DaVinci "I'm here to see miss Underwood," George said as he got to the front desk. "Of course. She's in the solarium. Another man just went up to see her." George nodded. That was odd of Monsoon to enter through the front door. Especially after the police were clearly after him. Perhaps Monsoon could change his appearance slightly. It wouldn't surprise him. George knew very little about the other man so far, and since he was clearly made of water, there were a lot of things George theorized that he could do. Whether or not they were true abilities, he would just have to wait and see. Or ask. As he walked through the building, he looked around and some of the patients who had been admitted. It was very sad, to see a mind wasted like that. He could see the potential in all of them as he walked past each person simply labeled "insane" or "unfit for society." They weren't, they were just misunderstood. He shuddered. Now he didn't want to be here. He stopped in the middle of a hallway, looking at a man who was taking a crayon and digging it madly into a wall, back and forth, making long lines all over the place. George sat down, taking a deep breath. He had forgotten, but now everything was coming back. All those memories of when he was younger, a "genius," but not enough of one to be taken seriously... <"George, come on. We're going back to the classroom now." George kept drawing. He would get it right. "George, let's go." Someone grabbed his arm, but he jerked it away. "George, I'm going to count. 1.... 2.... ... 3." The woman grabbed him again, but he jerked away.> They'd never understood. It wasn't just like he could stop doing what made him happy. His mother understood... A tear fell from his eye. "Sir, are you okay," a nurse asked. He nodded, wiping the wet line off his face. "Yes, thank you." He stood up. "Where's the solarium?" She smiled, and pointed down the hall. "Go all the way straight and make a right. Take the first elevator you come to." He nodded. "Thank you." As he got to the elevator, he sighed. <"It's beautiful George. I'm going to hang it in our special room.">
Monsoon He moved through the main line, thinking carefully as he flowed through the fresh water. It was nice to not go through... all that stuff. It was rather disgusting really. Most people just had to go to the bathroom, but he didn't have to. Unfortunately, he had to deal with going through all of the things other people didn't have to deal with after 2 minutes. He wished he didn't have to, but not all the main lines led where he needed to go. The disadvantage of using the hidden system of "streets" below the streets. He almost took a wrong turn, due to a bit of a stronger current, but managed to make it. Now came the difficult part... finding Shoshanna. There were a lot of exits of Pleasant Acres' plumbing. Sinks, showers, baths, toilets... he didn't want to end up coming out of the last. He might come out on anyone, in anything... There wasn't an easy way to determine where to go. So, maybe if he went to the top, he could sneak around and look for Shoshanna. Moving up the pipes to the very top of the building, he found himself trickling out of a pipe, into a place where there was the slight feel of... ugh, yuck. He really hoped he hadn't come out into a toilet. No, it was not concentrated to be a toilet. There was something moving as well... fish. A pond! He supposed they had one to relax the patients. He was worried that maybe there might be a patient in the area, and that would just make things worse for them. It was his only chance to not cause a complete panic among the patients. He dribbled out of the pond, and began forming up on the grass around the pond. As he did, he heard the door open up in the room, which was a cozy warm temperature, covered with a glass domed roof. He finished forming, and the scene before him... well, it couldn't have been more perfect, and more... worrying, odd, anything. But, nonetheless, perfect. In front of him, right at the small koi pond, was Shoshanna, dressed in a beautiful gown. The person who had entered through the elevator door was George, DaVinci's daytime identity. Then there was the final person in the room, standing next to Shoshanna, with his hand on her neck. "Reflect!" Monsoon and DaVinci both yelled.
