San Francisco

Scott took a mouthful of coffee as he headed back into the base. Everything had just been so chaotic when he had woken up, and he had just had to get out of the base for a while. It was unusually calm when he returned with his coffee in hand, and he started to wonder if the whole thing had been a prank by the other heroes, just to wind them up.

He thought he'd seen her again when he'd got his coffee. Ever since he'd first seen her, he'd been going to the same place for his coffee in the hope that he would see her and talk to her. He'd met her a couple of times and they had talked enough to call each other friends. He'd fallen for her on first sight. He hadn't had a chance to talk to her today- which was probably a good thing. He had been so weirded out by the whole thing, he'd probably give away too much. He'd told her that he was a freelance journalist.

He passed by the conference room and stopped. It was chaos in there. It made sense. All of the trainees had gathered there. Looked like the other heroes hadn't just been playing a trick, then. He went in and sat at the back of the room, waiting for someone to try and regain order. He then realized that he was probably the only person who could.

Sighing to himself, he stood up and headed for the top of the room. Nobody noticed- they were too panicked. It was understandable. They'd all heard the message that had been received, all heard the rumour that the greatest villain was still to come. They were all terrified out of their wits. Even he was a little scared.

"Guys-" They didn't hear him. He tried raising his voice, but to no avail. He rolled his eyes, climbing to stand on the table. "GUYS!" He yelled. He picked up a glass from the table and hurled it at the ground. The crash was loud enough to force them to look at him, still standing on the table.

"I know we're all scared. I don't know what's happening, but we need to get out onto the streets, make sure everything's okay. We need to prioritize the civilians at the moment. If we're right, then there could be something huge happening very soon. Get prepared. Usual precautions- student ID's, cover stories, and so on.

Right now, guys, you are the heroes. So you need to be responsible. There's nobody who can patch up your mess if you screw up. So don't. Go get ready. You have five minutes. Meet me back here."

His own outfit of a white short-sleeved shirt and black jeans was enough to pass him off as a teacher. He swung by his room briefly to grab a pair of glasses. The lenses were just plain glass, but they made him look a little more like a teacher. He swore to himself as he realized the major flaw in his plan. Teachers would have to be able to read. He'd just have to hope that nobody asked him to read anything.

He headed back for the conference room, sinking back into the chair at the head of the table and swinging his feet onto the table. All he could do was wait for the chaos to start.



Cameron spun himself around in the swivel chair idly. Everyone had gone mad since most of the fully trained villains had disappeared. Someone had suggested going out into the streets, seeing what was happening there. With nothing better to do, they'd decided to go. It hadn't taken Cameron long to get dressed.

A small flame appeared in his hand, and he started playing with it, manipulating it into different shapes. He formed a ball and threw it into the air. He wasn't sure if it would hang there or if gravity would affect it. It seemed it was the latter, as he missed it and it fell to the carpet. He quickly extinguished the flames, but there was still a burn mark left. Oops.

He leaned back in the chair and started to spin himself around once again, waiting for someone else to come in. His beanie nearly flew off, and he grabbed it before it did. He felt unusually calm, considering their deaths could be waiting for them in the near future. He was even surprised at himself. It was probably due to the fact that he'd had a night of decent sleep for the first time in about two weeks, with no bad dreams about drowning.

He glared at the glass of water on the table and slid it towards him, dipping his finger into the glass and lighting a small flame. It was difficult to keep it going, considering the lack of fuel and temperature, but it focused his attention. He removed his finger, concentrating on the flame. It was a good idea all around- focusing his mind and satisfying his pyromania without any risk of burning the base down. He focused all of his attention on the glass, trying to encourage the flame to grow.

Andrew had left the conference room the moment Scott told them to get prepared. Whilst he stripped down out of his sweatpants and t-shirt, drawers opened up around him. Folded clothes levitated about the room until they reached the bed where they took their own initiative, resting themselves lightly on top of his mattress. He adorned his clothes, dressing the part of a regular high school graduate, shoving his fake Student ID in his pocket. There was not much he could do at this point to prepare because he didn't know what to prepare for. At first Andrew thought they were pulling a prank, maybe even an emergency drill to test their reactions upon discovering that they were gone. But when they saw the blood on the floor, that's when they knew it was real. Someone was killing heroes. If that was true then Andrew didn't see any logic behind going to the surface and splitting up, monitoring civilians. He didn't want to leave them alone or defenseless, but he didn't see how they were in danger. Regardless, he returned to the conference room, seeing Scott at the head of the table, sunken into the chair.

He looked stressed, more so than usual. Walking in on the chaos earlier must've taken a toll on him given the circumstances. In retrospect, it was curiosity spiked Andrew's interest more than concern. He wanted to know what was going on, every little detail. He didn't like being left out in the dark, not in a situation like this. Scott had been his mentor since he first arrived at the base. It wasn't like him to keep anything important like this a secret. Especially from his trainees. Scott had helped him a lot throughout the years, the trainer having brought his mental stamina and overall ability to a whole new strength. Andrew felt almost selfish for wanting more from him. But from what he could tell, this was life or death. People were going to die. And some of the most powerful heroes already have.

Andrew stayed at the back of the room, watching over his mentor as his fellow trainees began to file in. He knew it was only a matter of time before someone demanded to know the details of what was happening. Andrew himself just wasn't going to be the one to do it.

---

Should I tell them? Helena pondered as she sat in solemn contemplation, as she sat in her room at the compound. Even if I did, what would I say? Nothing like this has ever happened before.

The moans and creaks of the prison above reverberated around her, giving her a sense of unease. She never preferred it here over her apartment downtown. She kept only the necessities in this bedroom, during times of grave importance when she just had to be here. This room was just like any common guest room, no personalization or sign that anyone lived there. She hadn't been in this room for nearly a month. Now, all of a sudden, Matt had called her back saying that there was a problem. It was happening. The villains who had trained her, picked her up off of the streets, practically helped her discover her true potential aren't just missing. They're dead. Helena felt a gaping hole in her chest. It was like losing family all over again. She didn't know how to cope. She could only wait for Matt to show up and still her grieving heart.

