again, it was New Year’s Eve and people tended to do some pretty stupid things, curtesy of drinking a few more spirits than was necessary in their celebration. It sadly also brought about many worse accidents sometimes which was the major concern for her. Listening to Mila’s explanation of the situation, she hesitantly nodded before adding nervously, ”Y-Yeah, I hope so. I-I mean I d-don’t hope so but I hope it’s nothing worse than that.”

Hana blushed in embarrassment, wanting to just slap her own face every time her mouth opened so she quickly cracked open her drink and chugged, not even caring what the beverage was. Anything that could stop her for a moment from spewing words would be best. "Do you want to get closer to the stage? Wait, better question: how are you doing? Having fun, right? I told you it wouldn't be so bad."
Her fingers reached up to lightly press to her lips after she gulped down the last bit as she couldn’t talk with her mouth full, praying not to hiccup from downing a nice amount of a carbonated drink in a short time. She nodded enthusiastically before taking a deep calming breath just in case. ”I-I’m okay, t-thanks for asking. I’ve never seen a festival q-quite like this so I’m having a lot of fun. I-It’s very different but I’m glad you talked me into coming! It’s definitely not so bad.”, she replied before dumping away her trash. Hana nervously shuffled her feet, her fingers tapping on the sides of her thigh like a piano as she debated on the answer about the stage before getting a determined look on her features, lightly grabbing Mila’s wrist with the softest of pulls. ”Let’s get closer! Come on!”, Hana exclaimed excitedly with a dazzlingly bright smile.

The Wards: A Grimdark Teenage Superhero Story

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______________________________________	______________________________________________________________________________________ Location: Redline PRT Headquarters Date/Time: November 11th, 2022. 6-ish PM Interactions: N/A ______________________________________________________________________________________

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"I know from personal experience that the Mover life can make things seem slow, but there are far too many ways teleporting into a highly-secure meeting between unmasked Parahumans could go terribly wrong for everyone involved."
‘Excuse me, what?’ was her instinctual thought as she turned towards the voice of what she assumed to be another mover from the statement. She didn’t appreciate their view and instantaneous judgment on her entrance. Had that been the plan? Absolutely not but it would be rather pathetic of PRT though and even their fellow group if they could not handle one surprise instance. She watched as he ran one hand through his brown hair before speaking once more while she watched him with a raised eyebrow. "Honestly, it only takes one twitchy trigger-finger to get someone seriously hurt.".
‘Oh, so that is what this is about. He is one of those trigger happy people that instantly respond to every little thing and almost decided to take action when obviously anything can happen when putting children and teenagers in one room. Got it. What happened to expect the unexpected? Isn’t that kind of the job we all either signed up for or were forced into?’
"Never mind. Far be it from me stop you."
‘No, just quick enough to judge and say your opinion when no one asked for it or had an issue.’, Aaliyah thought, physically lightly biting her tongue not to respond back to the situation and forcing herself not to roll her eyes. She had a feeling he was going to continue to grate on her nerves in the future with that mightier than thou attitude so she might as well get used to it now.

She folded her hands and placed them into her lap, now feeling a lot less relaxed or positive about the situation she volunteered for and letting a familiar mask slip into place. It was obvious it would be better to just observe from this point as she usually did and gain information that way, see who would be the best to place trust in as well as see who would need to be cautiously worked with when in action. Talking just got her into trouble and right now, she needed to be smart. The last thing they needed was one of them getting riled up. She watched as one of the girls helped another from the pile of confetti, a little shocked that someone was actually buried in there. ’Okay, maybe mister overly opinionated had a reason to be slightly trigger happy if two surprises had happened together but still.’
The girl that had been assisting introduced herself, giving her chosen hero name and a brief description of her power but healing. Now that was interesting for sure and made her curious on exactly how it worked.

"Wow, already a pretty colorful cast of characters, huh?" That caught her attention, pulling her gaze away from the mess and the assisting party on the other side of the table to a finely dressed guy possibly a few years younger doing a slight confetti removal. "In more ways than one. Kudos by the way Aaliyah, lot of panache in that entrance." If she wasn’t a master at spotting perfectly crafted masks and falsely positive body movements, she might have been impressed by the manipulation to appear welcoming but it made her weary of him. However, that was until he spoke which she found herself hanging on his words without notice as he started to introduce himself. It started off just fine at first if not a little date advertisement like but then it got a little strange near the end and…’I think I’m gonna be sick.’, Aaliyah thought, her hand flying to her mouth at the unpleasant feelings the break gave but that wasn’t even close to the emotional problems she was facing.