Reflect It happened so fast. The water-man appeared from the pond behind Shoshanna, and another man entered through the elevator door. "Reflect!" He didn't know who the man at the elevator was, but he recognized the water-man. He put one hand up, showing he meant no harm, but the other he kept on the collar. "Calm yourselves. I only..." The water hit him hard, a rogue fish smacking him in the face. He slid on his back towards the unknown man, hitting up against the wall. As he shook himself, he saw the other man shake out something he had been holding. A costume of some sort... with all different colors on it! The paint-man! Reflect stood up quickly, intent on reaching Shoshanna before she was shocked. No doubt the people below, hearing a commotion, might believe her trying to escape. He couldn't risk that. The building with the young needed her help. As he got close, a large glob of a white, sticky substance surrounded him. He fell over, his arms and legs stuck to his body and the floor. The paint-man held a gun, which had the same substance near the muzzle. "Couldn't stop us that time," DaVinci said. "Don't move," Monsoon added, walking up to him. "You don't understand! The building, with the young..." It was getting straining, and the next blast from the young lady nearly hit him. He sent it away just in time, turned back, and got hit by a full blast of lightning as the girl cackled in delight. "I'm too strong! TOO STRONG! HAHAHAHA!" Reflect stood up, aware that he was losing both battles. How the young woman could sustain such power, he didn't know. He did know it was too much for him alone, and those people with his other part were not into talking at the moment. At least, the men weren't... "Do you wish to die now, or suffer?" Reflect opened his mouth, but she rained lightning down on him without waiting for an answer. He deflected only a spark or two before the blast overcame him. "Suffer it is!" "AAAAAAAAAAAAA..." "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The pain was transferring. Monsoon grabbed Shoshanna and jumped back. DaVinci stood on guard. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" It was too much to bear, but he couldn't bring himself together without a mirror. He had been in this kind of pain before, facing an enemy or two on his home world. But... what would happen if one part of him died? Would the other part live in eternal pain? Or, would he live in peace? Feel as though he was missing something? Or... maybe he'd just die.
Shoshanna Underwood The situation exploded into chaos. There was a splash from the pond and a ding from the elevator doors. Next thing she knew, Monsoon and a man had arrived. The latter struck down Reflect with an orb of water and the former subdued him with sticky paste. She recognized that tactic; it had to be DaVinci. Monsoon took hold of Shoshanna and leapt back, keeping her away from Reflect. To her surprise, she realized she didn’t want to be away from him. “Stop! You’re hurting him,” Shoshanna cried out as she struggled to get free of Monsoon’s grip. Or maybe not, she thought. It’s only water and glue. His pain must be coming from someplace else… She finally broke free of Monsoon’s hold and ran to Reflect, which was easier said than done in heels. She knelt by him. He was still screaming in agony. The nurses would be coming any minute now. If Dr. Lawson came with the remote, he would raise hell. But that was the last thing on her mind. “Reflect is not our enemy,” she said, looking to DaVinci, who was nearest. “He came here seeking my help. There’s a situation somewhere in the city; I don’t know where, but he said children are in danger.” She wasn’t sure what to do. He was in such pain, she didn’t want to touch him. It might make him hurt more. Shoshanna realized she knew absolutely nothing about this man or his problems. She didn’t know how to help him. What was wrog with hi? There were no mirrors, so why was he suffering? “He needs a mirror,” she said. In truth, she had no idea if that’s what he needed, but she said it with such conviction it sounded like she knew exactly what she was doing. Shoshanna quickly went over to the pool and stretched her hands out over the water. The crushing force of gravity intensified until the waves fell flat. Even the tiniest ripple was ironed out. The fish were pinned to the bottom, struggling to lift their heads, but they would live. The surface of the water became glassy smooth until she could see her own reflection in it. It wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do. “Get him up and bring him over here,” she said. She didn't know if it would help him or make things worse, but she had to try.
Rue If you are scared little one stay with me when we get there il protect you, if anything happens you remember my home, teleport back there and hide till i can get to you there's an apartment behind one of the doors you can seal it so no one but me can enter, You can speak to me in you mind no one but me will hear. Draco had told Rue, the young alien girl through thought-speech once he had turned into his dragon form. Rue nodded silently as she teleported a-top Draco's back, the air left only with the sizzling sound of 'faster than light' travel. She was happy that her teleportation skills were constantly growing and improving. She found that her powers worked best when her mind was stressed and/or tired.. like a defense mechanism to help preserve her health. Maybe, I'll be able to teleport others to safety! Then, maybe I will be respected by the humans! She thought to herself while she tied her thick, purple hair back with a ribbon that she had wrapped around her wrist. She stared at the ground, lost in thought for a moment. Soon, as it always seemed to do with Rue, her thoughts led her to darker places... She wanted to help because she didn't want to be alone anymore. She wanted to feel safe... But, she also wanted to teleport all humans to hell just because of a few humans that had put her through more hell than a child, be it human or alien, should ever have to go through.. <Draco...what if I can't control myself?..what if I mess something up?-> She had asked the dragon through thought-speech before she even processed her words. She instantly regretted that question. If everyone knew the real Rue and her truest of true nature, than she would quite possibly be alone forever..
