Estylwen

TENEBRAE: The Rebellion of Shadows (Ladies Only)

Ace Chemicals
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

He caught sight of a smile as Scarlet Shadow opened the briefcase, and a small weight left his chest. After all the efforts she made pursuing Chronos' tip, it was the least the King could do to reward her. She passed the test, after all, and widely displayed her tact, her combative skills, and above all, her stealth. In a world of barren dust, he could tell she was the budding tree. However, what she said next caused his metaphor to flower.

“Tell your boss to contact me. As you’ve said I’ve had a rough night and all I want now is some pad Thai and shuteye. At his leisure of course as I have no current work anyway. Which he should be grateful of.”

The smile grew soft on his face as he inclined his head. "Until next time, Scarlet Shadow."

He watched her leave, then turned to the elevator, putting a phone to his ear. After a short tone, the line connected.

"I have my hands a little full. How did the meeting go?"

"As expected. Scarlet Shadow wanted to see you, and not all for the right reasons."

"Oh? Not a fan of explosions, I see. When will you be back?"

"After some time. How is she?"

"In hysterics. She keeps asking for 'Mr. Kaj'... and for the doctor."

His lips twisted. "Well, at least that hasn't changed." He stepped into the elevator, the two suited men following behind him.

"What is changing are her vitals. It might be best if we switch places again."

The door opened to the lower levels of ACE Chemicals, cold, dimly lit, with concrete and glass. The scientist took away down one of the halls, ignoring the technicians as they busied themselves with clipboards and biohazard scanners.

"I'm finishing up treatments for the night," he said, pushing past the steel doors to the medical bay. "Keep me informed on her condition, I will call you again soon."

"Of course."

He pocketed the phone and surveyed the lab. Out of the six gurneys, two were filled, and not another soul in sight. Not that they could afford the other employees to stop their work to patch up some loose cannons. He paced around the gurneys, inspecting the bandages, bio scanners and IV tubes, ensuring it remained undisturbed since his meeting with Scarlet Shadow. And his two patients, one bandaged over most of his body, the other suffering from blood loss at the nose and erratic heart palpitations, lay unconscious.

Fresh blue gloves were pulled over his hands as he sat in a swivel chair between them. Tension filled the corners of his eyes. "It's the fourth time I've been called to look after you this week. What am I going to do with you both...?"

---

North Side Apartments^™
Near North Side, Tenebrae
@Blizz

Dream

"Takeda. Who's this?"

Akihiro flushed a little, "You'll have to forgive her, uh, antics?"

"Uh, who're you?"

"Just some delivery lady," Dream said, hefting the red bag. "At least, that's what I'd like to say, but then I wouldn't be here about to discuss the fate of the world with you and the doc."

After she took off her shoes, her hand extended out to Ellie. "I'm Dream. I've seen some of the work you do and I'm impressed, though I would have preferred to meet over coffee during daylight hours. From what I recall, you don't have a codename. What should I call you?"

As Dream set the delivery bag on Ellie's table, they seated themselves around. She pulled out the packages, two were Japanese bento boxes, and the third was a sealed package she offered to Ellie.

"What did the doc order for you?" She asked.

Popping open her own bento, she sampled one of the rice balls with chopsticks, then moved it to the side and opted for her cold cup of coffee.

The doctor tilted his head curiously. "You're not hungry?"

"I don't eat when I'm focused, Doctor Takeda." She said.

The doctor nodded. "A-ah, I suppose that's fair. Then we'll get back on topic. As I was saying, Ellie, the reason I've uh, chosen to discuss this with you and not with the police, is uh, w-well..."

He bided his time with a sushi roll before swallowing, pressing his face with a hand. "They'd, uh, probably incarcerate me on the spot," he blushed, "F-for a number of reasons."

He frantically waved his hands, "B-but of course, the number one reason, is that they're already busy protecting citizens, and they're family people at heart, not keen on taking the r-risks. We need people who are intelligent, reckless, and powerful enough to stand alone against a number of enemies. All of these missions are covert, and a tactical police squad just wouldn't be able to keep up with two experienced and talented metas."

He picked up another ball of sushi, eyes glancing at Ellie. "Does that answer your question?"

Dream stared over her cup of coffee, eyeing the doctor. "What about the weapon?"