Everything felt so far away, she could barely hear half of the apology that was being given as she went a bit in her own bubble and she found a pair of headphones being placed before her which she used as a focal point to pull it together. Her hand curled tightly into a fist under the table as she tried to get a grip of the strangling fear crushing her at having control taken from even for a moment and forcefully keeping the shivers under wraps. Outwardly, Aaliyah’s body language seemed relaxed as though just waiting for the symptoms to pass and after a moment, she pulled her hand from her mouth and calmly reached for the headphones before placing them in her ears even though she desperately wanted to snatch them up and jam them in as soon as possible. She didn’t want to be preserved as rude if the whole incident was actually an accident and she would give Will the benefit of the doubt this time since she didn’t know about the headphones. Mistakes happen and she could roll with the punches even if she was terrified…it wasn’t like she hadn’t pushed through bad situations before. She looked to Will as he apologized and gave a dazzling smile, ”It’s alright, no harm, no fowl. It might be better to give a warning before attempting a test in the future.”

"Well, uh- That's crazy. Huh? Yeah, okay...Hi.", was the awkward start to the next introduction but she definitely appreciated Jane for trying to move past it and keep things normal. It was also neat to see the group had two tinkers or she was going to assume the confetti burial gal was also a tinker with the vibes she gave. It was definitely looking up for them a bit and while she definitely wasn’t hoping for major injury, at least they had a healer and someone to hook them up if healing wasn’t enough or was too much for Memento. It was always nice to have a back up plan in a chaotic moment after all since one or the other could be down for the count. She hadn’t caught the name of the seemingly overexcited younger guy suddenly speaking up but there were some…well, cringe worthy moments out of the conversation that Fukuda addressed…at least Andrew was trying. Aaliyah herself hadn’t been around many people and even less so people her age so she was probably just as awkward in her own way, being closed off from people so she couldn’t really judge. Her fake smile to mask pain from earlier lightened softly into something more genuine as she responded, ”Thank you for the compliment though the portal entrance wasn’t exactly the plan. I would rather not go more into it than that.” She definitely wasn’t going to own up to being petrified of small spaces and the thought of doing it twice had been more than worth the risk of punishment or problems since she hadn’t been able to use rational thought at that moment.

His next questions were valid but the name Overclock for sure caught her attention, a split moment of excitement at the thought of the hero being here, someone who truly was there to help people and understood the true meaning of what hero stood for but then she put two and two together. ‘Oh…now I know what they mean about never meeting one’s heroes. It’s too bad the personality doesn’t match such admirable actions. At least I can respect his work.’ she thought to herself but was not looking forward to if he was going to be leader automatically while already being poorly judged. He was a solo hero which was suddenly a bit more concerning than before as well in her opinion. Aaliyah hoped they gave everyone a chance to prove themselves because sometimes certain people just were naturally better at leading in a way that worked for everyone. If it happened to be Overclock than great but they should at least view the potential in others vote together. At least Fukuda seemed to be in support of just not picking someone out of the gate.

It seems she wasn’t the only one that decided to cut it close or maybe they were over the mark at this point. It seemed like so much had happened, they couldn’t be on time or thirty minutes late and she wouldn’t know. The new guy seemed to be her age like a few others but it was clear from his attitude and words at the director that he was most likely one of the ones that hadn’t exactly signed up to be here. At least Caiden seemed to speak easily and was in his element, relaxed and quiet which could mean he was obversevant like she was. Their other teammate however was young, very young and had simply given a brace filled smile and a small wave which Aaliyah gave in return before the girl made her way to the couch. She hoped the girl did not feel awkward with all the eyes of the group on her and turned her own attention elsewhere, playing with some of the leftover confetti on the table. It seemed like the least she could do. Jane brought up a question on why they were picked and to be honest, Aaliyah kept to the interest of flicking confetti. It was obvious that some didn’t really choose so they were automatic and her guess was that everyone left were the only ones that had permission or were available currently. She could be wrong but that seemed the most likely if you used deductive reasoning. It seemed Andrew preferred Andy as he officially introduced himself along with a few facts though the bringing up of the leader thing again almost had her face palm or groan. The poor Director having to deal with repeating himself. Oh well, it was what it was.

Aaliyah didn’t really pay full attention to the conversations, picking up bits and pieces until Memento spoke up to the girl she had dubbed Confetti until she could snag her official name about scratching her to demonstrate or at least the my healing before asking made it seem like that. She watched the process, the red decoloration being applied but then moved over which made her understand exactly what ‘healing’ meant and she instantly felt her skin crawl, her hands subconsciously rubbing her outer wrists. The copies did help to not make the situation as horrifying but it was the whole premise that made her think back to this girl's trigger and none of what she could think of were good. If she was a betting woman, she would say abuse at least in some form and that made her upset on many different levels. It made her want to protect this girl and ultimately, she was going to be more careful than anyone so that she never had to use her powers for her. Aaliyah would let Jane do her work before Memento had a chance. That was a sacrifice she couldn’t accept. What if she shared more than just the transfer of the damage but the pain as well? There were just too many details not being stated here. If she didn’t get the pain then, maybe….and definitely if it was only a copy. If pain was involved in any way, it was going to be a hard no.