Reflect ft. DaVinci, Monsoon The pain was so unbearable, and now the three superheroes he'd fought before we all there. But, one.... "Stop! You're hurting him!" They weren't hurting him, well, not really. The water-man had hit him pretty well with the water, but the real pain was coming from the woman in the... school? That was the word they'd used. She had him in her grasp, bearing all her power down on him, with no protection available. He was stretched too thin, his two bodies trying too hard to use all the power available. He was suffering, but the woman, Shoshanna, yelled at the two men to bring him to the pond. They complied, picking him up carefully as he writhed in pain. And there it was, the pond, pushed under huge amounts of pressure, forming a thin, smooth, reflective surface. Perhaps... There was a chance. "Now what," the water-man asked. "He hates mirrors," the other said. "No," he said, still suffering through the pain. "It is all right." He reached at the mirror, and the last bit of pain shot through him.
Dara White Dara was more than surprised when the little alien girl, Rue, suddenly disappeared and reappeared on Draco's dragon back. She noticed that the girl seem to trust him immensely, which was interesting. What had happened during her short amount of time away from Draco, that had caused this tight bond between them? There was no time for questions though, and Dara gladly went to hop onto Draco's back behind Rue. After getting settled, she waited for a few moments. The only sound she heard was of the foamy crests crashing on the shore, but Draco's large head was turned and Rue stared into his shiny eyes. Dara sighed, as she shook her head in impatience. Secrets don't make friends. She then looked down from her spot, to see Alica who was still standing on the beach in awe. Dara smiled at her sweet, practical friend who had mentioned that they arrive at the unknown scene in a civil fashion. But, being civil...that was no fun at all! "Are you coming Alica? Be spontaneous! I know you've always wanted to ride a real, live dragon! Now is your chance, come and take it!"
Alica Jennings "Are you coming Alica? Be spontaneous! I know you've always wanted to ride a real, live dragon! Now is your chance, come and take it!" Dara said breaking Alica out of her thoughts. Alica closed her mouth as she reliezed she was gawking. Stepping forward, she took a hand that Dara offered and with her help managed to climb up behind Dara who she hugged around the waist. No seatbelts, no saftey net...only the grip of her legs on the dragon and her arms around Dara kept her from falling off. It was insane. She couldn't believe she ever wanted to ride a dragon. Before she could ask to get off, Draco launched into the air causing Dara to laugh and Alica's stomach to flipflop. I'm gonna die. I'm not even 18 and I'm about to die!
Draco <Draco...what if I can't control myself?..what if I mess something up?-> Draco turned his head to look at Rue <Control is a difficult thing to achieve we cant all control our powers, I understand that more then most if anything happens i try to make myself flee and get away from people there is nothing else we can do apart from work on our control every day> Dara and Alicia jumped up onto his back after a little coaxing to Alicia. Without any preamble Draco launched himself into the air and flew towards the smoke in the distance. When Draco arrived over the school he looked down for a safe place to land circling slowly. He saw a likely area and glided down slowly. A burst of electricity hit him when Draco was a hundred meters from the floor, Draco's wings locked up as he convulsed in pain. Swearing profusely he shouted to Dara, Alicia and Rue <Hold tight this is going to get bumpy> Draco snapped his wings shut causing a burst of pain to run through him and they began to free fall the last hundred meters. They Smashed into the floor Dracos legs absorbing most of the impact. The rage was overcoming him battering at his conscious He barely managed to shout to the others <Get off Run!!> The rage enfolded him up and pushed him to the back of his mind. The Dragon turned and launched a ball of fire at where the lightning had come from scorching the road and causing the tarmac to bubble and melt. The 3 got off Him quickly and his head whipped around to face them growling, his eyes glowing like melting gold, just as the Dragon was about to pounce its head was knocked to the side as if it had taken a blow <I can stop it hurting you help the children>. The Dragon turned back to the source of the electricity and moved sinuously towards it tearing holes in the pavement its tail whipping cars aside as if they were feathers.