The doctor nodded. "Ah, that. I'll break it down as easily as I can for you. The device itself isn't evil, it's merely an automated storage system. Stolen meta abilities are transferred into it, and on command, it can activate the abilities similar to what the previous user would do. Unlike a human, though, the device isn't limited to space and can magnify any ability it's given. If I were to give an example of the device, uh, maybe I steal and input the ability for geokinesis. I can activate the device to either till 100 acres of fields for crops or collapse all the building in a 10-mile radius.

"However, as I mentioned previously, they are missing many components to get the device to that level." He said, glancing at Dream. "Uh, c-can I borrow the folder you brought?"

Dream gestured to the 'top secret' file sitting beside the rice balls. "Please."

He opened it, fishing out a paper with renderings of a computer chip, placing it on the center of the table. "There are three components needed for the weapon to be operational. The first component is called the Heart, located in an underwater laboratory in Lake Tenebrae with some of the best-known defences in the world. That is where our first mission will take place. They'll want the Heart as soon as possible, and I have a feeling they'll make their move any day now. So we must steal the Heart before they do, and sabotage their plan."

Dream took a long sip of her coffee, placing the empty mug on the table.

"So, Doc," she leaned forward, hands stippled together. "You're asking us to break into a state-of-the-art lab 62 feet below the lake level, navigate past an unknown number of guards, traps, and security, and steal a Heart that a criminal group may or may not have already stolen?"

The doctor rubbed the back of his head shyly, cheeks red. "W-well, when you p-p-put it like that, uh, well, yes. That is what I-I-I'm asking."

Dream stared at the doctor, then at Ellie, lips pressing into a firm line. "...I'm gonna need more coffee."

TENEBRAE: The Rebellion of Shadows (Ladies Only)

Heya, we have a new post! Game points have been implemented. I'm planning on adding a 0th post to showcase each person's stats. As they add up, fun things will happen. Like buffs.

TENEBRAE: The Rebellion of Shadows (Ladies Only)

Game Points

@Lady Seraphina, @Shu, @Blizz

Congratulations!

Phantasm won the battle!

+10 noterity points earned.

Scarlet Shadow escaped the museum!

+10 noterity points earned.

Ellie rescued the doctor!

+10 noterity points earned.

These points have been applied to your stats. Keep taking action to earn more points!

---

The Museum of Historical Sciences, a few blocks away from The Art Institute
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

Chronos watched with interest as Scarlet Shadow made a classic ninja getaway, disappearing through the thick smoke. He could only assume she made it clear to the other end of the hall; the guards were quiet. No sound of a fight. In her clever escape, though, she managed to unintentionally change his game plan. Wandering through a choke-cloud of smoke with guns and nightsticks sounded fun, but Chronos knew he had a better advantage if they could see him.

As the smoke cleared, the five guardsmen poured into the room, scanning their flashlights over the dimly lit walls. The vault, mockingly open and empty, was the only sight that greeted them.

"Clear." said one guard.

"Fan out. Whatever sorry soul did this better be hiding." said another.

They inched into the room, their guns up and flashlights slowly playing over the corners of the room. Just as they were about to uncover the one hiding spot in the room, two hands pulled on the back edge of the safe, and Chronos launched himself in a handspring over it. He landed neatly on the other side, guards spinning in confusion as he dashed out of the storage room.

"Hey! You there, stop!"

Chronos paid them no heed, bounding down the hall. One left, then two, feet barely holding traction against the carpet. He could see the stairs up ahead, and was almost in the clear when the pound of polished boots and flashlights in his face stopped him in his tracks. Guards poured in from the two levels of stairs, marking him in plain sight. And behind him, the guards from the storage room had caught up. Pinned from the back and the front, along a narrow hall, the guards had to smirk as they trained their sights on the lone runaway. At least they would have one crook to put in the pound by the end of the night.

"Raise your hands nice and slow, buddy." said the one from behind Chronos.

Chronos's mouth pulled into a firm line as he concentrated on the staircase, placing his hands on his head. The guards stood shoulder-to-shoulder at the stairs; slipping through them would need to be properly timed. His heart pounded in his chest, hair raised on his arms as he heard the boots approaching from behind him. The metallic release of someone prepping a pair of handcuffs. Footsteps approaching closer from all sides. But just as a hand grabbed his wrist, Chronos vanished, displaced air rushing through the hall. The guard grabbed nothing but air, staring at the empty space before cursing.