Helena made her way to the conference room begrudgingly, unable to put on her casual demeanor. She sat at the head of the long, steel table for the trainees to come back in. They were planning on leaving. But Helena couldn't let them do that, couldn't let them walk out that door without some knowledge of what was actually going on. She glanced up as Cameron walked into the room, not noticing her as he played with his fire. She leaned back into the leather chair, burying her face in the palm of her hand. As soon as she felt the air in the room become more condensed she raised her gaze, realizing then that everyone had made it inside of the conference room.

"Sit tight everyone. There's something important you must know.." She inhaled deeply through her nose, reluctantly admitting her weakness, "Unfortunately it is something I cannot bring myself to tell you. We'll all just have to sit tight until Matt arrives.."

(Ignore this ._.)

Matt swerved out of the way of a black SUV, hearing it's horn blast angrily as he did so. He was perhaps being a little reckless this morning, but he knew that nothing bad was going to happen. Not before he got to the base anyway.

He'd woken up this morning and known instantly that something was wrong. The one night he'd been away from the base, the one night he'd stayed in his apartment to reassure his landlord that he was still alive, the rest of the villains had been killed. He'd never been so glad to hear Lena's voice when he called her. He'd seen exactly what was about to happen, and it meant that he knew exactly what had happened.

He leaned lower as he weaved between vehicles, heading for the tunnel that crossed the bay to their base. The speed limits in the city and the traffic irritated him, especially today. But the minute he entered the tunnel, he accelerated fast, breaking every speed limit in the country as he did so. Slinging his helmet over the handlebars, he started to sprint for the compound.

The sight of the blood in the main hall startled him, but didn't slow him anything. He hadn't wasted much time getting dressed this morning, simply pulling on a pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt and his leather jacket. His hair was probably a mess, but in reality, they had bigger problems right now.

The conference room was oddly calm, considering the circumstances they were in. Was it just him, or did Helena sigh with relief as he came in? He smiled, but his thoughts were on exactly he was about to do.

He looked around. As soon as he was sure that everyone was back, he started with no warning.

"Okay, guys. I know you're all wondering what the hell is going on. I'd love to tell you that it's nothing serious, but I'd hate to lie to you. The truth is... All the villains are dead, or as good as. Before you ask, we can't do anything. We're all that's left. And it's coming. The biggest threat of our time is heading for the city.

It will not discriminate. It's killed both heroes and villains already. None of us are safe. I can hear you all wondering why the hell we're going to the streets, in that case. We need to assess the situation. Most of us have lived in the city our entire lives, but we've never looked at it when planning defense. So that's what we're doing. Any structure that could be of tactical advantage, take note. Don't get yourselves in trouble. We'll stick together for a while, then we've got to split up to cover more ground. Let's go."

Lara came into the conference room, still tired and confused. Not about the situation, the situation seemed fairly clear to her, but rather she wasn't sure what to feel. It wasn't like other times when she knew what she felt and just suppressed them till they drowned. No today was quite different, today there was a confused jumble of different things she didn't know how to identify. She was in her usual clothes, a sweater two sizes too large and shorts; no shoes were necessary.

The conference room was quiet, only two people were inside; Helena at one end of the table looking distressed and Cameron who was, as always, playing with fire. She went and sat down next to Cameron, pulling her feet up and leaning back in her chair. She had a book in her hand, a black and worn book with the title on the side in gold, peeling letters. Before she opened it to where she had left off last night, she looked to Helena again. She rather liked Helena, she was kind and intelligent and Lara had found that no matter how much she may come across as unfeeling or bitchy, Helena was still always there. Lara tried to mouth to her friend if she was okay, but the red head couldn't get Helena's attention. So she did the only thing that she could do, she returned to her book. It was Edgar A. Poe that she was reading, she was currently on his story The Pit and the Pendulum. She loved this story best out of all of his. It's hard to explain why she likes it, but when she does try she'll just tell you there's so much red in it; blood, fire, the glow from the flames, pain, it was even on the Spanish inquisition and whenever she thinks of Spain or the Spanish she just thinks red. This story oozed red from spilled blood, it glowed with the flames that lit the walls as the the trapped man found he only had two options; two ways to die. As she red she became enraptured with Poe's words, they moved her slowly from one scene to the next, almost as if she were walking in a dream. She could see everything that was happening, the rats and mice crawling over the man's body, the sharp pendulum that swung lower and lower to chop off his head, the walls closing in forcing the man into the pit.

Then Matt walked in.

He looked disheveled at best. It seemed to Lara that he had rushed here; and that he was expecting more reaction from the group. Lara deducted that she was safely out of this expectation as she never showed her feelings, so why should she start now? He explained what was happening. How the rest of the villains were dead and they were the only ones left. How they needed to find a place for shelter before more worse things happened. The weird unidentifiable feeling within Lara grew, but like always she smothered. She was curious as to what it was, but not curious enough to let it flow out. Especially not in a situation like this. She found some shoes to pull on, her socks were hidden somewhere and she couldn't be bothered to find them. She was planning on using the same alias she always did, a book-loving college student who's on break. It worked out well because people always asked what literature classes she was in and all she would have to do is raise the book she was currently reading and someone would always make sense of it and know what class she was in. She was getting better at acting emotions out as well, at first it was really hard to act excited and the proper emotion for a situation, but this was getting easier for her. Then when she wanted them to leave she would tell them the whole truth about how she was a super villain who could shoot lasers from her eyes and she was on a big mission or training seminar, whoever would be talking to her would just laugh and tell her that's she isn't a villain then walk away.

They made their way to the city, cars bleeped and people yelled, talking came in and out of cafés and restaurants, there were screaming and cheers coming from pubs. Everything was so loud and the outside was much brighter. Though what annoyed Lara the most was that it was a sunny day, which meant that today the air was yellow, she would have loved nothing more then to be back in her room reading her red, red story. Though she knew that if she were to survive she had to follow directions. She kept her eyes peeled as they walk around the city, so far nothing seemed like it would work; if it was abandoned there was a reason because the building was not structurally sound and if it was there were people living inside. She caught up with Helena at one point and took her friend's hand.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her eyes looking straight at Helena's face.