Alica Jennings <Get off Run!!> The Dragon turned and launched a ball of fire at where the lightning had come from scorching the road and causing the tarmac to bubble and melt. Alica and the others jumped off as fast as they could and his head whipped around to face them growling, his eyes glowing like melting gold. He looked like he was about to eat them when his head was knocked to the side as if it had taken a blow. <I can stop it hurting you. Help the children>. Draco then slithered off towards a burning part of the school, throwing cars out of his way like they weighed nothing. At this point, Alica was completly freaked out. "Dara! Your crush almost killed us!!" Dara laughed, "What? Don't you think you're overreacting a teeny bit?" As she said this a deadly roar echoed throughout the area. "Uh, well, I'm not responsible for Draco even if he's my crush. But, why do you keep blaming me for things happening?! I'm in the same ballpark as you, Alica. Why don't you use your mind other than creating visions and think for yourself every once in awhile?" Dara crossed her arms, her eyes looking fierce. The last comment stung and Alica knew that she should have ignored it but she didn't. "Well maybe I tend to blame you...cause it's your fault! Like the time we crashed through the ice cause you were convinced you knew better than the adults, or when we got arrested at Rywanna's party even after we were warned not to go to." Alica could have gone on listing the troubles they had gotten into because of Dara's love for adventure, but she knew that Dara wasn't the only one to blame. She had willing followed Dara to each and every adventure even though she had had nagging doubts. However, Draco freaking out wasn't Dara's fault; and Alica wondered why Dara had thought that was what she meant. Dara's face got red and she looked like she was about to respond when a little girl ran past them screaming something about a girl blowing students up with lighting. They forgot all about their little spat and ran in the direction of the school and began helping children out of the broken windows. One window pane was still intact and Alica thought she saw the reflection of a man dressed in white in it. His face was contorted in pain. A strange cackle turned her attention away from the reflection. It was the girl she had seen tied to a chair in her vision and she was electricuting the window pane. "Dara! That's her. The girl who was tied to the chair. Sarah...I think." Dara being her insanely brave self yelled out, "Hey, Sarah!!! Why don't you pick on someone your own size!" Sarah turned away from the window pane and looked directly at Dara. She laughed again as she lifted her electrified palm and Alica was sure she was going to pass out.
Rue Rue had followed the girls to the school quietly, for she had not wanted to interrupt their spat. She found herself hiding behind a tree as people ran past, terrified. There's nothing I can do here.. She thought coldly, not feeling very much like her compassion was required...until she heard Dara with her brave taunt and the redirection of Sarah's palm. She didn't even give herself time to think about it before she teleported over to Dara, wrapped her arms around her waist and instantly teleported back to the tree. It all happened so fast, even for Rue. She had never teleported another person before. She could only hope their were no ill-effects. She placed a hand on Dara's shoulder. "Dara, are you okay?" She asked the young woman sincerely, looking at her and then to Alicia.
Dara White "Dara, are you okay?" Rue asked, looking at her with worried eyes. Saying that Dara was angry would be an understatement. She had been waiting for the opportunity to use her powers for good her whole life, and the alien girl had saved her from her life-long dream! "Okay? No, I'm not okay! I was about to battle it out with an electrified girl, the villain causing all this madness. Did you think I couldn't handle it? Think again!" Dara yelled, her usual sweetness quickly turning sour. She didn't realize how mean her words sounded. A feeling she hadn't felt in years was threatening her...fear. She had to fight. Fear was the enemy, not this girl who could produce electricity. Then Dara saw it, and her heart about stopped. Across the way, Alica was still frozen in place; an easy open target. Rue should've teleported her instead! She quickly turned back to Rue, who no doubt was upset at her harsh words. "Forget about what I said before. We're going to handle this together. I'm going to cause a diversion, while you go save Alica," Dara's words came out in a rush, "Ready, set, GO!" She didn't wait for Rue's reply, as she jumped back out into the open. She raced towards Sarah, stretching her limbs as she went. "Nice to meet you, Sarah. Let's see what you've got!"
Lylaunna "Lyla" Jenks "Okay? No, I'm not okay! I was about to battle it out with an electrified girl, the villain causing all this madness. Did you think I couldn't handle it? Think again!" Dara yelled at Rue after she teleported her away from Sarah. Rue grimaced, her heart sunk and ears folded down. She backed away from the girls; from the situation. "No. No no no no.." She whispered before she teleported out of sight and on top of a nearby building. Her stomach felt like it was flipping inside-out. "I won't save anyone. Ever again." pouted the confused young alien girl. She watched everyone from a distance, "I don't need them... they don't need me..."
Alica Jennings Alica watched in horror as Dara dissapeared from in front of her. Without her original target in range any more Sarah turned towards Alica. Alica raised her hands in surrender, but Sarah released her bolt anyway. It hit Alica's stomach and she flew backwards hitting the ground with a thud. Her whole body hurt. She could smell smoke and she felt the electricity running through her spine to her head then to the rest of her body. Dara yelled something in the background but she couldn't make it out. The erractic pounding of her heart blocked out most every other sound. Alica wanted to move, but she couldn't...she could barely breathe. Lights danced in front of her eyes and thoughts of her mom flashed through her mind. At least I get to be with you again. That was her last thought before she passed out.
