Snippet #2767281

Jenniffer Ross awoke to light pouring through her window.
The teenage girl groaned and put a hand against her eyes. She had forgotten to close the blinds, and the sun was already high and bright in the sky, despite it only being 8 in the morning.
'Morning, Voidbringer said.
"Hey," Jenniffer replied groggily. She sat up, the fog on her mind slowly retreating. She just sat there for a while, thinking last night's events through.
"Void..." Jenniffer said after about 5 minutes of quiet. "There is something I need to ask you."
Voidbringer was silent for a moment. Then, she sighed. I already know what you're going to ask, but I can tell you need to say it. So just ask away.
"Are... are you sure we are doing the right thing?"
Void was silent for even longer. Eventually, she spoke in a dangerously low tone. You aren't thinking of joining her, are you?
"What?! No, of course not!" Jenniffer exclaimed. "I wouldn't want to work with someone like Red Queen anyways. Even if they are in the right, her whole attitude seems pretty unethical and uncaring to me. I mean, she broke Dani's ulna! Even if by accident, I don't understand why Dani would still side with her after that."
Okay, good. That's good. Voidbringer was silent once again.
After another quiet moment, Jenniffer tried a different tactic. "Is the thing about 'breaking someone's mask makes them kill themselves' true?"
This time Voidbringer responded immediately, her voice dripping with venom and brimstone. Why are you even asking this question? You know the answer - you destroyed Apollo's mask himself, and that police officer guy turned out fine. In fact he's back in action now! All the other people, they are fine to! I may not be able to say we are right, but I can tell you that that is the one thing that is wrong. Destroying a mask does not destroy the host. Trust me, I would know.
Jenniffer was shocked into silence. She had never heard Void talk to her like that. Her voice was so... so angry. Why?
After a moment, Voidbringer spoke again in a softer tone, one colored by shame. I'm sorry I snapped at you, Jenniffer.
"No, no, it's fine. Just... I'm just so confused. Are we the heroes? If we haven't killed anyone-"
We HAVEN'T.
"O-okay, okay... we haven't killed anyone. So that would just make Red Queen the villain... which..." Jenniffer paused a moment. "Which I think I have known all along. She was nefarious from the start; acted like she owned the world, walking all over us and such. And now this. Trying to spread propaganda against me so I can't rescue them from under Red's finger. And Dani..." Jenniffer choked a moment and realized she was crying. This was just all too stressful for the poor girl. "How could she be tricked like this? I mean she was always so nice to everyone and she wasn't stupid either, she got good grades. Maybe top grades, I don't remember. Red is tricking her somehow, she couldn't- couldn't possibly believe that they are in the- the-" Jenniffer stopped and began to hyperventilate.
Hey, hey. Don't worry. Take deep breaths, JayRo. Deep breaths.
Jenniffer did and immediately began to calm down. "Thanks," she croaked.
After a bit, she was ready to ask another question. A big one. "How do masks even work?"
Voidbringer chuckled. I was wondering when you'd ask this question. Alright, I'll tell, but it's going to be a long explanation. So just sit tight and listen to my grand tale.
Void took a deep breath and was about to explain when she stopped. I sense someone, she said. A mask-form. Powerful Quintessential aura, too.
"What do I do?" Jenniffer asked shakily.
Get dressed and put on your mask. It looks like we have a visitor.

* * *

About seven minutes later, Jenniffer stepped out the door wearing her mask. Her friends (back when they had been her friends) had remarked - or just seemed put off - by the strange form of the mask. It covered her entire head, not even letting out a single strand of her long black hair. The inked-on face worked like a normal one, speaking and changing expressions. The rest of her body was normal, however; she wore her sneakers, white socks, smooth, faded jeans and her old Boundary Bay High School hoodie - she'd gotten it at a sports game her father had once grudgingly let her go to. She wasn't all that into sports anymore, but the hooded sweatshirt was nice and warm - despite the high sun, the air was still oddly chilly. Particles of anti-matter floated around her hand, ready to blast any enemy to oblivion if they attacked her.
However, who she saw was not an enemy, but a friend - sort of. The beautiful, brown-haired form of Rita stood before her, twirling a knife in her hands, looking bored. However, while her body language was bored, her eyes were not; they were filled with fire; a horrid, sickly anger that chilled the girl to the bones. Jenniffer got the strange, inexplicable feeling that Rita had been standing there all night.
"Rita?" Jenniffer called out carefully. "What are you doing here? Where have you been?"