Her outfit
A small sigh escaped the petite blue-haired girl as she kicked her knee-high clad conversed feet onto the tabletop while leaning back in the swivel chair. Hm... getting tired of black the red combo.. maybe I'll try purple ones? echoed the bored thoughts in her mind as she examined the shoes with mild interest. Desperate to escape the suffocating silence that had settled over their conference room, the female teenage had pulled out the newest IPod touch, the bright light glinting off the black screen. Ugh... can’t they dim the lights?! For god sakes... Are they trying to keep away vampires or something? flooded the irritated voice as one tapered finger flipped the ON switch. The device came to life, a black background with two gleaming teal hued cat eyes and a sadistic smile, otherwise recognized as the Chesire Cat, greeted Dismay before disappearing as her delicate fingers swiped the screen. It was quite obvious this girl had experience with technology because in less than 1 second, the password was approved and she was browsing through the long list of music. After a few moments, she stopped scrolling and began unravelling a cord from her pocket. Shoving the skull buds into her ears, Dismay tilted her head back onto the headrest of the chair. This had caused the ombre aqua hair to spill over and hang, frozen in place by gravity. Closing those black colored orbs, the villainess sunk into the world of violent music.

The heavy bass as well as the maniacal screaming faintly buzzed in the room from her headphones, the song a tad bit too “raging” for many people’s taste. A slight smile made an appearance on Dismay’s lips as Andy Sixx’s scream ended, the actual song of Perfect Weapon transiting into the dark instrumental section. It wasn’t until she opened one shadow hued eye that she realized Matt had suddenly appeared in the room with a smile (that didn’t quite reach his eyes) plastered onto his face. Pausing the song and yanking one ear bud out, Dismay trained those frightening eyes onto their leader, an amused smirk on her lips. What’s got Matty all in fluster? she thought to herself, quite amused. "Okay, guys. I know you're all wondering what the hell is going on. I'd love to tell you that it's nothing serious, but I'd hate to lie to you. The truth is... All the villains are dead, or as good as. Before you ask, we can't do anything. We're all that's left. And it's coming. The biggest threat of our time is heading for the city.

It will not discriminate. It's killed both heroes and villains already. None of us are safe. I can hear you all wondering why the hell we're going to the streets, in that case. We need to assess the situation. Most of us have lived in the city our entire lives, but we've never looked at it when planning defense. So that's what we're doing. Any structure that could be of tactical advantage, take note. Don't get yourselves in trouble. We'll stick together for a while, then we've got to split up to cover more ground. Let's go." resonated their leader’s voice, easily filling the room with his words.

A sadistic smirk twisted Dismay’s fair features into one of a cruel demon as she gave a dark chuckle, folding her arms across her chest. She spoke, the tone almost laughing and quite heartless ”Those pricks deserved it then.. always blathering about “morals”. How ironic that they died. “Ironic”...nah, it’s more like hilarious. So, how many of those bastards are left? Kinda unfortunate about our team mates though..Heh. Oh well. As long as you’re not weak, I think we’ll be fine.” with that, she let out another demonic chuckle before getting up out of the chair and crossing the room with ease to the door. Glancing back, Dismay asked one more question. This time however, her voice held a bitter hardness to it, her eyes taking on a murderous glint”Hey, quick question...if we see any of those “heroes” out on the streets, do we have permission to slaughter them?”

Alisia felt the fear strike through her, it woke her from sleeping. It was so intense, coming from all around her. It was deafening, it made it hard to think let alone get dressed. She decided to pull a black hoody on over her tank top and pajama pants and make her way to the conference room.

The closer she got to the conference room the more painful the fear became. She made herself take deep calming breaths as she forced her way in.

"I know we're all scared. I don't know what's happening, but we need to get out onto the streets, make sure everything's okay. We need to prioritize the civilians at the moment. If we're right, then there could be something huge happening very soon. Get prepared. Usual precautions- student ID's, cover stories, and so on.

Right now, guys, you are the heroes. So you need to be responsible. There's nobody who can patch up your mess if you screw up. So don't. Go get ready. You have five minutes. Meet me back here."

Before she could even make her way entirely into the room everyone was rushing back out. Already tired from the pain in her head she made her way back to her room. What in the world was going on? She did as she was told, quickly dressed. She brushed her hair, letting it hang long today, trying to take whatever pressure she could off of her head. She also quickly popped some Excedrin, and pulled her student ID lanyard around her neck. Slipping on her Airwalks, she made her way back to the conference room. She wanted to know what was going on, she searched the minds of those around her. She got pieces, blood stained floors, heroes gone, some woman? This only aroused more questions for her. She saw Andrew standing in the back of the room.

”Do you know what is going on?” she asked mentally. Her voice probably sounded tired and pained even in his head. She knew he would understand.

The conference room in the heroes base was loud, all the trainees gathered were trying to figure out what had happened. Each idea was being shouted louder over the top of the last. It was, Sky thought, a bit of a mess. She had voiced her own ideas obviously but hadn't spoken since then, preferring to turn around the others' ideas. She was still trying to figure out exactly what had happened. The whole situation was still a bit of a haze really. All she knew for certain was that suddenly all their heroes had gone.

Well, not all of them. Sky spotted Scott entering the room and trying to grab everyone's attention. It didn't appear to work until Scott picked up a glass and smashed it on the ground, the sound of it shattering caught everyone's attention. The room fell into a hush and they all turned towards Scott.

"I know we're all scared. I don't know what's happening, but we need to get out onto the streets, make sure everything's okay. We need to prioritize the civilians at the moment. If we're right, then there could be something huge happening very soon. Get prepared. Usual precautions- student ID's, cover stories, and so on... Right now, guys, you are the heroes. So you need to be responsible. There's nobody who can patch up your mess if you screw up. So don't. Go get ready. You have five minutes. Meet me back here." Scott's words sent everybody out of the room, their goal clear now.

Sky stood up and, in the blink of an eye, she disappeared with a barely discernible 'pop' sound as the air rushed to fill the space where she had been.