Reflect He stared intently at the created mirror. He didn't know if it would work, to transport them all there, to the building with the young. It wasn't a true mirror, but he could see his reflection just as well as he could in a proper mirror. Perhaps it would work. "Hold on," he said, still wincing from some pain, but a group of other people, also with powers, had shown up aboard a large reptile. They had distracted the lightning girl enough so he could focus for a moment. "The ride isn't pleasant for most people who do it for the first time." When he touched the mirror, it felt bizarre, but the water-man, the colorful man, and the woman all teleported with him to the other mirror. When the appeared on the other side, he felt better, and more powerful... not so strained. It was a relief.
Dara White Out of the corner of her eye, Dara saw Alica. It felt like slow motion, as the electrical ball hit her directly in the stomach, and Alica soared through the air to fall into the hard earth. She didn't move after the landing. "Alica, no!!!" Dara screamed, but was rudely reminded of her previous outburst by several electrified hits on her arms and neck. She felt pressure, not pain; as her body absorbed the impact, but she couldn't focus on fighting the insane girl. Alica needed her more. Dara broke into a run, stretching to dodge more balls of electricity, as the Sarah girl attempted to injure her. When she got to Alica, her clothes and hair looked horrific, like a costume out of a bad Halloween movie. She quickly stretched herself over her friend, acting like a tent, to protect her from more oncoming bullets. Dara felt stunned, not by the electric bullets, but by harsh reality. No matter the excuses and blames she had made earlier, Alica had been right. And, now Dara's heart wrenched with guilt and regret. She was responsible for Alica's young life, and if something happened to her Dara would never be able to live another day of adventure ever again... Tears trickled down her cheeks, leaving behind black tracks of mascara. The absorbed pressure began to grow more intense and put more strain on her as she tried to keep her tent-like form. "Alica I'm sorry, I'm so so so sorry..." Dara thought, praying this moment with her best friend wouldn't be her last.
Hugh Killian "Gruff, who are theses children?" Hugh said, voice quietly full of menace. He was watching the fight unfold through "I don't know master." "Well go and find out." There was a grunt in response. "Oh and I want that dragon either captured or killed." Where had this bunch of misfits come from? There presence had ruined his plans. Sarah was charged up and powerful but against three other supers and a dragon she would be destroyed. Hugh looked back to the camera in time to see Sarah send one of them flying with a bolt. Sarah didn't have time to finish her as the stretchy girl ran over covering her. Hugh sighed, someone made of rubber would definately be able to stop Sarah. He picked up his phone dialling a chip in Sarahs neck. "Sarah I want you to head for the school's basement. Take out any lights on the way there. And bring a friend." Over in the school Sarah paused, twitching for a moment as Hugh's command was registered. With a cackle she turned and headed off down the hallway sending bolts towards the lights. Pupils fled past her as she staggered towards the basement door. A few unlucky, and a few slow, were shocked dropping into the watery floor. Sarah stopped checking the bodies for one still living. They appeared dead until she heard a cough. A small girl was face down in the water. Sarah grabbed her slinging the child over her shoulder and continuing on. A blast of lightning broke the door from it's hinges and Sarah stopped down the stairs. She headed through the belly of the school and into a maintenance room where she dumped the child on the floor. Hugh headed to his roof. He need to get to the school quickly or Sarah would be captured. Hugh didn't know if they'd be able to link her back to him. They certainly wouldn't get a confession from her but DNA might be another issue. On the rooftop Hugh changed before leaping off the side. Any people watching would see a dark shadow falling from the rooftop only to dissapear upon hitting the shadows on the ground. Hugh reappeared in the darkness of the schools basement behind Sarah. She was watching the door as if expecting people. The child she had brought sat in the corner whimpering. If Sarah was scaring her then Bellphim must be terrifying her. Bellphim walked over wrapping one darkened hand around her wrapping her in shadow. He headed to Sarah. "You've done very well. Let's wait and see if anyone's following." Bellphim grinned. Now he'd get to meet them face to face. Outside the school Gruff sighed before opening his jaw and growing. In a few seconds he had doubled in size. Large teeth now lined his mouth. He grinned as he headed for the people inside. Time for lunch.
