When the empress landed in front of the convenience store, the lone window at the front and the glass door shattered. Shelves knocked back like dominoes, their contents creating a mess of foodstuffs on the floor. The shop owner and Alexander were knocked back as well, the store owner stumbling against the freezer doors and Alexander staggering back against the magazine shelf.

"Jesus Christ!" the store owner barked once he was on his feet. "We need to get the fuck out of here before this whole building crashes down on us!" He motioned urgently for Alexander to follow as he abandoned his work and headed towards the door.

He stopped dead in his tracks. It was not the red-hot door frame or the shallow crater on the sidewalk in front of his store that had his attention, though such details certainly contributed to the effect. What rendered him speechless was the woman blocking his way, if one would call her that. His first impression was more circus freak--the metal-framed glass wings seemed a bit overkill for such a costume, and those fake pointed teeth weren't doing her any favors. Fucking cos-players.

"Lady, get out of the way!" he snapped, ignoring her statement. "Can't you see this whole place is falling apart?" He could not fathom that this woman was the cause of the melting door frame or the wreckage to his store, so he didn't. Somehow, the earthquake contributed to those things. The store owner glanced over his shoulder at Alexander and motioned for the young man to follow. "Hurry up, you idiot!"

But Alexander could not move. Like the store owner, the image of this strange creature at the doorway caught him off guard. Somehow, though, he [i]knew[/i] that her appearance was not only authentic, but real, and that she had caused all of this. He couldn't explain how he knew; it was a ridiculous thought, impossible! But he did.

He gasped, cried out, and doubled over, instantly in pain. The nagging warmth he had felt throughout his body had suddenly become a nearly unbearable heat, as though someone had cranked up the core temperature of his body like an oven. His vision blurred from the pain as he dropped to his knees as he gasped from the shocking suddenness of it all. He could not explain what was happening to him or why, but somehow he knew one thing with utmost certainty: he had to get away from this woman.