She reappeared in her room, standing in the middle of her room. Rather than take the few steps over to her wardrobe she teleported again, appearing close enough to slide open the door and stare at her clothes. She pulled out a simple outfit, changed and then teleported to the spot in front of her mirror. Casual, comfortable and definitely something a student would wear. She left her hair down, there wasn't much time to do anything with it now. She double checked to make sure she had her student I.D and then, satisfied with everything, she teleported back into the conference room.

Alicia, Andrew and Scott were the only ones in the room at the moment. Sky took a seat next to Scott.
"It's pretty bad, huh?" She remarked to Scott. Her question didn't really need an answer since anyone could see that the situation was indeed bad. Sky just wanted to fill the silence.

Matt arrived and Helena sighed in immense relief. Just the sight of his smile put her a little at ease. He was her rock, her support, and she could always count on him to be there for her when she was tearing apart at the seams. She took in his disheveled appearance in a calculating gaze, a small look of surprise gracing her features. She supposed she couldn't blame him, considering the circumstances. She probably looked a whole lot worse for wear. Subconsciously her head reached out towards him on the table, silently requesting his comfort. He smiled at her, though strained, breaking their gaze to address their trainees.

The next words out of his mouth were muffled in her ears, her heartbeat loud in her eardrums. She felt her blood pulsing through her veins, aggressive and hot. It was bad enough hearing it the first time, she could barely handle hearing it again. The people she used to hold so dear were gone. Sure, they were villains, but they were good to her. She couldn't ask for more caring mentors. And now Matt was the only remnant of her past. Except, of course, Andrew. Helena's eyes widened at the thought of her clever boy. Andrew was in more danger now than ever. Matt too, and all of her trainees. The oppressing need to protect them all was almost too much to bear. She knew she couldn't, not to a certain extent. She could only hope that her trainees had been taught well, that she trained them well enough to make it out there on their own. She prayed, something she rarely did, that they wouldn't do anything stupid. And then Dismay spoke up...

"Those pricks deserved it then" Helena's anger flared inside her in an uproar as the careless teen prattled on, "Always blathering about 'morals'. How ironic that they died. 'Ironic'...nah, it’s more like hilarious. So, how many of those bastards are left? Kinda unfortunate about our team mates though..Heh. Oh well. As long as you’re not weak, I think we’ll be fine.” The longer she spoke, the more fury began to dwell in the depths of her dark eyes. She glared at Dismay from the head of the table, enraged by the girl's heedless disregard. She didn't know the villains well enough to judge them that way. She didn't understand. And then she turned to speak again. This time however, her voice held a bitter hardness to it, her eyes taking on a murderous glint. "Hey, quick question...if we see any of those 'heroes' out on the streets, do we have permission to slaughter them?”

That had done it for Helena. Something snapped inside of her as Xeno laughed it off, and she could swear she felt Matt's eyes on her, waiting for her to get up and say something. He knew what she felt about careless ruthlessness. Helena hated it, despised misplaced wrath. Xeno—her baby—she could forgive because he didn't know better. She'd just have to try harder to elicit some morals into him, the morals her recently deceased mentors had taught her. But Dismay...

Helena spoke aloud, her voice raucous and stern as she fixed a harsh gaze on the girl waiting at the door. "You were given your orders, Nyx. You are to scout out for structures of tactical advantage and defense." Her British accent was laden in unbridled rage as she spoke past her clenched jaw. " If you so much as touch a Hero during your time spent undercover, I will personally reach into your chest and tear your heart out and then show it to you." Her gaze moved to the others, making sure they all caught on to the threat, "I will not tolerate killing for the sake of killing. Our quarrel is not with them. You will not use your powers against them unless they use violence against you, understand? The enemy of my enemy is my friend..." She quoted, "Keep that in mind while you're out there. We are not the only ones that have suffered at the hands of this murderer. I will not authorize innocent blood on any of your hands. The punishment for such offenses will be dire, and I will take care of you myself." She leered at Dismay before making her exit, heading to the garage that led to the exit outside.

Minutes later she was wondering the streets of San Fransisco, panting in anxiety and distress. She was trekking towards Golden Gate Park, anxious to approach her clever boy and keep him safe. The last one to have been killed was a Villain. Helena could only assume a Hero would be next. Suddenly, a hand clasped around hers. She turned, inhaling sharply at being startled. It was Lara, dressed her civilian attire with a look of concern on her face. "Are you alright?"

The more accurate response would've been no. She wasn't alright. She'd never been more afraid in her life, never felt the need to protect her loved ones more than at this moment. She was exhausted, mentally and emotionally. And it took all she had not to crumble under the endearment in those otherwise emotionless eyes.

"Yes," She answered plainly, "I'm fine."

---

Do you know what is going on?

Alisia's voice sounded exasperated as it reverberated in the depths of his thoughts. Andrew turned his attention on her, catching her gaze, before giving her a comforting smile.

I've no idea, Ali. But don't worry, Scott wouldn't lead us astray. I'll keep you safe.

Andrew kept her gaze steady with his own as he raised a pinky, glancing down to it to assure her. It was a promise. A pinky promise. Laugh all you want but to Andrew pinky promises were the equivalent of a blood oath. He took them seriously. Ali knew this, and it was the only way he knew how to soothe her anxiety. She was confused, and wary about what was going on around her. And Andrew could sympathize. He wasn't almost as confused as she was, though he didn't let it show. He couldn't wait to get above ground and try to get a bird's eyes view of what was going on. He just had to be careful so that no civilians would see.

I've no idea, Ali. But don't worry, Scott wouldn't lead us astray. I'll keep you safe. The words washed over her and gave her a sense of relief. She knew that she was more than likely able to keep herself safe, but the fact that Andrew would say that made her more happy than she cared to admit. She smiled as he raised his pinky, she followed suit.
'Thanks,' it was a soft spoken phrase, full of all her appreciation. I have your back too

Alisia tried her best to hide her surprise as the blonde girl popped into the conference room. It was Skyla. Ali tried her best to smile at the girl, but with the pain pulsing through her temples she imagined it looked less sweet and more grimacing.

