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Hadean » Arcs » Moe Stalker

March 11, 2045 (night) - city streets

As written by: PirateofPie, Light_of_the_Fallen


19 pieces and 7 characters involved, written by 2 different authors.

1 places involved




So begins...

Moe Stalker


Atlas CitySetting: Atlas City


Henry remained in the are of Sasha's apartment. The roof specifically as he gazed up at the sky. The next move would have to be tonight. The best thing for him to do would be to search for a lead. Ever since he left the apartment that morning after eating, he prowled the rooftops quickly. As far as he could discern, there was no trace of anything remotely relevant to his next task within the vicinity...but the answers were somewhere in Atlas City to be sure.

As for all the supers he'd met earlier, he was pleasantly surprised. They were all fairly amicable, even Richard, to whom he had suggested, "Word of advice...unregistered or not, get a costume man. You seriously smack look like a burglar." It was a odd group. One Sasha had insisted had come together for a reason. What reason would that be, he had to wonder...were it at all true, that is.

Among them were registered and unregistered supers alike. But none of that mattered over a plate of omelet. Though, Henry had informed the others, "I'm not a super. I've got..." he continued as he reached into his pocket, revealing the firearm he had used to help fend off the Witchfinders. "This blaster. Part ray gun and part stun gun and only I can use it. That's about it."

He was sure each had their own reasons for being in the city, their own business to attend to. Henry didn't speak much about his but simply noted that he had to lay low for a while. Richard, in particular, seemed to have something in the works that may required assistance, but Henry had declined, saying it was a job for the real superheroes, unregistered or not.

And so after his rooftop trek, here he was once again. Not sure what would come next.
"Shinigami."

The word was written down onto a tiny piece of paper, locked away in a glass orb that hung from a long gold chain around her neck. Akiko noticed the way her cats stared at it as she took it off to store it in her jewelry box. The cats didn't come closer however. In fact, as she took a step towards them, a couple ran off. Another one or two hissed and growled at her.

An uneasy feeling rose in her chest and doubt began to seep into her thoughts. She didn't feel anger or hatred. There wasn't any unwelcome thoughts or unexplainable needs. Akiko felt... Well, like Akiko.

Which concerned her even more.

Something hovered at the edge of her vision and Akiko spun around to see her bed and the covers balled up on the left side. There was nothing there. She sighed and stepped forward which caused the remaining cats to scatter. Regardless, there was something she needed to find. Well, someone.

She grabbed her keys and headed out.

~*~

The streets had people and sounds and lights and Akiko didn't mind any of it. It was easier to blend in as music played on her headphones. No jerk in a suit in sight. Even as she approached the scene that had happened earlier that day, Akiko walked in peace and invisibility.

None of what happened around her caught her attention though and as she stood out of the way of pedestrians, her eyes began to glow again. This time they flared blue before becoming neon purple. Her face flushed and she felt very out of sorts.

The clattering of a rock echoed from behind her but when Akiko turned around, the closed shop doors greeted her. An inward sigh and Akiko focused on the scene before her.

There were pulsing blue specks of light leading from the diner into the city. The lights were weak and Akiko knew it would be a limited time. Her breath didn't get colder though but Akiko walked in the same path the others had taken to Sasha's apartment earlier.

~*~

Akiko approached the apartment but was hesitant on following further. She didnt wanna be a creeper but if a creeper she had to be... She sighed and threw her head up only for a stronger glow to catch her eye. The same color glow she was following actually.

Akiko's eyes became gray and her body began to float into the sky. She reached the top of the building and slowly and quietly let her feet touch the rooftop. Behind Henry. About ten feet behind him.

"You a stargazer, buddy?" Akiko called out as she materialized once more.
"WHOA, WHAT?!" Henry nearly stumbled forward, startled. He turned around, the sight of a woman who hadn't been there before (?) minutes earlier. Possibly. He had to admit he was a bit too absorbed in his own thoughts. A good reminder to be more aware of his surroundings. But this woman didn't seem to mean him any harm. Didn't look like an agent and she had asked a reasonable enough question.

"Stargazer...? Yeah, sorta. From time to time," he nodded. "Do you live in the complex? I hope I'm not trespassing or anything. It's just a nice spot, y'know?"
Akiko laughed as the man nearly plummeted to his doom thanks to her. She stopped herself and cleared her throat, responding, "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. I forget I'm too quiet sometimes. My sister says I'm like a ghost, moving without making sound."