Shoshanna Underwood The moment Reflect touched the pond’s surface, Shoshanna began to feel… strange. She couldn’t quite explain this sensation. It was as if there were two of her. A reflection. One was as real as the other. There was no pain, only an odd feeling of disjointedness, like standing in two places at once. She shut her eyes and tried to focus, meditate, and pull herself together, literally. But, just as quickly as it had began, it ended. Her dual reality folded in on itself. The two selves she had sensed snapped back together with such suddenness that she staggered slightly and found herself standing in the midst of chaos, clutching her head. She was in a wrecked classroom. It seemed to be for younger children. The tiny desks and chairs were overturned. The bookshelves were in shambles. There was a chalkboard with the alphabet scrawled on it, with a huge crack down the middle. Crayon-drawn pictures of stick figures and animals were pasted to the frame of a nearby mirror. Shoshanna didn’t see any children, but she could hear their panicked screams and the smell of smoke. A profound sadness welled up in her heart, but it quickly morphed into rage. Who did this? she thought. Her blue eyes burned with hatred. She would make them pay. Shoshanna went to the door and looked into the hall. There were children running past, headed away from something. They were terrified. She stepped into the hall and began walking against the tide of fleeing children. “What are you running from?” she asked. “Who did this?” But none responded. She caught one little boy and knelt to look him in the eyes. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m here to help. Who did-” The boy pulled free and ran away with tears streaming from his eyes. Shoshanna continued down the hall, toward where the children were running from. The halls were dark. The lights were burned out and scorched. She reached a dark corridor, leading down into what seemed to be a basement. Its door was blasted off the hinges. Using her power, Shoshanna levitated the heavy steel door and brought it with her as a shield. She hovered a few inches off the ground, with the door hovering in front of her, as she slowly descended the steps. The basement floor was covered in ankle-deep water, but she hovered above it. The bodies of children lay strewn on the ground, some still twitching involuntarily. They had been electrocuted. Horrified, disgusted, and infuriated, Shoshanna continued onward. Whoever did this is still down here, she thought. She would make them feel what these children felt, a thousand times over. The basement ended in a single room. It seemed to be a boiler room or equipment room of some sort, but in the darkness Shoshanna couldn’t tell. All she knew was that there was a girl standing before her, as if guarding the room. A child was seated in the corner, weeping. A shadowy figure stood behind the first girl, as though he were her guardian. Shoshanna had only one word for them: “Why?”
Alica Jennings ~~~ There was a large corridor. It was lit dimly with colorful lights all the way to the end. Alica’s white gown flowed behind her as she walked towards the end of the hallway. At the end she could see two doors. One was a bright white, illuminating that end of the corridor. The other was dark green. She knew automatically that if she went through the white one her journey on earth would end and she would go home to see her long dead mother. However if she went through the green one, she knew she would go back to living; to pain, suffering, fear, and sadness. And yet there was hope. Hope that someday people would rise up to be called heroes; to protect the weak and innocent. She could be part that group. Alica was half way down the hallway now, not far left to go. Voices filled her head and neared the door. Cry’s of parents over their dead children. Desperate voices of policemen trying to keep the crowd under control. And then a familiar voice. “"Alica I'm sorry, I'm so so so sorry." Oh, Dara. How could Alica be so selfish? To want to die and be with her mom when she had a good friend waiting for her to wake up. A friend who was constantly putting herself in harms way to protect her. “Please wake up, Alica.” Alica reached the doors. By this point there wasn’t much of a choice. She knew which one she needed to go through. She grabbed a handle and opened the door. ~~~ Alica opened her eyes and immediately felt the pain of burnt skin on her stomach. She grunted slightly as she tried to shift out of the uncomfortable position she had fallen in. “Alica! Oh, thank God! You’re alive and awake. I thought for sure that…” Dara was stretched out over her like a tent. Her face was wet with tears. “Yeah, me too.” Alica said finishing Dara’s unspoken fear. She grimaced as she propped herself on one elbow and placed a hand over her painful burns. Her shirt had a large hole burnt into it, revealing a large portion of her stomach. Thankfully nothing to revealing. She looked underneath Dara’s arm. Sarah was gone and in her place was standing 3 people with superhero costumes. All of them appeared to guys and they were looking around in horror at the damage inflicted. “I don’t see her around anymore, Dara.” Dara stretched her neck like only she could and looked around. Satisfied that they were out of danger for the time being she sighed heavily and sat beside Alica, breathing heavily. Voices filled her head from seemingly all sides even though there was no one in their vicinity. “Mommy, I was so scared. I ran…Tommy got killed.” “Base, this is squad car 002. We’ve arrived at the scene and it’s utter caos. I think I see a dragon!” “I am going to kill whoever did this. Who would dare kill children!? The cowards!” Alica squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her head. It was overwhelming. So many thoughts, feelings. How could she shut it out? Suddenly an evil laugh filled her mind. “Time for lunch.” That voice. She knew it. It was villain who called himself Bellphim. She opened her eyes in horror and looked over at Dara. “Dara! He’s here! He’s responsible!” “Who are you talking about?” “That villain, Bellphim. The one controlling the girl with lightning powers. The one who killed Dave in that apartment.” Dara’s eyes widened as she realized what Alica was saying. "A supervillian. Here? Where?" She looked around. Alica closed her eyes again trying to concentrate on only his thoughts. It was difficult but finally she figured out where he was. "In the basement...and Dara; there is another superhero down there. He is going to do something horrible to her."