“It is pretty bad huh?” she asked. Ali nodded.

'Seems that way,' she projected with her thoughts from the room to hear. She was both too shy and in to much pain to use her real voice.'Hopefully Scott will be back soon.'

Dismay observed Helena’s, one of her trainers, reaction with an amused smirk still plastered on her features. My my.. what’s got her so riled up? Not really a villain, now is she? came the pondering thoughts as the girl’s mind drifted, blanking out the infuriated trainer’s speech. A bored look glazed over those black eyes as she begun to make a mental booklist, including ones she hasn’t read and ones she wants to reread. However, that was soon put to a screeching halt as halfway through the British woman’s speech, the shadow manipulator was snapped back to attention; " If you so much as touch a Hero during your time spent undercover, I will personally reach into your chest and tear your heart out and then show it to you.". Raising a perfectly arched eyebrow at the threat, a slow, rather cruel, smirk spread it’s way back onto it’s former residence of those rose petal hued lips. ”Heart..? Heh. Good luck trying to find one then...echoed her amused voice before letting out a soft mirthless chuckle. Thats hilarious.. she thinks I actually have a bloody heart! My my..perhaps I should let her see a glimpse of my ‘so-called heart’. resonated the malicious thoughts, the murderous glint in Dismay’s blackened eyes growing even more intense.

”I will not tolerate killing for the sake of killing. Our quarrel is not with them. You will not use your powers against them unless they use violence against you, understand? The enemy of my enemy is my friend...". At that line, the shadow-ess’s eyes widened, an incredulous glaze washing over those black orbs. Quarrel?! What the hell does she know about our quarrel!? And how dare she lump me with her! Shooting a venomous glare at Helena, Dismay decided it would be for the best to keep her mouth shut to avoid any conflict.. for now. Instead of lashing out with her words, the young woman decided to retaliate through a blood-chilling glare before spinning on her heels and slamming the door shut as she trailed after the group. That bitch.. she’d better watch out. Especially once I find her soft spot. rang the murderous thoughts.

Walking through downtown San Francisco, only one emotion crossed her mind as she took in the sights and people; disgust. All of those people so carelessly spending without a second thought, all of those people tearing down old houses that used to be a home for someone and only to replace them with newer models, all of those people strewing their trash on the streets like it was a giant landfill. Everything about this city disgusted Dismay to no end. Giving a small shake of her teal hued head, the villainess ignored the blatant stares she was receiving as her eyes flitted across the streets, praying she’d spot a hero.

Lara knew that Helena was lying about being okay, but she also knew that pushing is wasn't going to help any. Instead of pushing further, she just tightened her hand to let Helena know she was there, though her face didn't show any concern or comfort, just it's usual black and focused look. Then Xeno came up behind the two gave them a hug. It surprised Lara to say the least, though she still appeared to almost a robot on the outside. Xeno was an interesting character to her, like Helena even though the red head would come across as cold and mean, Xeno would still do things like this; giving her hugs. He even took her criticism well, which surprised her the most about him when they first met. Though, Lara found him to be a bit too happy go lucky, she was starting to get used to him and his whole sunny demeanor.

"I hope you two don't intend on frowning on day. You'll get old and wrinkly," he said mushing his face with his hands, trying to exaggerate what he just said. Then he stopped and added, "Ah..sorry if that wasn't proper..."

Lara looked at him like he was being a silly little kid, "You're fine, with friends it's okay to act like that," Lara said, putting her arm around Xeno's shoulders which was a somewhat difficult task as he was taller than her. She leaned a little bit to whisper in his ear, "Though I think you should apologize for earlier. She likes you so she will forgive you, but it's a gesture of good faith and she will appreciate it." Lara let go of Helena's hand to go find Cameron, she wanted to talk to him to see if she couldn't figure out that feeling she felt this morning. She was only planning on leaving Helena or a minute, but she kept a careful eye on her friend in case she needed to rush back to her for comfort.
m
"What do you think about all this?" Lara asked Cameron, "About losing all those people I mean." Her eyes were mostly on the ground, though they flicked up to check on Helena every now and then.

Helena fashioned a tight lipped smile as Lara squeezed her hand harder, in an effort to comfort her. She was a smart one, the red head, and she knew Helena was lying. She wasn't alright. Nevertheless she'd have to get over it, have to be strong in front of the rest of her team. She couldn't put them in danger by allowing them to worry about her, diverging their focus.

She was pulled out of her reverie abruptly when Xeno came up and hugged them both. Helena felt the familiar warmth of his embrace and smiled, genuinely this time. "I hope you two don't intend on frowning on day. You'll get old and wrinkly." Helena let out a small, bemused giggle at the sight of him mashing his face. "Ah...sorry if that wasn't proper..." he added, scratching the back of his head in the most adorable way.

"You're fine, with friends it's okay to act like that." Lara replied, putting her arm around him. Helena's smile grew, seeing Lara display this small amount of affection—if she could call it that. When Lara pulled away from Xeno, the girl let go of Helena's hand walking away. Helena couldn't help but smirk as Lara kept looking back to check on her.

Then her gaze wandered to Xeno, her baby. She smiled sadly, pulling him close as her eyes began to water. She wanted more than anything for him to grow up without malice, without blood thirst. As Helena wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, she buried her face in his chest. She wanted him to grow up happy, to feel that he belonged. She didn't want him to succumb to the social norms of being labelled a 'villain' just because his powers are a little abnormal. She wanted him to be kind of person she knew he was, a good person. He was spectacular, caring, and kind. And the last she wanted was for him to turn out like Dismay, all blood thirsty and vengeful—causing chaos just for the sake of chaos. Her grip on him tightened as her mind slipped, forming this horrific delusion of what Xeno would be if he turned out like that. Helena pulled her self away, grasping his arms as a tear slipped down her cheekbone.

"Xen, darling, look at me." She muttered, bring her hands up to cup his face, "Lena loves you, you know that don't you? Lena loves you so much."

