Masked | RP

Fhaux

Fhaux

Matchmaker






The Hive: Lounge

​



It was a cloudy day in San Francisco. Not just foggy, but cloudy also, with the cool ocean breeze cooling the city down, and no sunlight to warm it back up. Still, the city was bustling with tourists and residents alike. Despite the threat of rain, people still crowded the streets, going about their business. It was a good day to relax inside though, especially since the last few days at HIVE had been busy. It was nice to get a break. Not that Charlie had really taken a break recently. Even when he wasn’t actively doing anything his mind was busied thinking about the missing trainee.


At first they hadn’t thought anything of his disappearance, he was allowed to come and go as he pleased. After a few days without hearing a word from him though, Charlie had tried to contact him, if for no other reason than to at least see if he was coming back. Realizing he actually had disappeared, their simple solution was to use Central Command to track his locator… which they found in an alley, with no other traces of him. Since then, when he wasn’t out looking for him or responding to alerts around the city, he found himself wondering what could have been done differently to prevent this, and trying to come up with some magical idea to find him.


Jason had been a good kid, helpful to other trainees and working hard to get his ability under control. And recently they’d discovered that it was possible for him to learn to control it so that he would be able to physically touch other supers without consequence. It was hard to imagine he would just up and leave now, especially with no warning or notification. Maybe he had, but the chance didn’t seem likely.


Right now though, his attention was on something else. Some new agents needed a little orientating. Mostly just a tour of Central Command and the hangar, the new areas they had access too, and getting fitted for uniforms, having their ID’s upgraded with new access codes and receiving a communicator. Just a small little ear bud to allow them communication with the rest of the team and Central Command. It should have been done a while ago, but everyone had been a little busy and this was the first chance they’d had. He’d split from the tour though, he’d been on enough that he knew the place like the back of his hand, and they were left in competent hands, a couple of old tech geeks that were happy to talk about what they’d built.


It wasn’t much, and didn’t take long. They were still expected to follow the same rules and guidelines. Now that they would be out in the field, they would have to call each other by their codenames, and they would have to respond to alerts whenever they happened to occur. A bank robbery at 3AM, a fire in the middle of lunch, and they would have to do it in blue and gold. Other than that, there wasn’t a big difference between being an agent and being a trainee. They could still train, relax or go out for some fun, they just had to help out when something came up.


They would be finished with their tour soon, and Charlie had decided to make sure their new IDs were working, walking around to swipe them at different checkpoints throughout the base. It was something to do, plus he sort of liked watching the little red light turn green. He wasn’t sure what it was, but there was something satisfying about it. Click! And tada! The door opened. Just like at hotels. Anyway, they seemed to be working fine, the tech geeks would give them their communicators and they would be directed to Charlie to get their IDs back once the tour was over. He’d wandered off with them, after all.


Until then, he figured he would have a seat. There wasn’t much else to do while he was waiting for them to finish up. It would be rude to head off to the parts of the building they would need their IDs for, since he had them, they would never be able to get to him. He considered leaving them on the coffee table in front of him, but it would probably be better to keep them with him. A lot of the supers here were good, honest people, but they didn’t exactly run background checks or anything, they were open to anyone in need of help. Of course, they were expected to follow the general guidelines and be upstanding, helpful citizens. That didn’t mean they would.


Charlie had encountered at least two trainees that he wouldn’t trust alone with his wallet. They behaved, as far as he’d seen, but he just had a bad gut feeling about them. It wasn’t like HIVE agents or trainees hadn’t turned to evil either. HIVE was sort of the elementary school of superdom. Many attended, some turned out good, and some turned out bad. They did try to instill HIVE’s values into their trainees, and luckily the majority turned out okay, but people where people. There was no way to assure they would turn out one way or the other.


So he stuffed the cards into his shirt pocket and sat back in his seat. It felt nice to rest a little, though his mind was still working in overdrive, despite the blank stare he was giving the wall across from him. So much going on. At least Division was helping them search for their missing trainee. It was unusually helpful of them. Normally they didn’t help them with anything unless they ran into some powerful super and they needed them to come take him away. Or worse, if they got their asses kicked by a powerful super and Division stepped in to save them. He could appreciate their help, but it was embarrassing sometimes.


There was also the Shadow Society encroaching on their territory. Who knew why? Whatever was going on, he just hoped they weren’t up to no good. It was pretty damn hard to tell, they were so elusive and secretive. So far they hadn’t caused any problems, at least no problems that anyone had noticed. So for now, he figured, they didn’t need to worry about them. And Division was in town also, so hopefully… hopefully it wouldn’t be a problem. Division had a lot of heavy hitters, and HIVE just had a lot. It was hard to tell what the Shadows had, but with Division and HIVE there was a good chance they could stop any bullshittery going on. That is, if Division deemed it necessary to help. He really didn’t want to jinx the help they were already getting from them, even in his mind.


San Francisco was literally full of supers…


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


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


Read me!


I didn’t post him up yet, but I’m sooooo tired, I’ll get to that tomorrow or something.


Also, it's not the huge ass post I was expecting, buuuuut... it'll do.


Also, SS and Division, you should be in SF already, you can start looking for clues or meet up or rough up some bad guys…


The crime syndicate has supers in it too, feel free to beat the crap outta some, there are plenty to go around.


And everyone, you may have been on your team or just joining, either way. I imagine most Division and SS members having been there a while already. HIVE, you can be orientating or not, I left it open, didn’t get specific on the new agents because I don’t know what you all have in mind for your characters.