Hugh Killian / Bellphim Bellphim watched from behind Sarah as a large breasted woman entered the room. She stopped in front of them. "Why?" She said her voice filled with horror. Bellphim chuckled. "Would I really tell you why? That would take all the fun out of this. I want to keep you on your toes." Bellphim vanished, reappearing next to Shoshanna. "Such wasted talent. You should come and work for me." He said running a finger along her neck before vanishing again. From behind Sarah he patted her head. "You're such a good girl, you've done so well," Sarah froze as a black spike appeared in her chest. "But I don't like lose ends." The spike retracted as the blackness started spreading over her body, eating away. Bellphim pushed her towards Shoshanna grabbing the other child. "She'll be nothing in a few moments. I'll be seeing you again." He smiled before stepping back into the darkness.
Shoshanna Underwood "Would I really tell you why?” the shadowy figure said. “That would take all the fun out of this. I want to keep you on your toes." Fun? Is that your reason? Shoshanna thought as she watched him with hate-filled eyes. Suddenly the man vanished and reappeared at her side. "Such wasted talent. You should come and work for me," he said, slowly trailing his finger along her skin. Shoshanna suddenly turned on him but the man vanished again. He reappeared behind the girl, his homicidal servant. "You're such a good girl, you've done so well," he said as a black spike welled up in the center of her chest, like a hideous growth. "But I don't like lose ends." The spike sank into her body and began to spread. “No!” Shoshanna screamed. She had no idea what it was, but she could feel it was evil. The darkness began to consume the girl, but Shoshanna didn’t dare approach, for fear that it might consume her as well. The shadowy figure grabbed the other hostage. "She'll be nothing in a few moments. I'll be seeing you again," he said with a sinister smile before vanishing with his new plaything. The moment he was gone, Shoshanna ran to the dying girl. The darkness was spreading all across her body and she seemed to be wasting away. It was as if the shadows were rotting her from the inside out. The girl staggered, as if she might fall, but Shoshanna used her powers to keep her on her feet. “Stay with me,” the woman said to the dying girl. “Is there anything I can do? There must be something I can do.” She felt a bizarre mixture of emotions. Moments ago, she had wanted to kill this girl for the suffering she had caused. This girl had destroyed a school and killed children, but she was only a child herself. Guilt and anger swirled in her mind as Shoshanna levitated the girl’s body up and out of the dark basement, into the light. She had to fight the shadows somehow. The shadows were killing her. But the light did nothing. The shadowy man’s darkness was impenetrable. Shoshanna walked out of the school’s front door, with Sarah levitating by her side, and laid her down in the sun. But it was no good. Even the most powerful light in the world could not pierce his darkness. Sarah died on the school steps. Her body blackened and shriveled, before finally turning to dust. And then there was nothing. Shoshanna remained kneeling over the ashes, deep in thought. But she refused to shed a tear. The shadowy man, whoever he was, would pay dearly for this. No more children would suffer at his hands.