For all the crap she gave Overclock in her head, she was so glad she wasn’t the one that had to ask these hard questions because those were the same ones on the tip of her tongue. It would decide a lot of factors and it seemed he was weighing the same options. It did give him some bonus brownie points and maybe he wouldn’t actually grate on her nerves as much as she thought. It could have just been a misunderstanding so she would give him the benefit of the doubt even if he probably already had a negative opinion of her. Anyone who instantly looked to care and showed such concern for another was alright in her book. They say you really can’t do a chance at a second impression but Overcl….no, Sean had taken a pretty great shot at it. He had cared for Memento safety, had handled Andy well, and had officially introduced himself opening up a level of trust so in turn, she would respect that and give some back and let some of the earlier worries dampen a bit. The Director was trying to curb more questions which she could understand but she had to side with Sean on this one, some details were better shared. He wasn’t asking for a backstory but another layer of protection to make sure that she didn’t push herself too far as some people didn’t know their full limits.

There was no getting in a word to reply though as Fukuda’s phone rang, a serious conversation taking place. One that ultimately involved them, the so-called plan probably being changed due to whatever was happening or going to within the next hour. When Fashionista’s name came up, that piqued her interest and caused a bit of nervous anxiety to crawl in. She would be moving in later, the offer being rejected at first but after being told about the headquarters arrangement being a basement and hearing that the offer wasn’t only to her, she had said that she would move in but only after the first day so she could prepare. Aaliyah hadn’t expected to see her this early but that was silly after all. Hearing it was bad though made her more anxious than excited for what was ahead but everyone has jitters on their first day right? If they supported each other and had the Guardians around then maybe everything would be fine. At least the Director wasn’t wrong in his statement, no matter what they were preparing for….it should be interesting.

Current Mood in One Gif

𝘿𝙀𝙎𝘾𝙀𝙉𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉 ⌜ᴀ ɢᴏᴅ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏ⌟

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_{The Luncheon}

_{Mood: Like a duck.}

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_{Interactions:N/A}

Hours, that’s how long she had been sitting in her car at the back end of the Olympic Club parking lot while trying to urge herself into officially arriving. If anyone could ruffle her feathers and cause strain on the calm she normally exuded, it was her mother, Queen of the Greeks. She found that it was hard not to cave into whatever whim her mother might desire of her and the best way to stop that from happening was complete avoidance since she didn’t want to be a pawn but this was one event that couldn’t be so easily brushed aside. It was a time of year she dreaded, the knot in her stomach worsening as the event was called and the invitation received while she prayed her existence would be ignored at the function. It always made her feel like a duck, appearing calm and serene on the outside while under the surface, there was a furious paddling against churning emotions and a struggle to keep afloat or risk drowning in them. Needless to say, it made for an exhausting day and that wasn’t even half of the issue since it would also bring Ares who absolutely terrified her in more ways than one. It might not be so bad if he didn’t seem to make it his mission to bring discomfort or at least she saw it that way since he always seemed to be right there when she wished he wasn’t.

Pasithea just hoped she could find solace being around some of the other gods and goddesses, maybe find someone that even Ares and Hera would keep away from. One can hopefully be optimistic even if it is highly doubtful. She glanced at the clock with a groan, sighing deeply as she had stalled the inevitable as long as she could. She slightly stumbled out of her car as she got her balance, already regretting her choice to wear heels as she brushed her outfit off of any crumbs before striding into the building before her, easily finding the private event since she was sure as the underworld not calling this a luncheon, no matter if finger sandwiches were a thing. It was practically a bunch but without the best part which was breakfast but if she could drown her nerves in champagne then that would be fine. Maybe it would add a kick to the dessert for breakfast she had consumed slowly through her wait because for now she wasn’t feeling the effects at all.