Now leave me alone. Goodnight.

​
 
A lone super, known only as "Cowl" stalked through the grim streets of San Fransisco at night. He was in full costume, His face masked in impenetrable shadows, rather than an actual mask, although the possibility of there being a mask was not entirely out of the question. His dark flowing robes seemed to tug and twist at the darkness as it blended into the shadows cast by what streetlights still worked overhead. Off to the side in an ally, a group of thugs were mugging a poor hapless victim. Human troubles, but Cowl had other things on his mind that night, other things to do and places to go. He pulled his hood deeper over his face and walked on. leaving the humans to clean up their own mess. He passed by silently, and neither the thugs, nor the victim ever saw him slip past, a mere few feet away.


Reaching the end of the ally, he found the door he was looking for, taking a quick glance back over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't noticed, Cowl faded into thin air as he bent the light away from him and slipped through the door. His "informant" had tipped him off to this door, and Cowl felt determined to chase this lead down till the end, even if it ended up being yet another dead end.
 
Location: Alleyway near the suburbs





A dark alleyway, illuminated only faintly by the side street lamps. Residing within it were a few trashcans, some garbage, and one man. "Fuilteach" leaned against a wall, cigarette in hand, seeming to do nothing. In reality, he was waiting to meet a contact he had in San Francisco. The contact was already late, however, which, to Fuilteach, meant he was either flaking or dead. But, Fuilteach continued to wait. Roughly 15 minutes later, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. It wasn't one man; it was ten. He was already hidden in the shadows, and his cigarette was already extinguished, so he hoped that this was enough. Then, one of the huskier men yelled.


"C'mon out, you freak! We all know what you are! Your buddy told us everything before we killed him!" The big man yelled down the alley, his voice booming and echoing.


Fuilteach knew that he had to stay hidden. He crept along the wall silently, planning to book it whenever he hit the side street. He was fast, and sure he could outrun the thugs. However, one of the thugs pointed to him and yelled.


"There! I see him!" The thug said in a frantic voice.


Silently cursing, Fuilteach ran into the street and darted for another alley. As he was running, he pulled out a small pocket knife and cut open the palms of both of his hands and closing them tightly. As he entered the alley, he ducked behind a trashcan and waited. The thugs entered the darkened alley and stopped, searching the shadows. One man bravely entered, disappearing from the other's view. Silence, then a thunk and a grunt, then more silence. The other thugs looked at each other, then all entered the darkness. This was an easy enough trap for Fuilteach, so he grinned in the dark as they fell into it. The group stayed together, which is what he was planning on. As they entered deeper into the alley, they were encased in a half-cube of blood, the blood seeming to appear from the ground. In reality, the corners of the cube were made from four bloody handprints on the ground. Now, Fulteach could have some fun. The thugs seemed speechless, which was good. He didn't want to draw any attention. He pressed his palms together, then extended his arms, creating a staff of blood. He hardened the staff, then swung it inside of the prison, bashing one of the thugs in the head. Then another, and another, until only the leader was left. The cube faded back into the handprints, and the handprints disappeared. Fuilteach quickly grabbed the leader by the throat and slammed him into a wall.


"Now...You're gonna be a good lil' boy, and tell me what happened to my informant and how you knew about me." Fuilteach almost whispered.


"F-f-fine! I-I'll tell you! Some dude who was in this trench coat gettup came to us and told us to wax this other dude, then you! He paid us half up front, then he was gon' pay us the other half when we were done! He said to meet him at some bar called 'Innerfog'. That's all I know, man!" The leader pleaded.


Fuilteach was satisfied with the interrogation, not even having to use much force. He used some of the blood from the palm of his hand to create something of a boxing glove around his hand and hardened it some. He punched the thug in the face, knocking him out cold. He knew he could kill these guys, but he wasn't a killer. So, he stuck his hands in his pockets and proceeded into the street, keeping his head down and walking towards an internet cafe.


Innerfog? Never heard of it. But hey, a pub's a pub. Might grab a drink while I wait. Fuilteach thought, he suddenly becoming very thirsty.
 

Mission Street to Geneva Avenue




​



The clouds were darkening, low and thick in the sky, bringing an early evening though it should have been bright midafternoon. Even the threat of rain could not have kept Adi in the HIVE facility any longer. Enduring the orientation had been difficult enough but as the tour wound its way through the narrow corridors to the different areas she had never seen, a sudden claustrophobia had combined with her social anxiety to make her stomach roll threateningly and her uneasy grip on her power slip.


If anyone had noticed her graceless exit, no one called out to her and she made it to the open air in one piece without shorting out the door panel, although it was a near thing. Looking down at her hand, gleaming sparks of electricity curled around her fingers for fractions of a second before sinking into her skin. Clenching her fist stubbornly, she took a deep breath, wrinkling her nose at the scents of concrete and trash, and wishing for an open meadow or a dense forest to hide in, somewhere that she couldn’t feel the prick and pull of every electronic device powered up around her.


Stepping away from the building and heading slowly down the sidewalk, she wasn’t really paying attention to her surroundings and let her field spring back to its natural spread. The air near her skin warmed immediately and pedestrians passing her suddenly veered a little further, an instinct most of them didn’t even notice. Adi wrapped her arms around her stomach protectively, wondering if Alim, her trainer and employer would be disappointed that she’d left early. She hadn’t even gotten her ID card back, what if they didn’t let her back in the building?


