Aster City

Aster City was as busy as ever. People were speaking like nothing was wrong. Emma could feel something was wrong. A man named Hugo Jones, who had assigned himself leader after Maria abandoned them, told them everything was fine. He was lying. Emma wondered when the darkness would attack... and why they desperately wanted to kill them all. Was it a greed for power? Were they working for a greater cause? Were they just evil? Emma didn't know, but none of those reasons justified killing.
Emma wished her power hadn't told her of the danger that may come. It only told her something was coming, not what or when. Of a whole world in the dark, she only knew a little... yet she knew more than most.
Emma, still pitying the people of her world, tried to spare them by not telling them of the danger to come. It wouldn't postpone any attack, but maybe Emma could allow them a brief moment of hope before all their hope was shattered.
Emma wasn't thinking about THAT though. She was thinking about what she wanted to eat for lunch. But, her thoughts of hunger were interrupted when a loud bang came from down the street and smoke, ash, and debris flew into the air. Emma's face grew pale. Food would have to wait. The darkness had arrived.

E.B exited from the trail of smoke, coughing furiously not quite how it was supposed to go she guessed as she walked to a lounge chair. She wasn't much of a fighter and when the light came she didn't feel like getting caught in the corner. Besides, what use is a physic in the middle of a fist fight anyway?

Two forcing running head first into a field of uncertainty, yet E.B can see the outcome either way and neither are in her best taste.

Dower walked slowly along the concrete wall on a roof of one of the tallest building in all of Aster. Slowly putting on foot in front of the other, heel to toe. The eerie clink died away as it traveled down to the streets below. Most of the world bellow his feet. The selfish right bellow his feet. He stopped in place and turned to face the street. The people looked like tinny grains of sand from up here. He lifted one foot off the wall and pressed it down open air, as if you squash them.

A sudden explosion nearly threw him off the roof, but he steadied himself. Looking to the left he saw smoke rising. He gave a small sigh.
"Well... it took them a while." He stepped of the wall back onto the roof. The wall was casting a shadow, and Dower disappeared right into it.

"What a wondiful day, isn't it Aidan?"
"It is"
"This weather reminds me of that May when we went sailing."
"It is very May-like"
"Yes, indeed."

Nevicata was walking with her Aunt and Uncle, as always they were talking to each other without allowing Nevi any time to speak at all. Suppose it could be worse though, she could be with her parents right now. Nevi missed her parents dreadfully but she wouldn't let the tears take over, no she couldn't let them know they hurt her.

"Nevicata" Her Aunt turned to her. "What do you suppose that smoke up ahead is?". As she said that Nevi looked up at the skyline and gasped at the smoke. "No" she whimpered and ran ahead.

"Well, that was rude"
"Quite"
"I don't suppose we should follow?"
"Probably not"
"Cricket?"
"Love to"

Nevi ran up to were the smoke was coming from and stood very still, afraid to move an inch. their here she thought to herself, her parents were here she could feel it in her bones and the tears started again.

Li Mei held her hands out in front of her, milky skin splotched with soot and dirt. Her face was covered in streaks of brown, her eyes surrounded in a sea of black— she frowned. It was nothing a simple shift of her body couldn't fix, but she worried about the scractches running up and along her harms. As the building had fallen, she'd hardly had time to move. Her master was no longer with her, whispering in her ear fragments of the foreboding future. It was a shame, really.

The girl disappeared in a cloud of soot and white ash, the last bit if her visible the fluttering hem of her dress. She reappeared just feet away and patted her body down as though there could possibly be any dust left on her person. Her hair was a mess. She ran her fingers through her hair until it laid thick and smooth over her shoulders, then put it back up again, tying the ribbons tightly to the side of her head. She was dainty and doll-like, her eyes vacant but her mind very much alert.

After all, Master had always loved her for her brains. She was his right hand— well, if he'd had a right hand. He didn't really have any hands, being a nonphysical being. Li Mei smiled to herself. She would have chuckled if she could.

It was then that she noticed the crying girl. Li Mei raised her head and stood from her crouch, her skirts shifting yet standing utterly still as she walked. She was a moving enigma, silent as death as she approached the weeping figure. She would have spoken. She would have offered a word to comfort her.

Instead, she smiled and waved, her thin lips pulled into a friendly smile and her eyes filled with too many questions. Then, she reached out a hand to touch the girl's shoulder. She hasn't touched a person in a long time. In a way, the disaster was welcome, even if she didn't understand it.

Rooftops were his favorite place in the city, especially one so tall and out of the way of people. Lately some had been so paranoid, so worried of the incoming future. Jonah had heard about this Darkness people were so worried about, the nightmares they mentioned and the evil it would bring. He saw no harm, knowing their culture brought all sorts of crazy ideas. Usually he didn't find them this outlandish! No one in Aster City was in danger.