Akiko laughed again but more at the fact she slipped that ghost bit in there. It was hard to resist sometimes. She stepped forward to approach Henry but also to give her time to respond. So he thought she could be one of the tenants...

"My sister and I live here actually," Akiko said as she came up beside Henry. Akiko's eyes no longer glowed so she couldnt see his soul anymore but she sensed... Something.

"Whenever she's at work, I like to just come up here and gaze at the sky too. Brings me some sort of peace," Akiko smiled slightly. "I don't mind sharing the spot either and I won't tell anyone. Though you gotta tell me."

Akiko dropped her voice to a whisper but grew more excited as she talked and she leaned in close, "Are you a hero? Are you doing some high stakes mission and came up here to catch a break?"
"Oh, don't worry about-" Henry began.

"My sister says I'm like a ghost, moving without making sound."


"....about it. Hahaha..." he began to laugh nervously. It was admittedly an awkward thing for a stranger to blurt out, but hopefully his laughter diffused any undue tension. "But yeah, that's cool. Can get a little boring after a while, but if you ever need to air out your thoughts it ain't bad. But-"

"Though you gotta tell me."

Akiko dropped her voice to a whisper but grew more excited as she talked and she leaned in close, "Are you a hero? Are you doing some high stakes mission and came up here to catch a break?"


"A hero? No, I'm just a wanderer," he smiled with a shrug. "Grew up in this city and haven't visited in a while. Just wanted to see how things have changed." None of that was particularly wrong, he thought. Hopefully that would satisfy this lady's curiosity.

"What about you? I could ask you the same thing!" he chuckled loudly. "Especially with you 'appearing out of nowhere' like that!"
"Out of nowhere? Whaaaaat," Akiko laughed, cringing inwardly. "I'm made of flesh! I cant do that."

Not a hero? Akiko thought. Then why did he involve himself earlier today?

"Nah but I'm also homegrown, just never been out of this place," Akiko grinned before pouting and added in a joking but pressing manner, "Man I'm kinda bummed I didn't catch a hero. But how uh, how did you get up here then? You just walk through apartments and use their roofs? Or was this somewhere you used to live?"
"Y-yeah...we're all...made of flesh?" Henry stammered, trying to keep up with this increasingly bizarre conversation. And now her questioning was getting aggressive. Maybe she was working for the agents? "I, uh...like to parkour every now and then," he responded half-heartedly. It was a lie made up on the spot and not a very good one. Hey, it was nice talking to you, but I need to head out. What's your name?" he inquired. Bit of a test. If there was one trick, he'd picked up when attempting to spot agents, it was picking up a fake name. It wasn't always obvious. There were little tells, but he'd no right away if she were on the up and up.
Akiko was getting increasingly suspicious. She had seen him follow the other heroes. The trail led into the apartment complex. At least, through the front entrance. She admittedly hadn't seen the other roofs since her focus had been on him but parkour? She couldn't check now. Especially not since he seemed to be trying to leave.

"Aiko Bong," Akiko answered, deliberately using a different first name. Her voice didnt waver nor had she hesitated. "What's yours?"
The woman's voice did not waver nor did it hesitate, but there was no way her actual last name was BONG. But, despite that, it relieved his concerns that she may have been an agent. They're usually less sloppy then this. Still, Aiko seemed to have secrets of her own and was prying at his. That could mean....well, he wasn't sure what that could mean.

"Uh, oh shit is it this late already!" he called out. "I gotta go. You'll have to excuse me, Aiko!" he stated, making his way towards the door with haste as he nodded goodbye. "Maybe we can catch up next time, I'm hopping across rooftops!"
Akiko looked surprised but smiled and waved, she smiled and waved until he had left and the door shut behind him. She let out a long exhale and waited a few minutes by taking a seat and looking up at the sky.

She hadnt been lying when she said she looked up at the sky to get some peace. Except when she did it, it was from within her apartment, surrounded by cats. She didn't go out on roofs though she considered it doing it more often.

Once a couple minutes had passed, Akiko slowly inhaled and closed her eyes. As she did that, her body slowly started to become invisible again until the sound of footsteps ripped her from her meditation. Again, nothing there. She tsked in annoyance and simply disappeared from view.

He didn't give me a name, Akiko thought as her eyes changed from black to gray with tinges of purple. Her invisible form began to slowly slip through the roof itself. Guess I'll have to force it out of him.
Henry made his way down the stairs, figuring he'd maybe have to catch a cab. "Aiko Bong, huh. She was...certainly unique," he commented. What was that Sasha said about fate? No one could use such a shoddy alias and not be some sort of super, right? Coincidentally, Henry passed by Sasha's apartment. Perhaps he knew more about Aiko, but Henry wasn't in the mood to talk much. He really had been wasting too much time. A quick run around the city could maybe provide a breakthrough. Maybe the museum...Those had always been promising leads in the past.