Reflect After transporting the three heroes to the building with the young, Reflect felt drained, very tired, as though he’d used up too much of his power. That was for a split second though, and as soon as they came through the mirror, he felt all his power return. He felt like a new man, like he’d just woken up from a very long sleep. When the group got to their feet, Reflect saw the psychotic girl run down the hall. Shoshanna took off after her. The two men, Monsoon and DaVinci, stayed behind to begin putting out the fires and helping the young. Reflect decided to follow the woman. Following the two ladies, he was eventually led to an underground area. As he was going down the stairs, he heard a man talking about having fun and hating loose ends. Reflect got down there just in time to see the man pierce the young girl with some sort of spike. Shoshanna picked the girl up with her powers, levitating her up out of the building. Reflect followed, watching as the girl slowly began to lose life, and be consumed by some sort of shadowy material. He stood and watched as Shoshanna and the girl were on the steps, and the girl slowly died and disintegrated into dust. Shoshanna knelt over the pile of ashes, her fists tight, her eyes deep and sad. Reflect took a deep breath, walked over, and pushed her back a few inches. “Stay back.” He knelt down, careful not to move the ashes around, and put his hands on them. Closing his eyes, he began to focus. This was a new attempt at manipulating his power, because he wasn’t sure if he could undo time itself. Turning someone’s power against them was one thing, but undoing something that had already been done was not something he’d ever done. He felt a slight twinge in his arm as he knelt there by the ashes, but he didn’t dare look to see what had caused it. He had an idea though. Despite the feeling, he knelt there for ten long minutes before he started to feel an effect. Opening his eyes, he watched as the shadowy stuff slowly left the ashes and crept around his right hand. But, it was working. The ashes were beginning to form into a person, the young girl that he’d just seen killed. Much of his right hand had been blackened by the time the body had fully formed. Finally, the girl had returned to her full form, all without the shadow material on her. Even the spot where the psycho had pierced her was fine. She lay there though, motionless, while Reflect looked at his newly blackened hand. It was taking some of his focus to keep it from spreading. “That is all I can do,” he said, sitting back. “I can bring the body back, but I can’t revive her.”
Shoshanna Underwood To Shoshanna’s surprise, Reflect suddenly appeared at her side and asked her to stand back. She was too distraught to fully process what was happening, but she mechanically obeyed and moved a few feet away. He knelt over the girl’s ashes and something began to happen. The shadows melted away and the ashes began to reform. He’s reviving her! Shoshanna thought, beginning to feel excitement. She had failed to save the girl. It was all her fault, but Reflect was giving her a second chance. She might even take the girl as an apprentice. Together, they would defeat the Shadow Man. But what Reflect was doing would take time and there was still another monster afoot. A snarling man-beast with a mouthful of sharp teeth came storming out of the school, yelling something about how hungry he was. Another of the Shadow Man’s minions, Shoshanna thought as she put herself between Reflect and the ravenous monster. “You look goooood,” the monster said, licking his blood-stained chops. “Gruff hungryyyy…” “Eat your vegetables,” Shoshanna said. With a wave of her hand, the rocks and debris began to rise. A large tree uprooted itself and, with another stroke of her hands, she sent it flying at the monster. Like a simpleton, Gruff tried to catch it, but the object was too much for him. The massive tree plowed into him, and pinned him against the wall of the schoolhouse. That should hold him for a while, Shoshanna thought. When she looked to Reflect again, he was nearly done. The girl’s body had reformed. She looked as if nothing had happened. Shoshanna quickly ran to his side. She didn’t know how he had done it, but she was overjoyed. But, before she could thank him, he said something: “That is all I can do. I can bring the body back, but I can’t revive her,” Reflect said as he sat back. “But… I-I thought…” Shoshanna looked at the girl. She cradled her head, but the body was cold and lifeless. Shoshanna looked to Reflect, whose hand was black with shadows, and realized the price he had paid for this. “What have you done! Your hand…”
Alica and Dara Alica watched with horror as the girl, who she had seen in her vision, was carried out by Shoshanna the superhero. "Dara. She's dead." She said as watched the body disintigrate. Dara nodded a relieved yet angry look in her eyes. Alica held out her hand and Dara helped pull her to her feet. She gasped as a new wave of pain, from the movment of her burned stomach, attacked her. "You ok?" "Yeah. Just need a second. Lets go see if there is anything we can do." The first few steps, Alica leaned on Dara heavily but by the time they were halfway to where Shoshanna and the other superhero were she was able to walk on her own with minimal pain. She tugged down the remanants of her blue shirt best she could but she was going to have to deal with some of her stomach showing. The girls reached the two supers and were amazed at what they saw. Sarah, who had disintigrated, was whole again; though she was clearly still dead. It was good gift for the girl's family. Shoshanna was holding the girl in her lap then she looked at the other super. “What have you done! Your hand…” "Shadows." Alica said softly.