Scott jumped a little as Skyla took a seat beside him. He'd been lost in his own thoughts, and mentally slapping himself in the hope that he'd wake up. "It's pretty bad, huh?" He nodded, sighing a little as he stretched. "Bad is an understatement." He remarked. He smiled a little at Alisia as she sat down, but she didn't seem to notice him.

He instinctively done a quick headcount, seeing who they were missing. Andrew was still waiting down the back of the room. Alisia and Skyla were at the desk. The only person missing was Athena. He wished there was some way he could leave a message for her, but his dyslexia made writing more trouble than it was worth. "Okay guys. Let's get going."

He led the way up to the street, glancing around. The city was chaotic, but no more so than it usually was. The words left his lips instinctively. "Stick together, guys. Let's have a quick scout around."

Everywhere was filled with words. Maybe it was because he wasn't in the best of moods, but it seemed even more frustrating. He could make out every third word or so, but not much more. His eyes dropped to his feet, trying to cloud his frustration and disappointment in himself. Even with all the coaching he'd received, he could hardly read or write his own name.

His eyes flicked up, and it took him a moment or two to register the sight he saw before him. But when he did, he swore to himself. It wasn't just them out in the city, then.



Cameron smirked as Helena tore into Dismay. He mightn't have liked the heroes, but Helena had a point. As soon as they were dismissed, he stood up, fixing his beanie and heading out to the streets.

Cameron spotted Xeno, Helena and Lara together, with Xeno grabbing them all in a bear hug. The sight made Cameron immensely glad that he wasn't with them. He wasn't particularly fond of human contact. He could barely tolerate Helena hugging him or whatever. Nobody else was allowed to get that close.

He watched the scene unfold. Lara came towards him as Helena wrapped Xeno in a hug. Cameron smiled at Lara, a spark flaring between his fingers.

"What do you think about all this? About losing all those people I mean." She asked. He raised an eyebrow, shrugging a little. "I don't know. I don't think it's really set in yet. It's just like we're on another trip and that they're going to show us how to rob a bank without anyone noticing or something."

Something caught Cameron's eye and he turned to face it fully. A group of teenagers, all about their own age, led by a guy that looked about Helena's age. They weren't exactly the most extraordinary sight in San Francisco- until he saw Skyla. The heroes were on the streets as well. Matt had appeared at some point, but Cameron was more worried about Dismay. He watched her, trying to gauge her reaction. The flame that was still flickering between his fingers swelled until it formed a ball of fire, ready to intervene if necessary.



Matt has been about to speak when Lena stepped in, dealing with Dismay. As the villains began to disperse, he himself headed to they room he usually occupied. He traded his black t-shirt for a clean white one, pausing briefly to fix his hair, before heading out to the streets. It took him a little while to find them, but when he did, he didn't like what he saw.

The heroes were on the streets as well. He hadn't seen them encountering each other. Something with as much possibiltiy for destruction as this wouldn't slip past his power, so it was entirely a coincidence. That didn't make it any less dangerous.

He glanced at Dismay, who hadn't seen them yet. "LENA! At your ten o'clock!" He yelled, striding forward. He went to stand a short distance from Dismay, enough so that he could prevent her from attacking if he needed to. He caught Lena's eye and shook his head.

No. Don't run. We can find out what the hell is happening and if it's happening to these guys.

A bored expression tugged at Dismay’s fine features as she strode over to their group, a feeling of absolute disgust at the sweet display flashed within her. God.. whatever happened to villains being cruel and ruthless? Its all because we have one soft member.. I know it! She’s causing everyone to turn bloody soft! ranted a nauseated voice within her being, the temper flaring even more at the mention of Helena. Instinctively, her posture became rigid and standoffish as resumed a place on the outer edges of the circle next to Cameron.

Feeling a soft warmth near her legs, Dismay raised an arched eyebrow at her team member, those black orbs holding a questioning gleam. Sliding her eyes downwards to land on his fingertips and seeing the small flame flicker between them, the villainess’s signature smirk returned to its former residence before speaking out, the tone more or less amused and slightly threatening. ”Watch it, flameboy. Don’t you dare set these tights on fire, they're my favorite.” Choosing to direct her attention away from Cameron, Dismay shot another venomous glare over at Helena, who had, currently, placed her hands lovingly on her friend’s face. Gritting her teeth in annoyance, the young woman crossed her arms to constrain that urge to rip off her trainer’s face. That bitch.. she’s lucky I have enough self-control! resonated the haughty thoughts as she continued to stare at Xeno and HER.

However, a movement on Cameron’s hands yanked her eyes to look down curiously. That harmless flame was now turned into a full-blown ball of fire. That arched eyebrow raised even further in an incredulous surprise, those black orbs narrowing ever-so-slightly. ”Cameron what the hel-”, Dismay’s hissing words were cut off by another movement in her peripheral vision as Matt, their leader, stepped up next to her. What the hell are they doing?! growled a furious voice within her mind at their sudden closing in on her. The villainess was about to open her mouth to display the hostility when Matt boomed, his voice causing her to wince. "LENA! At your ten o'clock!". Whipping around to stare at Helena, Dismay froze iin place at the sight of the approaching heroes.

Those black hued eyes narrowed into slits and seemed to grow even shadow-y, if that was even possible, as she took in the sight of the approaching group. Her fists clenched in an attempt to quell the rising anger, the voice inside her whispering frantically Don’t act out... Look at Cameron and Matt, they are ready to fight you.. You’ll have your chance.. soon.. Sliding her eyes over to look at her comrades, they, those blackened eyes, immediately filled with disgust seeing them ready to intervene. Giving a small tsk of agitation, Dismay relaxed her stance ever-so-slightly. Keyword; ever-so-slightly. Training her hostile glare on the approaching crowd, Dismay merely gave a slight flicking motion with her tapered fingers. To anyone watching, it would have been a bewildering sight; a tiny circular shadow from a nearby tree had disconnected itself from the bulk and was currently snaking it’s way through the grass and between peoples feet at an alarming speed Finally, it paused at it’s summoner’s feet before slowly rising out of it’s 2D form and into one of a black cat. However, unlike real animals, it’s fur was pulsing and wavering like a shadow did. Giving a slight meow, it spiraled around Dismay’s body until it landed on her shoulder, rubbing it’s head against the girl lovingly before turning it’s glowing red eyes onto the approaching group. A slight smile made a rare appearance on villainess’s petal pink hued lips as a finger reached up to lovingly scratch the shadow cat’s head before she muttered ”Hey Jinxx, long time no see.”

