[center]
[h1]Recall[/h1]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/Qr7lWDl.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/YVYBldt.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/Wg1lU2p.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/VW0bAVD.png?1[/img] 
[color a2d9ce]Callan[/color] | [color cyan]Sander[/color] | [color 8493ca]Christmas[/color] | [color lightcoral]Lily[/color] 
[img]http://i.imgur.com/61vkwIl.jpg?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/8rT4pUQ.jpg?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/AV2Qdry.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/DSOdMDt.png?1[/img] 
[color 662d91]Kusari[/color] | [color 33ec06]Marcus[/color] | [color 00a99d]Ernie[/color] | [color 8A3DFF]Emma[/color] 
[img]http://i.imgur.com/bHYqmRC.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/Qm6ALCQ.png?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/oKbtkKq.jpg?1[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/V2PDEDC.jpg?1[/img]
[color B0C4DE]Brent[/color] | [color=9e0039]Angelique[/color] | [color 0095FF]Grant[/color] | [color BD892F]Sophia[/color]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img][hr][color=silver]𝕊𝕦𝕟: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟚𝟘, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝕎𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕥𝕠𝕟, 𝔻.ℂ.   / /   ℍ𝕪𝕒𝕥𝕥 ℝ𝕖𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕪 ℍ𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕝   / /  ~𝟙𝟚𝟘𝟘[/color][hr]
[sub]Collab with... deep breath [@Baklava] [@RedDusk] [@January] [@Kyrisse] [@Piercing Light] [@Chasers115] [@banjoanjo] [@Diggerton] [@ERode] [@Riffus Maximus] [@Deathmyster] [@VampireOracle][/sub][/center]

[hider=Callan, Sander and Christmas: Rescue]After a fall like that, Callan felt certain she should have been far more disoriented than she was. But adrenaline, as always, was a miracle worker. Enough to drive everyone into action amidst the collection of quiet groans and distant screaming. Grant rushed to help whoever was pinned under the heavy bookcase and Allison quickly freed herself, Zoe, and Gregory from the intricate chandelier. One she'd quietly observed as she fell asleep on the couch the night before. There was something perturbing about seeing the once admired penthouse flipped on its side with everything in shambles.

Even more concerning to her was the sight of General Brahms. She knew mindlessly following orders hadn't helped her much before, but it was a comfort to have any orders at all. He wanted them to retreat and regroup, but the distant crashing and screaming outside the downed building filled her mind with uncertainties. But that would have to wait.

As those with the ability to move did so, Callan quickly assessed the damage, choosing to ignore Zoe's impromptu exit after a snidely delivered glance at the back of her head. She heard Brent's call, but remained silent. Of course [i]she[/i] was okay, but Callan was far more interested in hearing from everyone else. Angelique's answer didn't bode well. Nor did a quick glance towards the raven haired aberration who, along with Sophia, were apparently the ones who'd been crushed by the bookshelf Grant had moved. Marcus and Sander didn't seem to be in great shape either.

A healer. They needed a healer. Movement caught her eye as Sander ran and jumped out the window without notice- down towards where, if her memory from only moments ago served her correctly, the balcony should have been. She overheard the frantic shouting of Brent and then Lily as she moved closer, quickly noticing what all the commotion was about just as Sander yanked two poles out of the small arbiter's leg and torso. She rushed to join Brent, Lily, and Ernie at the window's edge, watching the pair in apprehension while she waited, expecting Sander to use Ernie's rope and bring him up before it dawned on her that aberration hadn't powered up yet. He needed blood. Blood which was....

Callan grasped the golden rope and immediately jumped over the edge, sliding down and stopping herself where she finally reached the pair. Her eyes immediately fell on the gaping wounds, no longer obstructed by the bits of metal. They should've been bleeding so much more than they were. And Sander, wreathed in the shimmering mist of Christmas's power that mirrored the effect on the healer himself....

"[color a2d9ce]Sander, stop![/color]" she said, a tinge of panic in her voice as she moved closer, twisting the rope around her wrist and bracing herself against some railing so she could grab Sander's wrist.