It wasn't long before he made his way out the door. He would be on foot but...he did grow up here. He was sure the city hadn't really changed all THAT much while he'd been away.
Akiko followed after Henry in her ghostly form, floating on behind him as she listened in to his words. Admittedly, giving her last name away was kind of dumb but it wasn't the first time someone had doubted it's authenticity. Memories of incredulous teachers and interviewers came to mind and Akiko frowned.

As these memories subsided and Henry and Akiko passed by Sasha's apartment, the sound of a blast sounded behind her. Akiko's eyes flashed red and she paused but Henry never turned back. He kept walking, unconcerned with anything behind him. And why would he? Akiko thought bitterly as she turned to see a perfectly normal hallway. Another sound of a blast next to her but this time, Akiko dropped to the ground. She was still invisible but her floating capabilities seemed to be malfunctioning.

Should have worn the suit, Akiko thought furiously as her heart began to race. Her eyes flickered between red and gray and she exhaled somewhat loudly but placed a hand over her mouth to keep quiet. It seemed giving away her last name wasn't the only dumb thing she had done today.
March 11th, 2045, 10:46 am: Atlas City, North Carolina, USA

"Saying, 'If you've got the stomach for it' is also a line that goes hand in hand with grand larceny," Henry joked. "By the way, you have any orange juice, Sasha?" he asked, their host, his plate now clean, aside form a speck of egg here or there. "Great omelet, by the way! thanks, man!"

As he waited for a response on the oj, he turned to the super he thought was least likely to join them, the woman who was defenestrated by the large Witchfinder and more or less the one at the center of the conflict outside the diner. "So, Yue...the Witchfinders. Was that it for them or are there more? I only know a bit about 'em, but I didn't know they had...whatever kind of tech that could turn one of their own into some kinda super-mutant."

He didn't want to pry to much. He was keeping his motives to the chest as well and as friendly as things had been, no one seemed to completely open up. But the Witchfinders were something he was curious about. Supers with goals like theirs, with a mindset like theirs could prove dangerous. The type of dangerous, the agents could use with proper amounts of manipulation.

***
March 11th, 2045, 8:55pm: Atlas City, North Carolina, USA

Henry stood in a short line in front of a street vendor, waiting for his order to be prepared. He missed this about Atlas City. About cities in general. Tacos fresh off the grill. He did feel bad about dipping out on the bill for his breakfast at the diner, but in some ways he was glad it allowed him to pay for this.

Once he got his food, some chorizo tacos, he took a seat on some steps in front of Atlas City Public Library, watching a bus drive past labeled with a big 'Vote Mayor Gauss' sign hanging from it. He could get a job here, if only for a bit to pay back the diner and that waitress somehow. But that seemed like something he didn't have time for. Or did he? It was a nebulous fact. He didn't quite know when something would occur, only that it would. Most times it happened quickly, but that incident on Tibet took a month almost. And there was an unshakable feeling that he had ever since he'd gotten back...that he'd be in Atlas City for a good long while.
March 11th, 2045, 8:55pm: Atlas City, North Carolina, USA

Akiko's breathing slowed her heart rate and her eyes remained a dull gray. Her invisibility didn't falter and she felt very much in control. There was conversation behind her, Akiko half expecting nothing, only to see a couple walking down the hall to their apartment. The ghost woman closed her eyes and the couple walked right on through her, a chill running down their spine the only indication they had interacted with the woman on the floor.

She sighed in relief as they went into the apartment. Yup, definitely should have stayed in tonight. Too bad she already had one foot out the door...

... Well, not literally until a few minutes later when she was walking out into the streets. The apartments behind her and a line in front of her. An invisible line for an invisible girl. Akiko pulled invisible sunglasses out of nowhere and wore them as she went in search of Henry once more. The smell of food made her quicken her step and she soon found him finishing up some tacos on a bench.

Man, I'm hungry, Akiko glumly thought as she took a squat next to him. As he ate, she sneaked a couple pieces of meat off his plate.
Akiko had already started walking off when Henry began his search for the missing food. She savored the scraps she had gotten and was on her way to get more. Henry's movements weren't confined to his side of the bench though. And as he came forward, Akiko was also stepping forward. The two collided and Akiko fell back onto the bench. Her invisibility was still active but her ability to move through solid objects had not been in play.