If Jonah had just been on the second floor rather than the third, he would have noticed the nervous atmosphere below. He would have sensed the ill-intentions in the air before the bomb could go off.

He wasn't on the second floor, though, but on the rooftop, and could not predict the dust rush over his dangling legs and up his nose. He didn't notice the brick crumbling underneath him until it was actually happening. Luckily, Jonah's reflexes were quicker than gravity. Well, not really but he was fast enough to spin around and grasp the edge of the rooftop. In his panic of survival he managed to do the only pull-up he'd ever done in his life, crawling up back onto the rooftop, then shooting for the center, far away from the explosion. He moved where he was on the opposite side of the staircase entrance and put his head between his knees, positive he was dying despite having no injuries. The accumulative pain from the wounded was startling, a feeling he'd never experienced before. His eyes started to water rapidly, crying from shock and the fright of the others caught in the explosion.

'Who is doing this? Is anyone going to receive help? What should I do for them? Myself?' he thought before checking over his limbs, realizing he came out unscathed but a scrape on his arm. It bled a little, not even enough to drip. He could count the times he'd seen his own blood on one hand, but he was sure it had never been blue- or green? Both?

He stared, confused and bewildered at the sight. He used his other hand to wipe the tears from his eyes, pulling back only to see even more colors smeared into his knuckles. He stared at his arms, then up at the sky as if it had his answers.

Jonah stayed that way, sitting through the fear until everyone was pulled out of the wreckage and received help. He got to his feet and moved to the fire escape on the side of the building, scrambling down the ladders and tripping over the asphalt at the bottom as he ran around to the front of the building. The impact of emotion had remained in the air, keeping Jonah frightened as he walked past, staring at the debris in awe. Who could do this? He stumbled on, seeing the faces of the wounded, re-living their state of shock for those few moments.

The damaging images flashed in his mind involuntarily, his mind only settling at the sight of a girl running off in a rush.

He could see her pin-straight brown hair as if it was actually there, her green eyes wide as she turned tail and bolted. What for? He couldn't tell right away, but as he watched her image go the answers seemed to flood in.

She had to get somewhere and warn someone. He wasn't sure how he knew that, but he did. He followed the ghost of her path, knowing she was probably a mile ahead at this point.

As he walked on, his curiosity faded with his fear. His eyes didn't look so watery and big, the drips of color beginning to stop. What was his concern with this girl that may or may not exist. 'That vision..., that vision was nothing. ' he whispered to himself, dark, blue eyes turning back to the building before searching for something else to do, something to focus on. He pulled the flower out from behind his ear and wandered down the middle of the road, most of the cars gone after the explosion. Without their humming engines the street was quieter than usual. If Jonah listened real closely, he could hear the people screaming from before.

He pulled his earbuds out of a tangle in his pocket and stuck them into his ear, shaky fingers finding his music player and hitting the play button, a love song from his favorite musical softly playing.

"I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, I put down in words, 'How wonderful life is now you're in the world'..."

He really didn't think this was the appropriate time for sappy love songs, but it lifted his mood nonetheless. Despite his solid opinion the vision was nothing and his curiosity to do something else today, Jonah's feet followed the girl's imaginary pathway up the street. He could be wrong, but didn't think so.

Nevicata felt someone's hand on her shoulder and she looked, to see someone standing there, smiling ever so gently. Nevi whipped the tears with her sleeve, and whispered. "I don't want them to come back." her voice was like a tiny music box, elliegent and fine if not servery scared. Everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut of, yet she could see in the corner of her eye her aunt and uncle across the way playing cricket. What a standing Neutrality they had! she thought as her tears started to dry into her cheeks.

"Perhaps we should help"
"That would be taking sides"
"Oh yes of course,"
"No one said this was going to be easy."
"Neither side did as I recall."

People running faster now, thank God people were getting out an officer tried to shove her back into a tent. She's too young to have to see all this, Nevi started baling. "Mommy, Daddy!" the officer left her to find his Superior. Nevi sat on the concrete as if she was waiting for them, a part of her wanted to see them still. A part of her wanted to run into her father's arms as he swag her in the air.

Emma stood up after her recent stumble. A girl rushed to help her and told her that her name was Vivienne. But something about the girl made Emma's head hurt. Her words were not lies nor truth. Emma grabbed her head to try and ignore the piercing headache that her built in "Lie Detector" was causing.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Emma... I'm heading for River Town, but I haven't been in forever. Could you point me to the right direction?" Emma asked, pushing up her round goggles that were slipping off her head.
She looked back to see a blur behind her. It could have been her headache making things that weren't there, so she turned back to Vivienne, ignoring the awful feeling that she should turn around. After all this time with her power, you would have thought Emma Brooke would have thought to trust her senses.