Red eyes turned to meet her, wide with fear and desperation. Even though he was weaker now, Sander yanked against the grip -"[color cyan]N-No. You don't understand. I have--It's bleeding...I have to stop it.[/color]" 

This situation called for a cool head and Callan found Sander's expression unnerving. Nonetheless, she leveled her voice as she responded, gently tighting her grip. "[color=a2d9ce]I know. Lily's going to heal him, but we need that blood. People are hurt up there.[/color]" she glanced impatiently up at Lily. She seemed to be hesitating-- something Callan wouldn't have thought strange at all considering what she was about to do. But knowing how quickly she'd taken on injuries in the past, she couldn't help but wonder about what was taking so long. Especially with Sander here. She moved her hand over Sander's, pressing down lightly, "[color=a2d9ce]Keep applying pressure, but you [i]have[/i] to stop absorbing it. Can you do that?[/color]"

"[color cyan]It won't stop bleeding.[/color]" -Sander only whispered, as he turned back to Christmas, pressing both of his hands against the wound once more -"[color cyan]I can't...help with by being weak. I need this.[/color]"

Her expression hardened. Angel, Sophia, Marcus, those soliders... they needed this blood. Not Sander. This... was this what he meant by losing control?

"[color=a2d9ce]No. No, you don't,[/color]" she sternly replied "[color=a2d9ce]Get it somewhere else. You have to get it somewhere else.[/color]" Applying pressure wasn't going to help if Sander started accelerating the boy's blood loss. "[color=a2d9ce]Move your hands, Sander.[/color]"

"[color cyan]I can't. He'll die.[/color]"

Callan grit her teeth. "[color=a2d9ce]THEY'RE gonna die if you keep this up, Sander! ...Sander! Stop![/color]" There wasn't time for this. Sander wasn't being reasonable. In that moment, she noticed Lily's familiar thread finally snake its way around Christmas's wrist. A scream from up above accompanied the dissappearance of his wounds, but Sander was still lapping up all the excess with his ability. 

She grabbed the front of Sander's shirt and shoved him away roughly. Just enough to seperate him from Christmas. He hadn't absorbed enough to resist her yet and it was better she keep it that way. At least until they found him a different blood source. She quickly moved between them, wrapping one arm around the frail arbiter's waist and the other around Sander before jumping towards the ledge. 

Upon landing, she released Sander, but kept a a tight grip on his arm as she laid the smaller boy down gently, doing her best to avoid any of the large shards of glass that littered the floor. With a brief shake of her free wrist, the end of Ernie's rope unraveled from her wrist and fell to the ground.

Turning to face Sander, she stood between him and Christmas, staring expectantly. She didn't like using her abilities like that. She didn't want to have to force her teammates into submission. That's not what her strength was for. Nonetheless, she felt firm in her decision as she waited to see what Sander might do next. If he was going be angry with her, she was ready for it. She only hoped to get it over with quickly. She understood Sander had panicked and was concerned, but the clock was most assuredly ticking.

Sander stared at Callan first, then his gaze turned to Christmas and stayed there –“[color cyan]C-Can I—Please let go. I’m not…I won’t hurt him.[/color]” -He tugged uselessly on Callan’s steely grip.

The broken look on his face caught her off guard and she let go. It was less about Sander hurting Christmas and more about the blood, but she didn't have it in her to keep him away. Especially knowing how they felt about each other. Nonetheless, she stood at Sander's shoulder. She trusted Sander, but he'd told her himself that he struggled with control-- something that eerily reminded her of Zoe, but she brushed the thought aside. At least Christmas wasn't bleeding anymore.

Sander was at Christmas' side in an instant, crouching down and pressing his hands against the unconscious boy's bloody face. He was mumbling something too, but the words were too broken and shaky to actually make sense. Callan looked out the window worriedly. They couldn't stay here. The screams of the terrified citizens of DC felt like her siren call. 

Crouching down next to Sander, she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "[color=a2d9ce]He's gonna be okay,[/color]" she told him confidently, "[color=a2d9ce]But for now, I need your help.[/color]" She motioned towards the chaos outside the shattered windows of the tilted penthouse, "[color=a2d9ce]I, uh,[/color]" she hesitated for a moment, haunted by the memory, "[color=a2d9ce]I saw a dead soldier over there. Definitely dead. You can get the blood you need there.[/color]"

Sander remained unresponsive for the longest of time, despite the mention of more blood. Eventually, he recovered enough to gave Callan's instructions a quiet nod, but that was it. He remained where he was.[/hider]

[hr]

[hider=Lily, Kusari, Marcus, Ernie, Emma, Brent, Callan and Sander: Recovery]Lily was expecting the voices to urge her to hurt someone again as she laid crumpled on the ground. This time she was ready for it, ready to resist it. But instead of the usual demanding voices, this time it was different. Completely different.