Although that thought didn’t particularly distress her, she sighed and turned around to go back, and a sharp gust of wind whirled down the street, spitting the first drops of rain onto her cheeks and bringing the scent of an impending downpour. Flinching at the sting and cold bite against her skin, she darted to the nearest covered entranceway, a coffee shop on the corner of an intersection. If it went on too long, Alim might drive by to see if she needed a ride.


A scream startled her out of her irritated thoughts and she looked around curiously. A woman was fighting to hold onto her purse that a biker had tried to snatch and her unexpected grip had yanked him off his bike, and now his wrist was twisted in the strap the woman was still jerking around like a terrier with a bird. With the orientation fresh in her mind, Adi knew this was the sort of thing she was supposed to help with, despite how petty and dumb it seemed.


Taking a steadying breath, Adi faced away from the wind and trotted over to the struggling pair, feeling her shield fluctuate and sting her as it was pelted by droplets. They were both startled by her interference when so many others had just observed uneasily or passed by disinterestedly, they stopped for a moment, and then the woman started yelling at both of them. Ignoring her, Adi carefully gripped the biker’s forearm, feeling the thinness and the prominence of the bones even through the sleeve and efficiently untangled the purse strap.


She let go quickly, and the outraged woman started scolding Adi, who was content to ignore her until the youth, face twisted with anger and embarrassment, lunged at the woman again and shoved her back, only then turning and darting down the street. Adi knew better than to try to catch the woman, especially with her shield fluctuating so inconsistently, but she was so irate she wasn’t heeding her instincts.


“You can’t just let him run away! Didn’t you—” She had grabbed Adi’s arm and both of them went rigid for a moment as electricity spiked through them, but Adi had the strength to jerk back from her tight grip, white fire dancing behind her eyes as the rain came down harder.


 
Mission street to Geneva Avenue





Lilly cursed herself for having thought that this orientation through the HIVE's facility would have been fun. I mean, how couldn't she have anyway, it was a tour given through a 'super'-facility by 'supers' and for 'super's....That just screams excitement and tons of surprises. Instead she was treated to something that would put a Wallpaper-museum tour to shame.


' Le sigh. '





Those super-godaweful-boring tourguides went on and on and on about their fancy shmancy establishment with all the cool gadgets and security and blablabla. She didn't sign up for this crap. She wanted fun, excitement and adventure. The other supers didn't seem to feel this way though, nearly all of them were either enthralled by the yellow & blue facility or were living stoic-faced statues. She had about enough of this and waited for the next corner to show up, in order to hang back and just when the last person in front of her had finally turned around the corner, she phased.


A moment later she found herself outside, feeling the fresh waterdrops splash against her face and slide down her neck, for some reason it felt exhillerating. Out of that sheltered little haven and inside nature's embrace. She let her arms hang loosely by her sides and stared up to the sky with closed eyes and a smile, enjoying the simple things in life. The adrenaline and rush of phasing was still coursing through her and the sensation felt amazing, like it always had. But then a sharp shriek coming from across the street sobered her up.


The scene amused her greatly, a haughty-looking 'lady' was fighting for her life, a purse. Against a young hoodlum who was attempting to snatch it, she assumed it was to pay for his drugs, his meager attempt to escape from his rotten and boring life, probably. She held on to the damn thing like a rabid dog, yanking the band of the purse from left to right, while the youngster's arm was dragged along, entangled and with a mixed look on his face. One of embarassement and fear.


Lilly laughed hearthily until a cute girl walked up to them, calm and steady she strode up to them and rescued both of them, none of which thanked her. Instead she was treated to a mouthful from the 'upper-class lady' while the boy ran away after pushing the woman, which Lilly couldn't care less about. Lilly quickly walked up to the woman and the pretty 'superhero', when she finally reached the two, ignorant of the electrical field around the girl, until she stepped inbetween them anyway.


She could feel a small pringly feeling crawl up her skin, which she couldn't really place but she was too caught up in the moment to let it bother her.


" Get lost already, ******* poodle! She helped you, now either thank her, shut up and get lost, or get slapped. Your choice. "


The woman was speechless at the rude and abrasive nature of Lilly, and she was about to talk back until she saw the look in Lilly's eyes which just screamed:


" Try it. "


Now alone with the girl, Lilly changed back to her happy self in a flash as she turned to face her.


" What a *****, come on, let's get out of the rain. " She said as she pointed to the coffeehouse.


" Care for a drink? "
 

Walking a nameless Street > Abandoned area

​



Evangeline always loved the rain and the cold, she never did seem to feel its chill when it settles upon the city. She was always the one who lacked clothing. Maybe shorts and a tanktop would do, even in the snowy winters. With the HIVE's signature colors of course. The members always thought her quite peculiar for this fact.


And as she walked down the foggy side walks with steps slow and eased, as if there was nothing to be concerned about. But she knew better, the city always had something wrong with it. Robberies, assaults... And murder. Evangeline crinkled her nose at the thought. She'd have to bang those few who chose to do so, a bit before handing them to a local prison. She absolutely hated their guts.


But nothing seemed to be happening in her area and she was getting quite bored, along with her rising irritation of the wary stares the local residents gave her as she passed them. But besides her usual, overly sugared smile that seemed to repell them like mosquitoes with a spray. Was it the ominous aura she gave off with her anger? Or was it the glare present in her alarmingly bright violet eyes? None of that, she really thought about, just as long as they don't provoke her to do unnecessary violence. Which would end very messily, after all, she didn't have full control of her power.
 

Geneva Avenue




​



Micro-tremors were racing through Adi’s muscles, making it nearly impossible for her to move and her jaw was clenched tight against the pain. She barely noticed the altercation between the red-headed woman and the purse-holder, but embarrassment that she was losing control of her field flitted through her mind.