Dower suddenly reappeared in the shadows of an ally way by a building that was much closer to where the explosion went off. Screams of pain, people yelling, running away or towards the source of the explosion. The wind was pushing the smoke down the city blocked, slowly making visibility worse. The smell of burning brick and treated wood was slowly becoming stronger in the air.

"Pain. The ultimate form of selfishness. Trying to get away from it so you won't feel it. Then Guilt and sorrow follow that you didn't try to help so others would not be in pain. Pain just leads to sorrow.

A young girl caught his eye that was running away from the explosion. She tripped and rolled in front of the building just a few yards away from him. He narrowed his eyes. It was Emma.

"Emma, I haven't seen her in ages." Then a short, young, blond came and held her up. Her name was Vivienne, if he remembered correctly. He saw Emma talking to her, but her words were drowned out by all the yelling and screaming.

Cara James didn't mind the smoke that made everyone else gag. She didn't mind screams and the sound of pain. She found the humans here funny. Cara just walked as if she had no care in the world. Truthfully, she could be worrying about lots of things. But her masters were beginning to start this game... and she could make her move soon.
Cara sat down on the sidewalk, scanning her surroundings. Officers and officials were everywhere. They were trying to calm people down from the explosions, but nothing was working. This made her smile, her eyes glowing purple. She ran her hand through her hair and laughed. Why did no one notice this suspect? She had bent the light around her, making her unseen to the world. So, she could laugh all she wanted and never be seen.

Jonah drained himself of the fear around him, told himself not to be so affected by it. He walked up the middle of the street, just a few more steps into the chaos, when a different feeling filled him with rage. It was bliss, pure confidence and certainty. Someone was glad that this had happened. He stopped in the middle of the commotion, looking around at the people surrounding him.

The blonde pushed through the crowd, darting to the left to look for this person. When the feeling dulled he felt frustrated, his teeth gritting together. He dove through the crowd and wound up on the other side, almost positive he could hear laughter. He came face to face with a beautiful girl that looked like she really could care less. His eyebrows scrunched together, a form of a glare developing. This wasn't the one though, the one that he guessed was either behind all this or had a big helping hand. The blonde looked over her shoulder, eyes beginning to drip again and stain his cheeks. His nose had been 'bleeding' fluently for the moment, and he could already taste a the chemicals of paint on his lips. "Is there anyone else here?"

Emma hurried downstairs with her bag of things she wished to take to River Town. She chuckled at the fact that she had been dying to leave River Town and now she had to go back. On the way down the steps, the ground shook. She toppled down the metal stairs, giving her some cuts and bruises.... If earthquakes were starting in Aster city, what other horrors awaited them? She ran down the stairs, only greeting Vivienne with her harsh "We have to go now!" speech.


Cara walked into an alley and reappeared in the shadows. She dropped a pack she was wearing and quickly unzipped it, pulling out four sticks of dynamite. She snapped her fingers and on her thumb and middle finger appeared a light. It didn't look like a flame nor fire. It was just light glowing on her hands. She held the glowing white orb over the ends of the dynamite and the heat of the light lit them. She quickly yanked open a grate to a sewer and threw the sticks in. About gives seconds later, the ground shook. Cara giggled and leaned casually against the wall of a nearby building. Wouldn't her parents be so proud of her, cleaning the world that murdered them? She suddenly felt home sick. Why?! She had no friends left. And the one girl she told her alignment to turned on her.... And now she's completely mad! All the knowledge of the darkness in her head and she is still useless! Ha!!! Cara crossed her arms as if to justify herself.

Emma soon left with Vivi, he just caught pieces of the conversation about going "home" and "needing to collect her things". Soon after a young women with long red hair started to come his direction. He quickly disappeared into the shadows. From inside the shadows he watch her light a stick of Dynamite.

( Going back to the old suff ) Dower thought to himself (so sad that she couldn't get anything better. IF she killed enough, there would be less sorrow, but she does just enough to cause more sorrow) with a sigh, He walked back into the realm of shadows. He closed his eyes, focusing on all the sounds coming from the different shadows around him. Then he heard he voice he was searching for. He floated up to a small shadow in the entrance of an apartment building. There was Emma and Vivi. Emma just told Vivi "We have to go now". Warning of danger, danger and death. Sorrow. She then ran out of the building. Dower followed her in the shadow realm, getting quick peaks at here through different shadows. She soon stopped at the edge of Aster, near the leaving sign. A large birch tree was casting a shadow in the afternoon sun he walked up to the shows right behind Emma. Still in the realm of shadows Dower spoke out.