Athena had been standing there with the group as they were talking about it all, she let Scott talk and she kept silent, this was a serious matter and it wasn't something she was going to joke around about, your whole alliance being wiped, besides a few fully trained people, was harsh, and it was one of the most serious things that's happened in her life time. After a bit she went and she got back to the room she had been occupying and she got changed out of her night wear. She pulled on some jeans quickly and found a dark blue long sleeve. Shortly she had braided her hair and she put on some converse and she came running out catching up with the rest of the Heroes.

When she was running up she had noticed something and she saw another group and after looking a bit she noted who they were she took a big breath in. Looked like they weren't the only ones out here tonight. She ran up beside Scott at the front and she knew he knew they were there. "So, do we speak with them?" She asked him quietly.

Alisia did as Scott said, staying as close to Andrew as they left the headquarters. She had always made an effort not to come into the city. It was full of thoughts and emotions and crowds of people to make her headaches even worse than normal. She knew she had to do this though. As a hero in training she had a duty to the city to make sure the citizens were okay.

She was distracted, trying to keep her concentration on Drew alone. It helped filter out the rest of the city, she almost didn't notice the group until they were right upon them. She wasn't sure what was going on, until she recognized Cameron. He didn't like her very much and she only knew him a little.

“Do we speak with them?” she heard Athena ask. She was sweet girl, another of the trained heroes.

'Stay close to me, I'll shield us if they fire so we can get away.' she thought it so the others could hear as well, but it was pointed mostly at her fellow mind link buddy. The privately to him

'This could be bad huh?'

She knew what his answer was going to be but it didn't help the unease in her stomach.

Sky loved the city. She lived for the vibrancy, the people and the many different cultures. When allowed to she would make trips into the city, dressed in civilian clothing, and spend as much time watching and talking people.
Now, though, Sky found the crowded streets almost overwhelming. The mood had shifted and the group of heroes walking down the street were all aware of the new danger that may have lurked around every corner.

Sky wasn't usually an impatient girl but today, as they had traveled into the city, she had just been itching to teleport into the city and begin to explore. She had held back though, wanting to stick with the group.

Sky followed behind Scott, her eyes scanning the crowds and buildings. She was hoping to find some clue, maybe even a marker from another hero. But there was nothing.
Then Sky heard Scott swearing, something that brought Sky's attention back to their immediate surroundings. She followed his line of sight and spotted the group opposite them.

Even if Sky hadn't recognised Xeno or some of the others she would have known them for villains. Cameron had a flame burning in his hand and the blue haired girl, Dismay, was starring daggers at the group while patting a shadow cat.

Sky glanced from the group of villains back to Scott and Athena. They were the two trained heroes, she would let them lead the group. Her curiousity peaked as she looked the group over. Apart from two of the members they were all trainees, did that mean that they had also been affected by the disappearance. Or perhaps they were the cause and had come to pick off any remaining heroes?

"'Stay close to me, I'll shield us if they fire so we can get away." Alisia's voice echoed through Sky's head and she nodded in reply, her mouth set in a determined line.

Helena smiled up at her boy as he gingerly wiped her tears away. He'd apologized, but he really didn't have to—in fact, he probably didn't know what he was apologizing for. But it didn't matter. The moment his forehead touched hers, her anxiety was cleared, replaced by exuberant happiness when he referred to her as his mom. It was moments like this that reassured her just how good of a person he was. Helena could care less about the stares that floated by, by the questioning glares or skepticism. She'd always be there for Xeno and it was comforting to know that he'd be there for her. He was family, just like Matt was.

You know that phrase, Speak of the Devil-...?

"Lena! At your ten o'clock!"

Her attention immediately snapped towards the direction her brother's voice carried it to. The wind left her in a rush as she took in the sight before her. Matt captured her gaze first, gazing at her anxiously as he stuck close to Dismay. The rambunctious, dark teen had an ethereal feline on her shoulder, her cold eyes glaring into the oncoming group of young adults. Cameron was beside her, a ball of flames in his hands, his feral gaze pointed in the same direction. Helena's gaze followed, her eyes widening almost comically when she took in the sight before her. It was the Heroes. As if she didn't have enough on her plate. She mentally counted each one, taking in their faces and storing their appearance in the back of her mind. She saw her clever boy at the back of the group, hanging back with a platinum blonde haired girl. A spark of jealousy flared inside of her when she noticed how close they were to each other, how they sought each other out without realizing it. Her gaze flickered past them and fell on another familiar face, one that took her by surprise.

It was Scott, the boy from the coffee shop. She'd recognize his swagger anyway. He had a particular way of walking—even the way he stood was completely unique. Helena let out a disappointed sigh. Truly she was a bit saddened by this new realization. She had relished their conversations in the coffee shop whenever she'd see him there. It had just been small talk in the beginning, but then it became something more. He was a guilty pleasure of hers, Scottie was. He was her change of pace, an opportunity to experience a bit of normalcy. She shouldn't be all that surprised though. Helena didn't know how, but she'd always sensed there was something different and unique about Scott. Now she realized it was because he was a Hero. A trainer. Helena couldn't help but envy him a little. That is, until her baby boy's voice pulled her out of her reverie.

"Lena...what are we going to do?"

"We're going to talk to them, Xen." Helena replied without authorizing it. She glanced up at him with a comforting smile and took his hand from his lips, giving it a tight squeeze. "Don't worry, alright? No one's going to fight anyone. Do mommy a favor though and keep Dismay at bay while I speak to them." She waited for his affirmation before crossing over to the Heroes.

The look on Scott's face gave her a sickly, guilty feeling as she greeted him with indifference. "Hello Scottie. It's been a long time since I've seen you. What brings you here?"