[color=lightcoral][i]Do you think these people are worth saving? They let you hurt yourself for their own sakes. Broken bones, wounds, severed arms. They don't care about you. All they care about is themselves. Will you really bleed for them?[/i][/color]

The voice in her head sounded like hers. Were they her own? Was she doubting the people she swore to protect as if they were her family? She shook her head, trying to clear it. This was no time to be doubting people. Christmas needed help and the more she dallied, the more he was losing blood, the nearer to death's door he was. She tried focusing her thoughts on the healer. Sander should have been able to pull out those metal bars by now. The thread appeared on her wrist and the other end snaked towards the window.

And stopped.

[color=lightcoral][i]Will you bleed for a boy who SHOULD BE bleeding?[/i][/color]

[color=lightcoral][i]He would. For me.[/i][/color]

[color=lightcoral][i]Will he really?[/i][/color]

The small teenager had no real answer to that. She struggled with the growing doubt in her head as the thread continued to its target. Slowly, slowly... Until it finally wrapped itself around the bleeding boy's wrist. A split second more and it would have been too late. A split second more and the healer would have gone to irreversible hypovolemic shock. As his wound instantly healed and transferred to the girl above, the voices in Lily's head began shouting in tune to the blood that spilled out of her newly acquired wounds.

[color=lightcoral][i]No one will die for you no matter how much you try to save them. NO ONE will care if you bleed to death. All they're good for is dying. Because when they die, no one will be left behind to hurt you.[/i][/color]

Kusari watched quietly as Lily attached her thread to Christmas and took on his wounds. A disturbing amount of blood began pouring out of her, making herself the one that needed saving now. Kusari keeled down next to her and took the girl's left hand in her own. [color=662d91]"You're going to be alright Lily, you know what to do. Trust me, alright? I trust you."[/color]

Lily heard the words but the voice--her voice but at the same time not hers--and the dizziness that was settling in from the blood loss was making her confused. 

[color=lightcoral]"Trust..."[/color] she murmured. Where had she heard that word before?

[color=00a99d][i]"One more thing. It'd probably be better if you kept your amping a secret between us. If the others find out that you've been losing control of your Stigma and hurting someone more than necessary, they might lose trust in their healer. And that can't happen. Okay?"[/i][/color]

[color=lightcoral][i]Why trust them when they don't trust you? Pass it on, pass the injuries and make them all bleed.[/i][/color]

Struggling for control over herself and the chaos in her mind, Lily looked at the pale Arbiter that was holding the hand that was broken. A sharp pain that lanced through the injured hand brought a little clarity to her cluttered thoughts. Golden eyes stared at red ones. So different from the hazel brown eyes she thought would help her control her stigma. These eyes would give her courage. [color=lightcoral]"I'm sorry, Kusari..."[/color] she mumbled, trying to wade through the confusion and violence in her head. She had to make sure that she didn't amplify. She had to make sure that the immortal wouldn't be hurt more than necessary.

[color=lightcoral][i]Kill her.[/i][/color] The voice was eerily calm. And it was more disconcerting than when it was shouting.

She reached out with her good hand and gripped Kusari's hand, the one that was holding her injured one. She closed her eyes and her grip tightened as she struggled for control and struggled to stay awake from the overwhelming dizziness. After a second, her thread connected her with her immortal classmate, transferring the bleeding wounds. No amplification. Just what she took. And just Christmas' wound. As soon as she was healed, she released Kusari's wrist and curled herself into a ball, ankle bones and left wrist still broken.

"[color 33ec06]Hey hey hey. You're okay.[/color]" Marcus said, limping over and kneeling down near Lily. His tone was soft and ressuring; motherly even. From what he could see, Callan was currently holding Christmas, who was not looking to be in the best of shape. His clothes were dyed crimson, and if Kusari was sporting the same wounds he had been, it was a wonder he was even alive. Even as he could see some spots of his own clothing turning red, he focused on the other people, eyes darting around.

He had no idea what was happening. People were hurt, Lily was curled up, Callan was standing above an unconcious Christmas and a conscious Sander. Everything was a mess.

"[color 33ec06]Can you stand?[/color]" he asked, eyes going back to Lily as he offered a hand, waiting to see if she actually needed it.

Marcus' voice made Lily look up, her eyes unfocused and a strange half smile on her lips. She shook her head. [color=lightcoral]"Broken ankles,"[/color] she muttered, barely hearing her own voice amidst the cacophony of voices in her head. Gone was the strange calm voice that wanted her to kill Kusari, replaced by the familiar shouts and insults.