"But why go to River Town Emma? The news would just bring fear, dread and sorrow. Sure, less will die, but that just means more sorrow. Of you don't warn, more will die, hence less will live to be in sorrow. I don't want this world, your world, to be in sorrow."

I walk the road between two worlds, reality that is our reality, and the reality of another. A little girl plagued by nightmares that
just won't come to an end. I should know I brought those nightmares to her. She is a remarkable child, anything she sees comes fourth, and so anything I bring to her becomes a reality as well. It is rather fun watching what her mind becomes after the thoughts are planted in her. In our reality I am a ghost, a fiction you see in the corner of your mind. Yes, I am there I am everywhere and everything. The smallist kitten, to the mightiest whale, but for now I take the form of a man for it is easiest to play my part dressed as the rest of you are.

The city was busting after what had occuered and as they brought forword the wounded I smiled. They had done their part and now so must I. I hummed a sweet lulluby to wisk those wounded souls to sleep. They would become his new followers, he would shape their memoires to his own likeing, making them believe The Light was responsible for the blast. It was a rather brillent idea, at least he thought so.

"Hush, child, the darkness will rise from the deep,
And carry you down into sleep
Child, the darkness will rise from the deep,
And carry you down into sleep.

I'll shape your beleif
you'll always follow the voices beneath.
Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty, loyalty
Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty only to me." (Heather Dale, Mordred's lullaby)

Emma Brooke, with her small bag of things, took off running down the street, pushing past the panicked people who's eyes were wide with horror. Emma felt sorry, but she had to get to River Town ASAP. She almost forgot about Vivienne! Emma looked around, but couldn't see her friend anywhere.
"Vivienne?" Emma asked, her green eyes scanning the area. Emma stuck her thumb into her mouth and began softly gnawing on it. It was a bad habit she got when she was nervous. Emma took in a deep breath.
If I can just get out of the crowd, maybe she'll find me or I'll spot her.
Emma hurried through the busy streets, only reaching an open area when she saw the sign.
"Thanks for visiting Aster City! Come again!"
Emma stared at the sign. She had never saw that side of the welcome and goodbye sign. Emma had never even thought about leaving Aster City. And here she was, on a race to River Town, the place she swore never to return to. Emma turned to look back for Vivienne, but to her horror, a hiss came from behind her. She turned only to let out one word.
"CRAP!"

....

The Snow Beast had just finished a good meal. The child was.... eight maybe? It was stupid for wandering into this part of the woods. Sean had secluded him as deep into the middle of nowhere as he could, but people were still curious. The Beast smiled sickly at his strange popularity. He was some sort of tourist attraction... but any brave enough to find the main event became the main course.
Just as the Beast prepared to take a nap on his full stomach, a small yet angry cry arose from a nearby spot in the forest. The Beast couldn't comprehend what the voice was saying, only that it seemed like less and less people valued their lives anymore... more and more wanted to visit him. The Beast looked around, but couldn't see where the owner of the voice was. As he shook off the blood of his last meal, he charged at where the last noise had came from, only being stopped by the chain around his leg. He growled and yanked with all his might, but couldn't break the chains. He let out a horrid cry as he lay down in the snow, defeated by the brains of his human form. As he drifted off, he slowly began to change to a scrawny boy with black hair and pale skin. The boy laid in the snow, surrounded in the blood of the child he hadn't meant to kill. He did not stir in his deep sleep.

...

Cara James strolled along the city. She was unnoticed by many and those who saw her were too busy worrying about the explosions and earthquakes than to think of what an innocent looking girl may be plotting. Cara tried not to smile at how stupid these people were. They were too daft in their end to think of the girl that walked and talked like them. They were too selfish to point a finger at the girl who they had taken everything away from. Suddenly, a pain shot through Cara's body. It wasn't the pain of some kind of wound, but the pain of remembering her parents. Remembering what had been done to them. Remembering how cruel the people who murdered them were. Hate ran through her body like blood pumping through her veins.
They deserve to die! Cara thought in anger. She huffed and marched along the sidewalk, not noticing the very few people who wondered if she was here... who had noticed her.... She thought she was safe. She was as far from safe as she could get.

(OOC: previous post altered to fit one above)

After he was done speaking, Emma turned around to see nothing, and she murmured a small "crap". Dower was looking right at her, even though she couldn't see him, he knew she knew he was there.

"So, you do recognize my voice Emma. It has been a long while since we last spoke. Trying to suppress your sorrow by fear, anger, joy. But answer my question Emma. Do you want the sorrow to continue? Letting the dark win will kill everyone, so there will be no more sorrow."