---

This trip to the city was bittersweet, considering the circumstances. As introverted as he was, Andrew loved being on the outside instead of being cooped up underground. He couldn't exactly afford to move out so these little trips were something like a blessing to him. He saw the Villains and immediately put up his guard, readying his mind for the strenuous brain activity he'd probably soon have to relinquish. The girl with the cat but him a little on edge. Her unbridled rage made him a little bitter considering he'd done nothing to provoke such behavior. The boy with the fire set him on edge, considering he didn't know if he was ready to attack or preventing one. The trainer, a man with tousled hair, seemed to be standing in front of the girl in an attempt to keep her from doing anything. He heard Ali's voice in his head and responded to her, his voice sounded far away in the confines of his own mind as he agreed on how bad this could possibly get. It was almost overwhelming, everything that was happening.

And then she came into the picture.

Andrew didn't know how it was possible for him to recognize a woman he'd never seen before, but he did. There was something about her eyes. They were the deepest shade of brown he'd ever seen. Brown was such an underrated color in comparison to those eyes. Mocha almost, with ever prevent speckles of amber in their depths. Her hair was the color of chocolate, falling on her shoulder in bellowing tresses. Her skin was pristine, warm—reminding him greatly of the color of Black Tea with a lot of milk mixed in. And her lips. They were the deepest red, like two rose petals. She was petite but curvaceous, and very fit. He smirked as he used the term, his UK roots catching up to him.

"Hello Scottie. It's been a long time since I've seen you. What brings you here?"

Scottie?

Athena managed to catch up with them. Scott didn't dare allow his eyes to flicker from the villains, even as she spoke. "So, do we speak with them?" He thought for a moment or two. He almost wanted to allow them to make the first move, to ensure that they wouldn't attack. But, then again, time could be of the essence. He was about to suggest speaking.

And then he saw her. He was pretty sure that his jaw dropped, but through some miracle, his mouth didn't open. She was with the villains.

"Hello Scottie. It's been a long time since I've seen you. What brings you here?"

Be cool. Don't act like the spell bound fool you naturally are. Don't stare. Do not stare.

"Same thing as you, I suppose." He spoke with caution, watching the villains that surrounded her. One held a fire ball, looking ready to throw it. One was petting a cat that looked almost like it was made from shadows. The powers of the rest were more difficult to guess.

He suppose that something in the back of his mind had known that there was something special about her. The same voice spoke up when he passed a teenage super that hadn't yet been picked up in the street. But it had been confused by the feelings he had for her, and he'd been thrown off the scent.

"I notice you're a little down on numbers." He called, starting to walk towards the other team. He put his closed fist up behind his back, telling his team to stay exactly where they were. Best to minimize the damage as much as possible.

He stopped about halfway between the two teams. He was aware of exactly how unprotected he was. They could attack him and he wouldn't be able to do much about it. But the thing was, his heroes would have time to react and defend themselves. He had trained them from their early teenage years, from when he'd barely been qualified himself, and was immensely proud of the reflexes they'd developed.

He was also regretting not getting a gun before he left. Sure, Helena was there, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try and take down a few heroes if he needed to. His mind was his only defense, and he could only hold an illusion that caused pain for so long.

Just because she was there didn't mean he was letting his guard down.

"We won't attack if you won't."



There was a moment of complete tension when the two sides simply sized each other up. Cameron caught more than one hero glancing wearily at his fireball and grinned.

Helena was the first to speak.

"Hello Scottie. It's been a long time since I've seen you. What brings you here?"

Cameron raised an eyebrow. It was a little too familiar for his taste, and he narrowed his eyes as the other hero replied, commenting on their lack of numbers. He didn't look particularly powerful, and his power wasn't one that was immediately obvious. That didn't mean that he wasn't dangerous.

It was often the most unsuspecting super that was the most dangerous. Dismay was a perfect example of that.

He took a few steps away from her and closer to the heroes, even though Scottie promised not to attack.

At that exact point, Xeno chose to go over and pet Dismay's cat. Knowing that he would keep her calm if necessary, Cameron fully moved away from her, closer to Helena. If he'd been taught one thing, it was to never trust the other side.



The exchange between Helena and the male mentor made Matt feel uncomfortable. It wasn't because he was a hero. It was the flurry of images that attacked his senses, making him stumble backwards. They were too confusing for now, and he stored them in his memory for later viewing.

Matt put his hand to his belt, thankful that he had remembered to arm himself before leaving the house this morning. A knife lay close to his left hand and a gun he'd rescued from a dead police officer lay beside his right. He hadn't killed the officer, simply been there to judge if it had been from the same culprit as the murders of the other villains. He had an inkling that it wasn't, but nobody had noticed the absence of the gun, so it was all good.

He felt the all too familiar coldness engulf his body. If anything happened to Lena, he would make sure as many of these heroes were brought down. Preferably by his own hand. Although he wouldn't hold Dismay back either.

As the male hero stopped walking, Matt found it difficult not to draw his gun. Xeno went to Dismay, making sure she wouldn't attack, and Matt walked towards Lena. When he reached her, he simply stood beside her for a moment, before putting his hand on her shoulder.

"It's up to you. Either way, I've got your back." He knew she wouldn't like what he saw in his eyes, but it was completely her decision.

No one had really commented back on what Athena asked, not even Scott. Soon though one of the mentors of the villains did speak, and she watched how Scott reacted to her, and she looked back to the other girl and knew there was something, especially since she knew his name, he had to know her from somewhere. Not sure how this could go, she walked up some so she could stand next to Scott.

By this point she had seen the rest of the villains in full view. Athena was one super, that wasn't the best in combat but when it came to speaking, Athena was golden. She's great with talking to people things and holding them in conversation as long as possible.

Athena didn't trust the villain, especially looking at some of them and knowing they had hatred in their eyes, almost like lasers were in their eyes and they were trying to burn them all down. Athena never understood the big wedge between the two supers. Well she did to an extent, but why was there so much hatred, is what she didn't understand. The lot of them were so much alike but they were just divided, but there's always good and bad in the world.

"we wont attack if you wont." Scott had said and all Athena could do was nod her head in agreeing with him.

(Sorry for the short post, not much interaction with her. it'll get better, I promise.)