Outside the museum, a few minutes later and half a block down from the erected police perimeter, a hand pushed up a sewer grate. Chronos crawled out of the sewer shaft, choking and dizzy. The bottom half of his Knights uniform was caked in sewage, and he had a hand pressed against his nose. His eyes squinted down in the streetlight, checking the red liquid dribbling from his face. Yep, he had overdone it again tonight. Boss would not be pleased.

A black jeep rolled up beside him, and two masked men in suits stepped out, one opening the door while the other shoved Chronos into the backseat. The engine roared to life as the jeep speed down the dark streets and into the night.

---

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Lady Seraphina

The air felt cold and abrasive as Arc stepped into the night, brushing off the last of the foam from his bare arms. Phantasm took the win with relish, and she knew it hurt his pride to see her get the better of him. It took all his effort to stop himself from doing anything that he'd certainly regret explaining to the boss later. If this was the way to win Phantasm over, he could manage a broken ego and charred skin for the night.

The lights of a black Audi flickered to life down the street, and he pulled out his phone as he approached.

"Hey, can you—what? No, I don't have her... What do you mean, not good enough? I—listen, listen. I'll explain everything when I'm back. But I need one of the white coats to come by—... Chronos too, huh? Okay... Okay, I'm en route."

He pocketed the phone and slipped into the backseat of the car, his driver ready at the wheel. She was dressed similar to him, colours woven into her mask and wild red hair framing her face. She adjusted the rearview mirror to get a better look at him.

"Wow, she beat you up good," she said.

He held her gaze crossly before looking away. "Just drive."

She shrugged, lights turning off as she put the car into gear. The night grew a degree colder, and rain began to hit the window, droplets displacing the colours of the street flying by. She flicked on the wipers, her eyes glancing over to her quiet passenger. He had his head in his hands, bearing the touch despite the burns along his fingers. She had seen him like this before, just once.

"What happened?" She asked flatly.

Arc spoke plainly, a hint of dread in his voice. "We lost her. And it's my fault."

"Hey, you don't know that."

"I do. I implemented the principle too late, and I messed up the entire strategy."

"So?" she said, a cheeky smile on her face. "There you go making people's decisions for them again. Sir, trust me, she'll come around."

Arc closed his eyes, pausing.

She continued, "Boss already contacted me. He's not angry, you know."

Arc's head tilted up, tension leaving his face. He leaned back into his seat. "Fine. I'll keep the lookouts stationed at Cloud Gate," he said finally, "and perhaps there will be good news for boss after all."

"Very good, Sir."

---

Ace Chemicals
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

ACE Chemicals. The noxious fumes of the place made any normal person stay far away from it. Lucky for Scarlet Shadow, production was closed for the day, and any lingering smell was caught in the rain that began to wet the dusty concrete. The culminating dark clouds made for a fitting atmosphere as the lights over the rooftop's service elevator flickered on, and after a few moments, the door slid open.

Stepping out from the elevator were three men, the first two obscenely tall and muscled under their suits and embossed masks. The last, though not as tall, had strong stature and held himself straight. He had shiny brown hair, wisping in bangs along his forehead, and a pressed lab coat over a dress shirt and slacks. When he saw Scarlet Shadow, he smiled.

"Good evening. " His voice was rich and deep. "My apologies for the change of plans. King Astra had some unexpected business and put me in charge of receiving you."

His eyes gazed over the master thief, and his head tilted. "Though, it would seem I need to apologize on his behalf. The King has upset you. From what I was told, you've had a long night."

He took a few steps closer, the two suited men beside him popping open large umbrellas. One was placed over the scientist, the other a bit ahead, meant for Scarlet Shadow to take shelter from the rain.

The scientist presented a large briefcase, gesturing for her to take it. "This is for you. As promised, it contains the diadem. Please feel free to check it."

Of course, it wasn't just the diadem in the briefcase. There was also a thick blue envelope containing blueprints and floorplans for an underwater laboratory, schematics of a strange device and a flip phone.

The scientist's eyes watched her carefully. "Of course, it would be dishonest of me to say I didn't have another reason for you coming here. I understand the King has made you a job offer. I wanted to answer as many questions as possible so you feel comfortable in accepting. What I can answer right away is, although we don't have a fixed date, we will give the go-ahead on this job soon. And when it's completed, payment will be wired to a bank account of your choice."