She froze on the bench, hoping he hadn't realized what he had just done.
Henry froze as he accidentally ran into someon-wait, what? there was no one there?! At least it felt like someone. Was he going insane?! Something wasn't right here. There was no one else around. It's possible, but....could it be some sort of cloaking technology? He wouldn't put it past the agents to have access to that kind of tech. He thought about reaching for his blaster but...even though there weren't many people around, even if he had it set to stun, there was no need to escalate things yet. Not without making sure.

Around the area where he had felt he had bumped into...an invisible person, he suddenly began to douse with extra packets of tabasco sauce that he'd gotten with his meal.
"AH, MY EYES! MY SPECIAL EYES," Akiko screamed as she rolled around on the ground, smoke coming out of her eyes...

Had she been written as an incompetent fool but back to our regular broadcast:

The hot sauce flew through the air and Akiko scrambled backwards to get out of the way. Hands reached for more bench but instead, she found air. Then, her body hit the ground and her heartbeat began to race. Akiko was losing control. She couldn't find the air anymore for her lungs. Palms were sweaty, stomach upset, a voice echoed in her head. Her invisibility flickered and Henry saw a young Asian looking woman on the ground, hair covering her face. And then, nothing.

Nothing until a burst of power shot out, sending Henry back a couple of feet. When he looked to see what had caused it, he would see Akiko standing up but glowing with a red energy. He would blink and then a monster stood there. It was bulky black form with red swirling on its skin. Henry would noticed its body resembled someone but it was mutated, like someone had formed it out of play-doh but in a really good way. It seemed to have a hat growing out of its head and when it spoke, it spoke with a voice Henry had heard earlier.

The voice of the head Witchhunter.

"Cretin," it snarled.
"...Ms. Bong?!" Henry was at a loss for words as Akiko suddenly appeared before him. So she was a super. But what reason did she have for followi- ...Henry frowned, his situation getting ever stranger as Akiko vanished just as quickly as she appeared before him and a wave of force shot him backwards.

Henry winced as he slowly sat up, the wind having been nearly knocked out of him when he hit the pavement. He sat up to see as hulking figure before him. Henry raised an eyebrow as where the beast of a human(?) stood where the woman he had met earlier once lay. There had to be some connection, he was sure of it, but now didn't exactly seem the time to dwell on it.

The voice emanating from it sounded familiar enough, and the hat was almost unmistakable despite now practically growing out of the mutational's head. The big Witchfinder? It was back? What was the connection between the Witchfinders and Aiko?!

"Cretin," it snarled.


"Ah, but of course. No time to dwell," Henry grimaced hopping back to his feet. He turned around to any people gathered in the area, most had already begun to scream and run off and understandably so. Henry looked around. If there were any other supers around, now would be a really good time for them to show up.

...Any time now.

....No such luck.

Henry drew out his blaster. It hadn't done much against the giant Witchfinder before, but maybe with a enough shots he could manage to knock him out long enough for some local supers to arrive on the scene. He looked around running backwards a bit. People were scattering. Good for him. He didn't want them to see him fire so much as a single shot, though in his case, a few witnesses couldn't be helped. Ray mode was also an option, but one he'd rather not resort to. Whatever the state of the Witchfinder right now, he was still of some sort of sound mind.

"Okay...round two, I guess," Henry frowned. "Raising his blaster up. But really, you shouldn't have any beef with me, Witchfinder...I'm not a super."
"Super? No. You glow," the Witchfinder growls as he steps forward. "Your soul calls to this..."

He paused to look at himself and seemed to take in what he saw.

"Your soul calls to this husk."


"...Glow?" Henry frowned, taking a step back, his blood almost running cold. That was another confirmation that this wasn't the agents handiwork. All the talk of souls and glowing. But now he was afraid it was somethign far worse. "Aren't all souls supposed to glow, so to speak? I mean I'm not an expert but..."


"NO," the being responded and flames erupdted around him. "No, this husk... This husk..."

He seemed to strain to think.

As the Witchfinder got lost in thought, Henry casually walked over to the taco stand, grabbed a courtesy cup of water from the counter, and splashed it on the falmes to see if it would douse them out.


The flames went out but when the Witchfinder noticed what Henry was doing, he roared. He reached out with his huge and swatted down at Henry.


Henry suddenly rolled out of the way of the hulking figure's hand. "Not the kinda calm, relaxing day I was hoping for..." he grunted, drawing out his blaster, the blue light shining off of it, indicating that it was set to it's stun function. Henry moved several paces backwards, distancing himself from the Witchfinder, before firing a few shots. "Wait...souls," he muttered to himself.