She took one achingly slow step away from the other woman, her eyes jittering back and forth too fast to focus on her and forced her lips and tongue to move and articulate though her teeth remained locked together. “I can’t. The…rain…”


It was coming down harder and soon her clothes would be soaked through, the blue and gold uniform under her blouse and jeans was no more water resistant than cotton. Sparks began to leap off her skin to meet the droplets, making steam in the air. It was all she could do to keep her electrical field from destabilizing completely and racing off along the paths opened by the water. If she didn’t move, the power she was holding in could possibly overwhelm her and break free anyway, but she couldn’t move without loosing some of it and who knew what kind of damage that might cause.


Fighting the spasms of her body, Adi struggled to look directly at the woman. “Please…go.”


 
Geneva Avenue to In-between Planes





" Woah! So much for that drink, huh?! "


Lilly had no clue what was going on with the girl, but steaming and borderline spasm'ing was ....Well, not good. Lilly remained calm though, she wasn't going to run away nor was she going to give the girl a third-degree on what was happening, there clearly wasn't time for that. So Lilly did the only thing she could think off, take her away from this plane, hopefully easing the girl's pain by doing so. She gave it a split second of thought before grabbing the girl by the wrist, fearing she might get hurt herself, but the 'super' in her had taken over. This wasn't like saving an ungrateful poodle from losing her accessory, this girl might die without her help.


As soon as she grabbed the girl's wrist, even before doing so, she could feel her muscles throughout her body ache and convulse, she even let out a small scream of pain. Somehow she had activated her power before even willing so, because the pain had taken the focus out of her untrained mind and she wasn't thinking straight anymore, nonetheless they were between time and space now.


And it was true, for some reason the electrocution-torture feeling she had felt a moment before, was gone. They didn't have much time in this 'world' though, they needed to act quickly. Lilly hoped the girl wouldn't be too confused and be able to help her help her.


" Quickly, how do I help you? We don't have much time. "
 

In-between Planes




​



Gasping at the sensation of the phasing, the cool energy of it a counterpoint to her own, accentuating the pain of the heat, but it was a muted discomfort now, an ache in her muscles and fatigue in her mind. She blinked rapidly now, trying to get her vision to stop swimming and looked at the woman curiously, not having realized she was a super as well.


"I...I just need to get out of the rain," Adi stammered, her jaw fumbling to work properly now. She looked around the in-between place but doing so gave her a nauseous sense of unease and she quickly glanced back at the woman, and then murmured, "I'm sorry that it hurts." She was not accustomed to looking at people directly or for very long but she was finding it hard to look away from the woman's piercing green eyes, and yet her usual anxiety had faded nearly to nothing.


 
In-between Planes to Coffeehouse





Lilly smiled as the cutie looked deep in her eyes, seemingly enchanted by them. But this wasn't the timed to feel too at ease, they were still smack down in the middle of the rain, eventhough they weren't....Complicated business this space-time distortion, I know. Anyway, it was Lilly's first time bringing someone along as she phased and it was severely tiring and stressing on her mind. They needed to get out of the rain fast, but Lilly realized they wouldn't get far even with their supernatural speed thanks to the 'lack of time'.


Then she got an idea.


" I got it! " She exclaimed happily as she darted off, hand in hand with the tensed-up girl, towards a foggy and vague thing nearby. To Lilly, her surroundings were as clear as the normal world was, but to anyone who isn't used to it, it must seem like being lost in a dense fog.


" We're almost there! " She said, turning her head to look at the girl with a reassuring look and smile. It didn't take them long to reach their mysterious destination and they stopped in the middle of a dense fog with small smokelike swirld flowing around.


" Stay close to me. " She said with a playful twinkle in her emerald eyes and an amused smile on her lips, before pressing her body close against the girl and looking deep in her eyes, still smiling, as their surroundings took substance and transformed into the inside of a coffeehouse.


Amused with the look on the girl's face, Lilly slid a wet strand of her hair away from the girl's face before letting go of her and quickly ordering two cups of coffee before guiding the confused girl to a small table.


" Feeling better? "
 
Location: Main street to Clarity's apartment.


A bright red trolley cut through the dreary fog. No sooner that it ceased, out came a slender young woman wearing a lightweight peacoat, some dark red pants, and some rather extravagant alligator boots. Clarity Sampson had just came back from her college registration. She figured based on what their mission required for all supers, she may as well get comfortable.


So far, she's had quite an experience here in San Francisco. She was mostly surprised at how much action there is here, and it hasn't yet been 72 hours. Clarity definitely had to be mindful about her surroundings. Who knows what, or who, she will encounter. The increasing number of cars caused so much exhaust it burned Clarity's delicate nostrils. She was ready to go back home, in the comfort of her loft, just to leave again-leave Clarity behind- and search for an adventure. She wondered where exactly could the others be, they hadn't quite arrived into the city together, but she was confident that they would soon find their way around.


Just as she imagined the reunion, she didn't notice the car coming her way. Her trusty brain warned her by numbing her entire body. She had just enough time to aim for the windshield. She hadn't count on quite an impact, and certainly hadn't count on her glasses flying off into oblivion, leaving her tumbling along the car and, finally, ending with her meeting the asphalt. Meanwhile the driver jeered at her as she picked herself up. "Hey, watch where you're going, toothpick!" Ouch, talk about your welcome wagon. She wasn't hurt too much, just a couple scratches, but with all the passersby staring at her, she wanted to leave the scene as quickly as possible.