The quiet hush of rain made it sound like what he was asking for was easy. In fact, he knew this next heist would be incredibly difficult. He was willing to negotiate and answer any questions necessary for Scarlet Shadow to take the job. The details could be hashed out at a later date, indoors and out of the rain. Preferably with a fresh pot of coffee, and preferably with the King.

TENEBRAE: The Rebellion of Shadows (Ladies Only)

I've updated the post with some more fun. :)

TENEBRAE: The Rebellion of Shadows (Ladies Only)

New post is up! Currently, it has a response for @Lady Seraphina and @Shu, though I plan on editing it to add @Blizz's response in. That, I will aim to complete either today or tomorrow. We are getting very close to determining our teams and starting phase II, I'm super excited.

TENEBRAE: The Rebellion of Shadows (Ladies Only)

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Lady Seraphina

In all honesty, he should have expected this sooner.

The bottle rocketing towards him had strength behind it; it would hit hard, and it would hit fast. Dodging was an option, but as far as he could tell, there was no empty place in the bar for a safe impact. From where he stood, if he changed the trajectory by letting it bounce off his shoulder, his eyes glanced back… He could make it smash right into the Valkyrie’s table.

Did she consider the others before lighting that thing?

His hands were still outstretched, he could simply bat it back at her. Or at the very least, let it smash against the foot of the bar. Or better still, end it now and strike the bottle in the air with his power.

Time ticked down as the bottle slowly spun, end over end, toward him.

***

Location: Unknown
Time: Unknown

The smell of sterile equipment, the room lit in phosphorus blue. They were seated around the table, hushed. A tensious weight hung in the air. The boss, at the head of the table, glanced over.

“Arc,” he said.

“Yes, boss.” Arc drew himself to attention.

“I’m adding one more principle to your task. She values freedom. Give it to her in a way that she may consider us.”

Arc stared hard. They had evaluated this gang fighter as reckless and independent, and a standard conquer of will had been strategized. It was the first time boss mentioned freedom as a value for her.

After some hesitation, Arc responded. “So we go alpha. I got it, boss.”

“Arc,“ The boss’s tone made his palms clammy, ”This one’s complicated. We need her, but if we don’t play our cards right, we will lose her.”

***

With the flaming bottle fast approaching, he realized what the boss meant when he gave the principle regarding Phantasm’s freedom. A plan snapped together in his head, crystal-clear in quality.

He caught the bottle and crushed it with an arc of lightning, the alcohol and flames roaring to life. The fireball engulfed him, sending scorching heat through the bar. Patrons turned, slack-jawed. Someone screamed.

He didn’t move. His eyes were bent on Phantasm, staring through the flames.

Anyone else would have a hell of a time with this. Thankfully, his boss insisted he come prepared. From his pouch he procured a small, grey orb, which, upon impact with the ground, acted like explosive foam, covering him and the patrons around him in white extinguisher goo. The flames flickered and, without an oxygen source, receded, smoke curling off his body. He wiped a hand over his face, clearing his eyes.

He could feel the urge to scold rising up in his chest.

“Do you have any idea how much damage that could have done to literally anyone else?! Huh?” he gestured to the room, “If anyone else got hit with that, what would have happened?”

He stared, eyes cold, before slowly patting off the foam. It dissolved, revealing the mild blistering of burns that could be seen along his arms and neck. He showed her that she could hurt him. The person that she felt threatened by. She was safe, free. That little seed would hopefully grow in her mind; the boss’s principle would be completed.

The set-up with sand, he supposed, would have to wait.

Arc pressed the bridge of his nose, taking a breath. This mark had so much potential, he was loathed to simply end it here. But the only way forward was to leave here and let her sort out what she wanted on her own. He gave her the promise of freedom, hell, even the example of freedom. Now would be the conclusion of that freedom.

He gestured towards the briefcase. “381. That’s the code. The gift is yours. You managed to hit me and have completed your first mission.”

In the briefcase, Phantasm would find a foam cut-out holding a small, black tube with a mouthpiece jutting out from the centre, with the sound of granules knocking against each other if she shook it. And beside it, a sealed invitation.

---

The Museum of Historical Sciences, a few blocks away from The Art Institute
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

“Alright, I don’t know who you are but if you’re offering high-profit work I’m interested in speaking further. That is after I have the diadem in my hand.”

“My dear Scarlet, that goes without question.” said the voice.

The sound of tapping metal rung through the receiver. ”I have the diadem here with me. Escape the building, then to the rooftops ofAce Chemicals, on the water’s edge of the Loop. There, you will have what you seek.”