He'd thought that the Witchfinder's mutation had made it so, he'd somehow regenerated, stitching himself back together, but that dude was pretty well blown to chunks. Combining that with how Aiko appeared out of nowhere on the roof, how she appeared, disappeared in thin air, all this talk of souls? Things weren't becoming clearer but they weren't quite coming together. And Henry had a feeling he wouldn't like where they led.


Balthazar released fire. Fire salt. The torrent was able to deflect some of the shots but a couple got through. The Witchfinder tried to stop them with his massive hand but when they hit, he let out a screech. This screech however had a female's voice combined with his own.

"Not a hero but certainly tis trying," he snarled and unleashed a hail of fire salt towards Henry.


Henry could do nothing but run beneath the torrent of burning salt, attempting to circle around the Witchfinder. He had noticed a change when his shots hit. A voice cried out. Not the witchfinder's but Aiko Bong's. So what was it then? She was possessed by the Witchfinder's ghost. It almost sounded difficult to believe, but considering what he's seen there wasn't a lot that was impossible. Least of all, a ghost.

So what next was the question. He saw a handful of civilians stll looking on. Not good. "Hey, hery! We gotta get outta here, move!" he pleaded, and thankfully his voice seemed to break through their stunned states and they began to book it. There was a thought that they saw him using his blaster and would report him, but that wasn't important now. Stopping this...ghost was and making sure that no one else is hurt. At least until a hero arrives.

Henry looked around, wondering just how far people have fled. If they had all gone home, maybe he could...no. Too risky here. This Witchfidner was powerful but he was n't soemthign that required him to stretch his legs. If he could just get around his defenses...

Henry suddenly dived backwards to the ground as the Witchfinder was turnign around ot face him, firing shot after shot of his stun blast at the deceaced mutational.


A hail of fire and salt tried to be a barrier but but
Henry kept shooting. Balthazar was still disoriented in his state and he could feel something writhing inside him. His consciousness had been pulled when pain had entered their systems. Now it was being torn. He had to stop the nuisance fast.

Except he felt his body become immobile.

He collapsed and something slithered up from his chest to behind his ears. He screamed but his body began to shrink. A coldness washed over him and Akiko whispered in his ear, "Seal."

Heat and flames engulfed the dwindling figure of the Witchfinder. It glowed brightly and Henry had to look away. When he looked back, Akiko lay on the ground. Unconscious but with no trace of the Witchfinder present.


Henry sighed, tentatively approaching Aiko. She was out cold. He had a lot of questions, but he couldn't just stick around. He thought about leaving and letting the proper officials handle the rest, but...something would bug him if he did that. Instead he opted to shake her shoulder rapidly.

"HEY!" he shouted. "YOU ALRIGHT?! WAKE UP!"


Akiko's fist struck out and punched him in the face.

"CrETIN," she screeched.

Henry raised the blaster up again. "WHAT?" he asked, rubbing his face with the other hand.

Akiko blinked and rubbed her eyes. Pain radiated out from her chest but she had no bruises or cuts. She looked up again at Henry and seemed surprised to see Henry's blaster in her face.

"Woah uh, hey buddy. Look i only had two bites alright? They werent even bites! They were crumbs!"


Henry, sighed, spinning the blaster around his finger before holstering it. He glanced at Akiko, riasing an eyebrow as she spoke. Nodding his head, he stated, "Okay, yeah. Sure," before exclaiming, "And what about the ghost of the Witchfinder?!"


"He doesnt eat!" She exclaimed before realizing the full extent of what Henry said. "Right, that. That is uh, that is a thing. I lost control alright? I hadn't, i hadnt done it in so long. I thought i still had a good mastery of it..."

She shook her head and sat up, looking atound to see the smoldering salt. She also saw that people were approaching from far off.

"You wanna maybe talk this elsewhere?" Akiko paused. "Or better yet..."

She went invisible again.


Henry sighed as Aiko vanished before him yet again. He stood up to his feet, a cold breeze blowing past, causing his trench coat to ruffle in the wind. Sirens were on the way. A super who could manipulate the spirits of the dead, huh...dangerous. That she couldn't control it was even more dangerous. But the fact that she was upset about it...well, it gave him hope that she would gain control someday. He placed his hands in his pockets as he began to walk away from the scene, sirens blaring in the distance. It seemed for the best that he find a way to 'disappear' for now too.
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