Clarity frantically picked up her books, dusted herself off, and tried to hide her rosy face with her hair the best she could. Clarity ran as fast as she could, which was pretty fast, even in heels. She now remembered why she liked track so much. Behind her, she can hear the other drivers and pedestrians scolding the driver that hit her. Her apartment wasn't too far away, and was ecstatic to enter the building, click her way up to the fifth floor, unlock the door, and enter her human sanctuary.
 

Geneva Avenue




​



Old habit almost made her flinch away when the girl grabbed her hand, but there was no familiar stab of heat from contact with another person, and she followed after her quickly. Her field wasn't gone, she could still feel the electricity of the woman's nerves and brain and heart, but it was muted somehow, reduced to its simplest point. She was disrupted from her musings when the woman stopped suddenly and faced her, stepping closer and casually putting her hands on Adi's waist. "Stay close to me," she said with a little smile and her bright eyes seemed to gleam a little in the dim haze around them.


There was an inaudible rushing like wind popping back to an empty space and they were indoors, and the air artificially cooled by an AC unit, making Adi shiver for a moment and crinkle her nose at the sting of its presence. She froze when the woman brushed a loose clump of damp hair back from her face, her mind going blank at the simple touch and she didn't think to react when she stepped away to order the two coffees for them. It wasn't till she moved out of her field that Adi realized it had spread over the woman at some point, enough so that the contact hadn't caused them a shock and as soon as there was distance between them it snapped back into place, surrounding just Adi.


When the woman came back and directed Adi to one of the side tables, she reached out just a little and felt the usual repulsion that came when she was close to another person and dropped her hand quickly before it was noticed. Sitting, she realized they were under observation by the other customers at the shop and thanked her brown skin that kept from showing blushes too easily. "Better, yes," she answered belatedly to the woman's question. The ache that was settled into her bones was nothing new, the distracting fatigue in her mind had yet to grip her completely as adrenaline still lingered in her veins, and the heat that went hand in hand with her field was steaming the damp out of her clothes as she sat there.


"It's not safe for you--for anyone--to be that close to me," she added quietly, fidgeting with a napkin that she'd pulled from the decorative dispenser at the center of the table and trying not to look too intently at the woman. "I appreciate the help, don't get me wrong. I just wouldn't want to hurt you again." She glanced away towards the counter, absently observing the barista at the espresso machine.
 

An Abandoned part of town

​



It had occured to her that she'd strayed further and further away from her post. Not that it mattered anyways. She was far too distracted by the whispers that laced about her surroundings from mouths that never quite opened. Evangeline was alone though, no one was around to hiss in her ears words that she had no desire to hear. But it was there, that purring voice that almost drives her to insanity when she attempts to rest. Never allowing her the silence she craved so much.


This part of the city was quiet, silent and never active. The stores had long since shut down and the houses echoing with noiseless footsteps of the previous presence of their nonexistant residences. And why she chose this place to roam about was beyond her. She usually pivots upon her heel upon realization that the streets she walked where empty. But this time, she was still walking straight.


Her behavior had been getting increasingly strange, she was told. Her swings of emotion getting quite unpredictable as time passed. But she never did mind the comments of others. She never did get too close with anyone while at her stay in HIVE. They often steered away from her when she passed by, as if she carried a sickness easily passed through contact. All that had been left for her to do was help with assignments that the small trainees had to have done in short periods of time, the other higher ups didn't seem to want her around. It was strange, more so when their knowing gaze would settle upon her.


They know something...


Evangeline paused as she felt her presence, poisoning the air with her ominous essence. And from behind, she felt her hands grip her shoulders, with claws digging into the soft flesh. Her regulular t-shirt had already begun to stain crimson, darkening as that woman's talons sunk deeper. Evangeline felt her lean over to whisper her words into her ears once more, this time close enough for her to make sense of the accusations.


"Murderer...."


The whisper was more than sharp enough to pierce throughher heart, but still she was unmoving, staring forward with violet eyes fixated into the space before her. But still, the woman's velety lips curled upwards. Evangeline could feel her toxic smile as it spread, though she didn't once turn around to face the other female. Not once did she want to see those agonizingly familiar eyes of opaque that haunted her in her slumber. That kept her wide eyed and panting as she was jerked from her dreams. And just as suddenly as the woman appeared, she vanished, leaving behind nothing but a barely noticeable scent of lavender that lingered as if she were actually there.


She wasn't... She was never there. That woman was a figment of her imagination... Just her imagination.


Evaneline continued to walk.
 

Music/CD Shop to


The HIVE; Lobby




​



Mary risked another glance at the clock, only to be disappointed once again at the time, it had been a slow day at the CD shop. Much like it always was, as there were ways to bypass the system and get music from a free source. The girl idly spun in the chair behind to counter, giving the counter a light kick each time she passed by with her ragged converse shoes. As if it had sensed her boredom, a power had clicked on in her, her eyes glossing over to one of her most well known before her vision just as quickly flashed back.


It seemed her training in HIVE had paid off, as she was easily able to turn off the power when she had gotten it. There were even some identifiers for the five other powers she had named, some of them a little more useless then the others. The one she had the least control over, her recently discover Pressure Manipulation, was actually one of her favourites; probably due to the fact that the power was the one to make her pass the Agent test. The thought reminded the girl that there was an orientation tour going on today, only knowing because it would mean new agents.


Mary was in the last group to do so, and she thought the orientations to be very boring and couldn’t remember half the tech facts she was forced to learn that day. If memory served her right though, Lucky was the one giving the tour today, which should of made it all the more faster.