With that, the phone clicked.

Chrono snapped the phone shut, staring grimly. The king’s words were always so precise. Despite the hard work and merit due for getting this far, the test wasn’t over yet. He knew there was only one way to escape a building, and it couldn’t be done quietly.

His preparations before her arrival were ready, as per the king’s orders. Chrono had rigged the storage room’s door discreetly with explosives. In his free hand, he held up a remote and clicked a button. His arms instinctively went to shield his face, but he knew both he and the master thief were clear of the blast zone.

On cue, the storage entrance ripped apart, door pieces and metal blowing off in different directions, painfully loud in its destruction. It only took a few seconds. A guard started yelling. Footsteps pounded the hall. Someone pulled the fire alarm, and a clanking wail reverberated through the building.

In the span of half a minute, the museum became a disturbed hornet’s nest, angry and deadset on finding their culprits. Chrono pocketed his tools and shot through the lasers, crouching at the edge of the blast hole in the wall. His eyes flickered to the master thief, pausing his own escape. His anticipation was the same as the king’s; he wanted to see how an expert would handle their next move, especially with the sound of five guards rushing to their location.

---

One333
Near South Side

Dream

In the event of my untimely death, I would like to bequeath my business and wealth to…

She paused, pen hovering over lined paper, brows furrowed.

to my brother, whose whereabouts are unknown--

She gave an irritated huff, tearing a line through the page.

my brother, whose whereabouts are unknown
my father, whose whereabouts are unknown--

No good. She scratched through the last line and laid back in her chair, sipping old coffee. The same coffee she half-spilled trying to ward off a soliciting drone. Cold, bitter, and in need of sugar to hide the ageing taste. Of course, the bitterness in her mouth wasn’t just from the coffee.

The package had been a dead drop all right, a nice little USB packed with information. Top secret files, sensitive data that she was sure the government would be interested in. It was a little unbelievable, what she’d come to learn. A conspiracy, perhaps. Or maybe, the start of something big, and bad.

A case file sat on her desk, string around the envelope and a handwritten ‘top-secret’ on the front in big black letters. The doctor had given her nothing short of an encyclopedia, and to be completely honest she had only printed off the text and skimmed through a few of the pages. From what she had gathered, the report went into detail on an institute’s criminal activity, hidden behind a facade of wholesome technology.

To get involved was nothing short of a death wish. But then again, if she didn’t do something, it was possible this ‘organization’ would catch up to her anyway before they blew up the world.

So here she was, fully dressed in costume, staring at a piece of paper that would be read after she was long gone. The thought itself was sobering, but even more so, the state of her affairs was not envious. She wrote one last sentence before signing the line, scooping up the case file, bag, and her cold coffee, and walked to the door.

In the event of my untimely death, I would like to bequeath my business and wealth to...

just give it to charity.

---

James & Sons Fine Jewelers
Near North Side, Tenebrae
@Blizz

”So. You need me to help you take out this weapon before people get hurt badly.”

The doctor vigorously nodded his head. “Yes, yes that’s exactly it.”

He had a very short list of heroes that he felt he could approach with his offer. If even one said no, he didn’t know what he would do. He had thought of everything in his speech, all the important points that would pull at a good person’s heart. And he was sure he pegged Ellie for being a good person, even with his scant research. As he stared at Ellie’s face, he could only hold his breath.

After a pause, she said, ”Well, ‘Kay. I’ll bite. Let’s do it. Get on.”

The doctor heaved a sigh of relief, scrambling over to the backseat of the bike. Motorcycles were not his first method of transport; he considered them to be a breach of safety. Not to mention he didn’t have an ounce of leather on him. But the flashlights of cops caught on their trail gave him a larger worry and kept his comment about ‘hailing a cab instead’ to himself.

He watched her light up the bike with apprehension. “A-are you sure this is”—the roar of an engine and tires peeling as she hit the gas—”s-saf—!”

The air knocked out of his lungs, he could only hold on for dear life as they raced down the street, leaving the jewellery store and cops far behind. It was only when the air stopped whipping his face did he realize his eyes were squeezed shut, and he looked up. They were in front of a large apartment complex; her ease of maneuvering made it seem like she was familiar with the place.

”We’re clear now.”