Each step into the room was calculated and cautious, if not a bit shaken while making a beeline for the refreshments, working to find a seat as far away and to the back as possible. Pasithea knew it wouldn’t be polite to hide but she couldn’t help herself. She might seek out their hostess later, when someone else could be by her side and give her some back up or at least she thought that was what the saying was. Pasithea took a seat, taking a good gulp of her drink as she scanned the crowd of those to arrive so far. Her eyes instantly stopped upon her father, an ache to go over and make a conversation but she hadn’t done so in a long time. She had always watched from afar, that hadn’t seemed to change much but she also didn’t want to draw any negative attention to Dio. Hera had always been somewhat unpredictable and the last thing he needed was her attention because Pasithea was around. She pulled her eyes away, playing with the rim of her glass so it would lightly ring and waited for this disaster to start since there was no family even that didn’t descend into chaos. ‘Maybe I can make a game of it this year? Every barb, insult, fight, or drama gets a glass and we will see if I can still stand by the end of it….on second thought, might as well count myself drunk now if I take on that challenge.’, she thought to herself with a giggle.

Rangers

Pink Ranger

_{Hana Song / 20 / Pink Crystal Ranger / FF69B4 / Lee Sung Kyung}

A P P E A R A N C E

Chestnut tresses of straight hair fall down to her chest, framing the delicate curve of her face. Her skin smooth, a touch darker than ivory and complimenting a pair of chocolate brown almond shaped eyes that tend to give a doe like expression. She is petite stature, her body lean with soft curves and slender limbs with slightly toned muscle. She tends to do yoga/tai chi and takes runs in the mornings to keep in shape while taking some time in the outdoors.

5’3”

S T Y L E

Hana wouldn’t really call herself fashionable but she does at least try to match when she does an outfit. Most of her clothes consist of flowy shirts, comfortable T-shirts, and sweaters. She is usually in jeans or leggings and tends to only wear skirts or dress on special occasions. Most of the time she will have multiple rings on and other jewelry such as necklaces or earrings since she has multiple piercings to choose from. She just prefers to be comfortable and practical instead of trying to dress to impress. She would rather someone like her for her anyways and not how she looks. Mostly she is just comfortable in her own skin.

P E R S O N A L I T Y

Hana is a kind and soft spoken girl that could be described as shy when you first meet her as she has trouble dealing with new people and can get awkward when trying to make friends. It almost makes her seem like she is too quiet and a bit of an introvert but once you get through her shell though, you will never meet a more caring and loyal friend. She will be more open, joking, showing her carefree bubbly optimistic nature, and will actually be rather chatty which will change any perception you had when you first met. She is fiercely protective over those close to her and has a rather nasty temper if a person is unlucky enough to draw it out. She can also be described as too curious for her own good at times even to the point of stubbornness. She tries to see the good in everyone and probably gives people way more chances than they deserve.

• Softhearted - She is kind and compassionate to those around her. She will always be there to lend a hand and protect those close to her but even in her shy awkward way, she will jump to aid those she does not know. She tries to stand up for those that can’t do so for themselves even if it is a stumbling mess to get words out. She might not be brave in an in your face kind of way but she will be a constant support.
• Shy - She is ultimately awkward around new people, stuttering and stumbling on her words as she tries to express herself. Most people might see her as cold or indifferent as she shy way from interaction but will politely try to answer or talk if someone actively addresses her or pulls her into a conversation.
• Optimistic - She is a bubbling cauldron of optimism and strong willed even in the darkest of moments. She will always see or work for a silver lining. She focuses on her goals and does everything in her power to succeed and even help others with their goals. Some might think she is being ignorant or unrealistic but without hope, what else do you really have?

F A C T S

• Hana has practically been raised by her grandmother, her mother traveling continuously due to her job as a flight attendant. It also wasn’t much help that her mother is emotionally immature and while she means well, she was really in no position to be raising a child while keeping a party lifestyle. She didn’t even know who Hana’s father was. Now that she is older however, she had been trying to reconnect with Hana and make up for lost time.
• Hana recently moved to Angel Grove to reconnect and reconcile with her mom. They had never really been close growing up and she wants to get to know her now that she trying to turn over a new leaf and is even starting a new family. She plans to finish up the last of her university years here to obtain a doctorate but is taking a break for the time being. In the meantime, she is working part time at a local cafe and is working on her paintings.
• She is a lover of the outdoors and tends to take morning runs, doing yoga or tai chi in the park. Though she doesn’t have much space on her apartment balcony, she has it loaded to the brim with plants and started a mini garden, one she enjoys tending to. If she didn’t have such a desperate desire to help people, she could see herself running a plants nursery or being an landscape painter/photographer.

R A N G E R

Why is Hana a good fit with the Rangers?
Her determination in the face of the impossible. She will never give up on those in need or trying to see the brighter side of things. She is always looking for a solution to a problem or another way to see a situation from a new angle. Hana also might not be a full on doctor but she is training to be in the medical field and has also taken care of her grandmother, taking the necessary general aid so in a pinch that can make a huge difference.