Finally the bell sounded by the door to signify an entrance, and Mary stuck her foot out to stop herself from spinning. Smiling at who she expected to be a customer, it was only Peter who seemed to shake his head at her antics. The girl tried her best not to refocus her vision, because the last time she did so she ended up laughing. Her co-worker had what looked to be a regrettable tattoo on his back side, and the majestic unicorn still made her giggle. She managed to do so though, because it was the control she had to hold over herself not to look through people’s masks.


“So, busy day?” Peter asks, making his way to the staff room, and the blonde just shrugs, “Same as always” she notes, slipping off the chair. Giving herself a nice stretch, she squeaked when Peter poked her sides and curled into herself slightly, shooting an incredulous look back at him. The man was now wearing his name tag, and shrugged rather nonchalantly “You headed back home now?” he noted. Mary nodded thinking that if Peter knew where she actually lived he wouldn’t exactly call it a home…


The Hillcrest Institute was definitely home for her though, as people actually accepted her there and it had a family-like atmosphere. Although, she might not head directly to her room… depending on what power she chanced upon her next, she might train. Quickly grabbing her loose jacket from the back to sling it on, she left the store with a silent wave to Peter. First righting her hair, in case she messed with the ponytail, she headed off into the dreary streets of San Francisco. Not exactly happy with the rain that hit her exposed skin or slid down her black jacket, but keeping a fast pace.


Soon enough, she ducked her way into the Hillcrest Institute, and handed her card to the security personal. While he looked it over, she took the chance to flick off the stray drops from her face and smooth them into her hair. With a nod, she was let by, slowly taking off her coat and heading towards somewhere she could change, as her costume remained underneath her clothes still...
 

On the River Bank

​



She'd been walking for quite some time now, and she'd already abandoned her duties of watching over the cities for a little alone time near the river. She nver paid attention to the name of it, she only ever did settle for watching it smoothly flow down, snakig through the city, like a giant serpent oblivious to the activities around it. Somehow, the slight splashing of water always seemed to bring her peace, even if she had no clue how to swim.


She'd always imagined herself drowning, sinking like a rock to the very bottom of the river. The thought never terrified her as her nightmares did. Strangely, it only gave her peace. More so when these thoughts never brought upon a response from the woman who resides in the confines of her mind. But zhe was still there, watching, haunting her when her thoughts would silence.


She shook the unpleasant image of her alluring face away from her mind's eye, allowing, instead, for her eyes to stare into the vague reflection the water offered to her. She would focus on the image, allowing her thoughts to run free with imagination.
 

San Fransisco;Golden Gate Bridge




​



Vidic Fontaine had arrived in beautiful San Fran about a week ago,on orders from his superiors. Apparently,one of HIVE's trainees went missing. He chuckled slightly at the thought. He used to be among them,once,all those years ago. He spent four years with them,until the Division found him,and asked him to join. But that was long ago.


He already had his quarters squared away;a hotel with Wi-Fi,so long as you had your own device. He had a laptop,and he used it for keeping in contact with HQ,and to do some research,should he need to do some. But,currently,Vidic was walking the streets of San Fransisco,looking for some sort of clue to the missing child's wherabouts. He was near the Golden gate bridge,looking at the now long defunct Alcatraz prison. "Perfect security,for mundanes. Shame it got shut down." He was primarily looking for HIVE members,but they were only in uniform in response to a situation,as far as he knew. Start with those that knew the missing person,then follow leads from there.


He felt uncomfortable about going to HIVE's local HQ to start questioning people;aside from the quite likely possibility that he's probably forbidden from aproaching the building due to his status as an active Division agent,and also the fact that he left HIVE on less than stellar terms. So,instead,he's walking around,hoping for all Hell to break loose. He turned around,and began to walk back into the heart of the city. If one looked closely at his feet,one would notice dents in the ground were made with each step.


Then,he felt something press against his back. Beautiful. A mugger. "Wallet and phone!" The man growled into his ear. "Would you believe me if I told you that I don't own a cell phone?" He talked so he could distract the mugger. He's going to beat this bastard to a bloody pulp,and interrogate him on the spot. "Everyone has a phone,you lying f***! Gimme the shit and you'll be on your merry way."Everyone else was just walking by,trying to ignore the little drama playing out before them.


Vidic felt the object shift.


He taken the opprotunity;he elbowed the man in the gut,knocking the wind out of his lungs,and ran for the nearest alleyway. He ducked inside as the mugger shouted and cursed like a sailor,and he heard the report of a handgun. When in the alley,he used his powers to adopt the Division's uniform. His entire body turned black as pitch,and his clothes sunk into his body. His torso turned crimson,and crimson striped ran down his arms and legs. He was clearly marked as a member of Division,now...


Infinita Caro was wairing for the furious mugger in the alleyway. "A mugging in broad daylight? Idiot." The mugger was reduced to opening and closing his mouth in horror,as Infinita hurled his left arm at him,now morphing into a disgusting tentacle. It wrapped around the mugger,pinning his arms to his sides. He pulled the man in. "Who do you work for?" The mugger babbled in terror,making absolutely no sense. Infinita squeezed the mugger. "ANSWER ME! Who do you work for!?" A foul smell now permeated the air. The poor mugger found the articulation to speak. "N-no one! I work alone! Please,don't kill me!" Infinita laughed. "So you can mug more people...? No. I know your type. If I let you free,you'll keep attacking people,desperate to make a quick buck...You're a drain on society and it's people. What I have in store for you...You should thank me. You'll be put to good use."