Akihiro sat a little stunned, his hair blown in a windy mess before he fumbled off the back seat. He tried to pat his hair back into place as they walked to her apartment. She let them in, Akihiro immediately taking off his shoes.

“Ah, please excuse me,” he said. He wasn’t expecting her to let a stranger into her home, but under the circumstances, he did appreciate it. They were dealing with a serious subject, after all.

As she sat on the couch, he stood awkwardly in front of her, unsure if he should just sit on the floor. ”So. A weapon that destroys cities...”

“To put it lightly, yes.” he nodded. “Not only that, but if it’s complete, it will mean they’ve captured and harnessed every powerful meta in Tenebrae. We can rest assured it’s not ready yet because you’re still here.”

A Miku ringtone startled the doctor, and he hastily patted his pockets. “Ah, p-please excuse me.”

He checked the call screen and pressed his phone to his ear. “H-hello?”

“Doc, something tells me you’re not home.” said a feminine voice on the other line.

His face lit up. “Really? You've accepted? Y-you’re right. I’m actually”—his eyes glanced to Ellie—”with your teammate right now. We were about to go over a plan of action. W-would you be able to come over to the North Side Apartments?”

“Hmm. I know where that is. I’m on my way,” she said before the call disconnected.

The doctor smiled as he pocketed the phone. “That was Dream, another vigilante in the city. I consider myself very lucky—I never thought anyone would listen to me. If it’s okay with you, we’ll meet here and discuss the plan.”

The phone was in his hand again, his smile turning gleeful. “And while we wait, why don’t I order us some food?”

---

North Side Apartments^™
Near North Side, Tenebrae
@Blizz

Dream

The headlamps of an old black caddy died while Dream pulled the key, door opening with a click. The North Side Apartments complex glowed across the street, completely silent. At this time of night, only a fool like herself would be on the streets. Well, she and the vigilantes and villains. The only folks with a crazy enough reason to be out with the Tenebrae moon.

She reached the upper floors, making her way down the hall, counting the door numbers. The doctor mentioned which one to look for, but when she saw it, there was already someone there. A tired, young delivery man, red bag in hand, knocking on the door.

“Food deliver—” the man’s head turned to her, tripping over his heels. “Ah! Don’t kill me, please!”

Dream folded her arms, leaning back on her heels. She couldn’t blame the guy though. One could call it the natural Tenebrae habit to freak out at the sight of a suit, especially if it was in the dead of night, and more so if they were all alone. Most didn’t know the difference between a vigilante and a villain—at least, not yet.

The man took her stillness as his opportunity to flee. He dropped the bag and ran down the other end of the hall and out of sight. Dream waited a few seconds, listening, before scooping the bag, knocking on the door again.

Peeping through the hole, one would see a lady dressed in a formal black hooded suit, red bag in hand, straightfaced as she spoke in all seriousness.

“Food delivery.”

TENEBRAE: The Rebellion of Shadows (Ladies Only)

A new post is up! I think, in the next 3-5 turns, we will have our teams sorted out for the first mission, and then, hope so, we will start seeing some cool player encounters.

Remember, you can choose either side, or even neither side. :)

TENEBRAE: The Rebellion of Shadows (Ladies Only)

Love Street
Lincoln Park, Tenebrae
@Lady Seraphina

"You really have done your research Mr...?"

He gestured to his chest. “The name’s Arc, right hand of the Shadow Knights.”

"What are the win conditions? I assume your 'boss' doesn't want your head on a pike as proof that I'm 'worth his time'. So at what point have I won? First blood? When I knock you to the floor? Or should I make you scream for your daddy?"

He tsked. “Making me repeat myself on our first day. I’ll forgive you, but it’ll cost you the first move.”

He held up his hands, black garb vibrating along his arms. “The win conditions are to ‘lay me out flat’, though at this point it’s unlikely that you’ll even touch me.”

Like sand spooling through a time glass, the black cloth on his fingertips, down along his arms, and up to his shoulders, tumbled into the air as a cloud of fine dust. He threw his bare hands up, throwing the tiny, reflective particles off into the room. Most patrons breathed it in instantly, unknowingly filling their lungs with particles. If a few patrons had the gift of awareness and suspicion, they held their breath, turning blue. If Phantasm chose to defend herself, she could, to avoid being caught in his setup. With those hot, angry eyes on him, he knew she would prefer to keep the advantage and either hold her breath or phase.