The mugger screamed in terror and agony as Infinita Caro put the squeeze on even harder. He heard bones break. Suddenly,the screaming intensified as a cloud of blood sprang up from the victim. He looked to be decomposing rapidly,screaming the entire time. It only lasted for about a second. Afterward,the screaming stopped. There wasn't any evidence that the mugger had ever existed. Infinita's job there was done,so he leapt up a building's wall,and scrambled up,while morphing back to his normal human state.


As Vidic reached the roof,he made a beeline for the roof access door. It was always messy buisness when he got involved. It didn't bother him anymore. He had the powers of H.P. Lovecraft's Great Old Ones,and he used them for the protection of law and order...Even if he became the superhero equivalent of Yog Sothoth. He entered the building as if nothing had happened,taking care to not collapse the stairwell as he made his way back down to street level.
 

Main Street- outside of Clarity's apartment.




​



Wade sauntered along the street, taking in the surroundings. His hands were stuck in his pockets, and a gray hood was drawn over his head to block the rain; under it, his green eyes darted back and forth. San Francisco; what a busy place!


The puddles splashed under his feet, the cars honked and screeched to his left, and men and women leaning forward in the rain walked on either side. Bells on storefronts rang, and doors opened, and closed, and people shouted and the occasional pet scampered. Buildings loomed in all directions, imposing glass and metal. Fog shrouded everything. The air resounded with sounds. He had been to cities, yes; but Francisco put them all to shame.


Wade stopped and leaned against the wall to think. His briefing had been simple enough... find and stop the crime syndicate. He wasn't sure, though, exactly how to go about his mission.


Listen to the news, he thought. Find out what's happening. But find a place to stay, first....





He pushed off of the brick, but before he could continue his stroll, a scene waylaid him. A girl, looking a bit older than him, walked onto the street on a bit of a hurry; "Hey- miss!" Wade called, seeing the approaching car that she didn't-


But before he had taken more than one step, the vehicle roared forward and struck the poor girl. Concerned, Wade took a few step forwards- but in a flustered hurry, she, apparently unharmed, gathered up some of her belongings and raced into a nearby building. Frowning, Wade didn't follow the few people who went to scold the driver; but instead went to the side, where the girl's glasses had flown off...


He picked them up, then hurried into the building the girl had gone to, ignoring the looks from passerby. Catching only glimpses of her, Wade trailed her up stairs to where she disappeared into an apartment.


Still frowning, he pushed off his hood and trailed forward to the door. He twisted the band absentmindedly around his right ring finger before knocking.


He could have sworn he had seen a flash of gold when the girl had gone flying....
 
Location: San Francisco, bay area


It had been nearly two years since Rikarah Pallaton, formerly Susannah Pallis, had made her way into the San Francisco area. She had had to, after the incident with that tattoo artist girl figuring out about who she was, or rather, who she had been, before what she thought of now as her transformation. Stupid nosy reporters...it had been difficult enough when she was merely required to hide her abilities, as a teenager, but to hide her newfound hobby and skill of what she liked to think of not as murder, but rather weeding out of the undeserving...Rikarah had had to keep to herself, watching her every word and move, and she did not enjoy feeling as though she could have no interaction with others.


Division's recruitment of her had been a relief, for she now not only was assured a pardon of her "crimes," under her joining of their branch, but also freely given permission to not only use but display her powers, to wield them as a warning and weapon as she saw fit. And to murder...that is, "use what means may be necessary to stop figures of malevolent intent." And in Rikarah's view, she could ask for no better.


She had been a part of Division for nearly six months now and enjoyed every moment of her time. Though some of her fellow teammates could do with occasionally lightening up and merely enjoying themselves too, in her opinion.


Her newest assignment, to be on the lookout for a HIVE trainee named Jason, has so far met with little success; though Rikarah's skills are of reflection, she is nevertheless adept at finding out information with subtlety of action if not means. She is not certain yet where to look, precisely, and has spoken very little to the other members of Division. She chooses instead to merely walk along to discover who and what she can, as is her preferred method, and simply move on from that point in her procedures.


Besides, she enjoys the looks people give her when they recognize who she is. It gives her a rush of pleasure that she is careful not to show in her face, but nevertheless always feels pressing itself against her chest.


Rikarah chooses to walk along several blocks from headquarters, turning on impulse towards the nearby bay. Seeing a girl from a distance, she stops, regarding her with faint interest.
 
Evangeline was silent, staring at her reflection, which she could swear had moved as she was staring. Unconsciously, however, her shadows had been flickering, swaying, slithering, writhing about her lithe frame. Mostly the only movement that was in the banks at the time. The bay was silent, only an occasional splash reaching for her bare ankles, her combat boots laid abandoned by her side.


Her thin arms where circled around her knees, drawing them close to her chest, as if to muffle the pounding of her heart. Not that it had been pounding any louder than before anyways. But her trance-like state was severe to the point where the obvious presence of another female was completely beyond reaching her. Such ignorance would result in her death one day, she always said to herself when she shook herself out of her thoughts. But it was taking much too long for her to return from her dream state this time. It looked almost as if she had hardened into a porcelain doll, left alone in the dark, damp sand of the bay's shore.


The blood still stained the light blue of her shirt, holes dotting the surface in a slight crescent the embraced her shoulders. The space where her claws dug into her flesh and drew blood. Though she was still adamant in believing the wounds were but another one of her day dreams, it never happened... She'd snap out of it and return to reality, where her shoulders did not continue to bleed as it was now. That woman did not show up like she did earlier... She never did.


And as she thought, the shadows continued to hiss, louder and louder now, as if they were agitated, tensed as if they felt trouble. The pattern of their movement was such that gave off a warning aura. As if it were an indication that they'd strike... At something. She didn't quite know, nor did she even realized their movement. The world surrounding her was nothing short of a blur...
 
San Francisco bay area


As Rikarah remains a distant back from Evangeline, her eyebrows draw together into a faint furrow as she regards her. The girl is young, slim, nearly as much as Rikarah, though she, like most others, appears to be taller than Rikarah is. As she continues to regard the girl, she notices that she is very tense, nearly trembling with the tautness of her muscles in her back and shoulders, and she is hugging herself desperately where she sits. As Rikarah steps closer, it seems to her that the girl is holding herself so hard she is digging her nails into her own skin.


It is not yet clear to her whether the girl is in need of assistance or wishes to be left alone. This likely has very little to do with the missing HIVE trainee, and yet Rikarah feels no rush to walk on. It is possible, after all, that the girl has been attacked by a supervillain who needs Rikarah to deal with him...one can only hope.


She takes a few more steps closer, than calls out softly. "Hello."
 

A distance from the Golden Gate bridge,towards downtown




​



Vidic had left the gruesome scene behind. No doubt there were people investigating the scene,even though all they'll find would be a discarded handgun...And the alleyway practically painted with blood. He walked down the street quickly,not bothering to hide the fact that he was leaving tiny craters in his wake. He needed to work on the investigation...But he only had two options;wait for some rogue super to raise Hell...


Or raise it himself.


That seconds prospect didn't appeal to him;if he caused a commotion,then hed be putting the reputation of Division on the line,unless he went incognito. Even if he did go incognito,if the rest of Division caught wind,hed get locked up in the prison. He needed to get HIVE agents out in the open. He needed to question them. He needed leads. Vidic promised to himself that he'd only raise Hell himself as a last resort,and all other options were exhausted.


Vidic sighed in frustration. "Why can't anything be simple...?" He continued on his way,back to his hotel room. This assignment was getting frustratingly boring fast...
 
Location: Bay Area (Note: The wounds are not self-inflicted)


The soft crunch of the sand slowly tugged her away from her stupor, and she was notified of the female's presence even before her vocalized greeting. The sweet silent serenade of her thoughts that continued to try and pull her back into her reverie were brushed away as she quickly allowed a smile to slip onto her lips, as if she were not injured. As if she did not see the fleeting smile of that woman as she allowed her eyes a moment's rest.


Of course her eyes would have a black ring about them, marring her alabaster skin with imperfections. She hadn't had a good night's rest in-- oh about a few years. But she was smiling as if there was nothing that bothered her during slumber. And the aura around her had lifted to one of light cheerfulness, much too fast. As if she were quickly switching a subject to another even before the conversations started.


Though, it struck her strange how this woman, one she recognized as a member of the Division, would approach her. Surely, she'd heard from others (she suspected) to keep a distance. After all, it seemed to spread. No one ever stopped to greet her. No one spoke to her. That resulted in her missing many training sessions due to her lack of interest. Because there was nothing that she wanted to linger about for. She'd rather sit near the bay, staring at the water she'd never even touched.


Her shadows retreated, as if they were faced with something they cannot handle alone. They dissipated, fading into the darkening sand like the sun suddenly brightened enough just to do away with them. She had only just noticed their shifting and silent dancing, it confused her so, their independent stirring. And she wasn't sure how that made her look before the other super.


She greeted the woman anyways. "Hi..."
 
San Francisco bay area


Rikarah does not step any closer to the girl, not yet anyway; she has not yet began to put up any of the shields to her mind to be able to reflect back any possible attack she might give. Though the girl has made no move, and has spoken only one word, Rikarah has spent enough time with other supers by now in her six months at Division to recognize the signs of another. The others in Division seem uninterested in interaction with others outside their rank at times, but Rikarah, though it is her nature to be removed emotionally from others, can rarely resist the urge to interact on a surface level.


The girl appears tense still as she glances back at her, though on surface Rikarah appears unthreatening physically, and is not currently wearing the uniform that marks her as Division. Rikarah smiles back at her. "Is everything all right?"
 
Location: Bank Area


Her violet eyes flickered, as if something were stirring from behind them. Though, she returned to focus when she realized her momentary pause kept her from replying to the female's question. Her smile didn't once waver, despite her obvious distractions as she nodded.


Evangeline stood, slowly, as to not alarm the female. The other female appeared to be limiting her movements, as if she were as cautious as the shadow user felt she should be. But her mind was still reeling from the constant appearances that plagued her mind with endless mocking smiles and laughter. She often needed a few moments to herself to recover from such encounters. And this recovery was so slow...


Her knees collapsed from under her, eyes rolling back as she was suddenly thrown into unconsciousness. Her mind succumbed to the darkness of slumber that she had not seen for such a long time, blackness shrouding her vision as she felt the impact of her body meeting the ground.
 
Clarity's apartment


Clarity quickly shut the door to her apartment and took off her coat. She couldn't believe that happened, and she hoped no one paid enough attention to wonder if she was alright. The gold ring that she kept on a matching chain hang over her back.


No sooner had she adjusted it back did he hear the door knock. She quickly stuffed the chain/ring in her shirt out of plain sight, and opened the door. It was Vanish, but she couldn't tell him that she knew him. She only hoped that he didn't notice her...
 
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