He shifted his weight forward, hands opening up in a calm, persuasive gesture. “Freedom. Control. These two things were the world to me before I met him. Now? They come as easy as rain on a stormy day. You should consider yourself lucky, he’s offering the same to you. His vision of the future puts you and I at the height of success, no longer dogged around and put down, hiding like street rats.”

His head inclined toward her. “All he is asking is cooperation to usher in that future.”

The dust settled, making the air safe to breathe again.

His irises glimmered as a subtle static filled the room. Phantasm could feel her hair standing up on her arms.

“Now, try to hit me,” he said.

---

The Museum of Historical Sciences, a few blocks away from The Art Institute
Loop, Tenebrae
@Shu

“Let’s cut to the chase. Who are you and where is the diadem? Maybe keep your voice down too, we aren’t exactly in a coffee shop.”

His eyes widened. The master thief who worked in the shadow, who should be deadly serious, actually had a sense of humour. It took his full concentration to stop the laughter threatening to jump from his throat, but he couldn’t help the twitch at his mouth. This line of work gave little in the realm of humour; the change of pace caught him off-guard.

He cleared his throat, eyes settling into a narrowed glare, and he pulled out a flip phone. He dialed a number and pressed the speaker button, holding it up for her to listen.

“I’ve been expecting you, Scarlet Shadow.” Said a voice on the other end, silver-toned, deep and clear.

“You’ll have to forgive Chrono, he’s a little shy. As for your questions, I will answer on his behalf. I am Astra, King of the Shadow Knights.”

The voice hummed. “You see, I want to offer you a job. A job that would fit you like a glove. This diadem was mere child’s play for you; how about something a bit more, shall we say, interesting? And the pay will be more than what the diadem is worth on the black market.”

“Now, about that diadem... It is yours, of course. If we have a deal.”

The voice paused, and Chrono glanced up from the phone, eyes tense as he read Scarlet Shadow’s face for any tell-tale signs of agreement, or otherwise.

---

James & Sons Fine Jewelers
Near North Side, Tenebrae
@Blizz

”Okay, you wanna talk? Talk. You got three minutes before I 180 this and drop you over there. A weapon. Some plan. My name. Start explaining.”

The sudden rush of air had the doctor coughing when they made it to the bike. Her power was incredible, it completely caught him off-guard. Akihiro had to grimly admit that he was in over his head with her or any meta, and a large part of him wished he wasn’t here, on a street with burning vehicles and angry cops.

But, seeing her light up, in person, made his desperation worth it.

“We’re not going anywhere until you explain yourself. You sound like you know I’m not gonna budge. Talk.”

He dusted off his pyjama top, eyeing her ride before meeting her gaze. “A-ah, yes. Very well. Let’s start with the weapon first. It’s a mechanical construct that harnesses stolen, amplified superpowers that can level whole cities in the blink of an eye. More and more metas will keep disappearing, all for the purpose of this machine, until it has enough power to take over.

“My plan is, uh, simple enough. We will steal the components they need before they can complete the machine. There are two components that I know of, but I would need either a small army to get through, or… A superhero.”

He scratched the back of his head nervously. “Now, I really didn’t mean to pry. It’s hard enough to get information on vigilante metas. But after crunching enough databases with facial recognition, I was able to figure out your name. But that was it. No home address, no SSN, nothing. All I had was the knowledge that you patrol these streets, and that you move like sunlight. So I, uh… I…”

The doctor grew quiet, cheeks turning pink. “I… knew you would go after bad guys, so I thought if I made a lot of noise and looked like a bad guy, maybe I’d get your attention. D-d-don’t worry, I made sure the store and the cars all had good insurance before I did anything, uhm, illegal.”

He wrung his hands nervously. “Please, you have to believe me, if there was any other way I would have taken it. But I’m out of time.”

TENEBRAE: The Rebellion of Shadows (Ladies Only)

@Estylwen Will the briefcase open if Gloria tries the latches? If she attempts to phase through it, is the inner layer electrified? If the answer to either one of those is no then what's in the briefcase?

@Lady Seraphina

Aha, I got to this question faster on our server.

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@Lady Seraphina, @Shu The posts look great! I'll have a response for you in 1-3 days.

Dialogue is great too. I'll make us a 'Best Character Quotes' board after some time. It'll be nice limelight.

TENEBRAE: The Rebellion of Shadows (Ladies Only)

We have a new IC post up, let me know if you need more information to write with. Think we got some fighting coming up.