Ernie coiled his rope as soon as Cal returned with the two idiots, assessing the situation through his irritation and pounding head. Sander almost killed Christmas thanks to his complete lack of common sense and now Lily was doing the [i]exact[/i] thing he told her not to do. Whatever little good mood Ernie had retained from the night before had completely vanished.

The buzzcut Aberration knelt down and pulled at the girl's calf to examine the extent of the damage. It definitely wasn't something he could overlook. Ernie clicked his tongue. Marcus and Grant were bleeding. Angelique and Sophia looked seriously injured. Christmas was out cold from shock or blood loss. This wasn't the fucking time to be a martyr. 

[color=00a99d]"Lily. There are still others who need healing. You can't help if you keep these [i]fuc[/i]--injuries,"[/color] Ernie said lowly, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. He looked to Kusari as if to ask her to recall their conversation. To [i]do something[/i]. He turned back to Lily.

[color=00a99d]"Remember why you're here. Christmas is down. You're our only hope. We need you to be okay."[/color]

Someone holding her calf. It should have hurt but Lily barely felt it. Her whole attention was on the voices in her head and the growing desire...no, not desire. It was more of a need to hurt someone. Someone was talking. A familiar voice. She turned to him. Familiar eyes. 

The strange voice resurfaced in her head. [color=lightcoral][i]Hurt him.[/i][/color]

[color=lightcoral][i]No... These are friends... family... I should...[/i][/color]

[color=lightcoral][i]Hurt.[/i][/color]

[color=lightcoral][i]Hurt?[/i][/color]

It didn't take long for Emma to spot the others, the people she cared about- Marcus, Callan, Lily, Kusari, and, reluctantly, Ernie. With them also was Sander, Christmas, and Brent. It also didn't take long for her to grasp the situation, unsettlingly similar to the incident with Zoe, but this time the injured was Christmas, their primary healer. Emma rushed over, distantly remembering something Brent had told her to do... he had asked her to bring out Determination when Lily was healing Zoe. If she was right, that meant that he thought...

[color=8A3DFF][i]Can't mess this up again.[/i][/color]

[color=8A3DFF]”Wait!”[/color] she called out, Determination appearing beside Lily, [color=8A3DFF]”You don't need to transfer the wounds to Kusari. Use him.”[/color] Emma said, breath heavy, still reeling from the aftermath of the explosion.  

Despite Lily's desperate attempt to control her stigma, half of her was already convinced that she should do what it says. It was becoming a losing battle. Only the hazel eyes staring down at her with frustration were keeping her violence at bay. And then something appeared beside her. Something that wasn't human. And even before Emma's words registered in her head, she had already latched on to the idea, the black thread appearing instantly on the Tulpa's wrist. It wasn't human. So it means she can hurt it without consequence, right?

[color=lightcoral][i]Release it healthily.[/i][/color]

She didn't hold back and transferred more than what she took. Much much more.

Determination disappeared as soon as the injuries transferred. Emma had been expecting that, but not this quick. Shouldn't he have been able to take more than that? Maybe it's only because she'd never seen them take more minor injuries like that... yeah, that must have explained it. She was ready though, and as soon as he was gone another Determination took his place, ready for more if needed.

[color=8A3DFF]"Are you okay, Lily?"[/color] Emma asked, concern filling her voice.

There wasn't any screams of pain from the transferred injuries but Lily felt a certain kind of satisfaction in seeing the tulpa disappear. It also seemed to have calmed down her stigma somewhat. She looked at Emma in wonder then at the shadow humanoid as it reappeared beside her, nodding her head slowly. [color=lightcoral]"I'm okay..."[/color]

Others were on the move now, different pieces coming together to speed up the process, but work was far from done. Zoe, Allison, and Hazel had all ran off, chasing down their respective targets, while there were others who still required healing. The bloodied cuts on Marcus's body were the obvious ones, but neither Sophia nor Angelic looked like they were all too fine either.

But there was something to be glad of regardless: the beefy humanoid shadow that Emma had manifested could, in fact, take on the wounds that Lily had transferred.

They had a better option now, than relegating Kusari to always be paired up with Lily. As a matter of fact, with the wonders of the cuff, Emma could summon her monsters by Lily any time in order to act as a target for injury transferral. Was this ground-breaking? No, but it was definitely a development they could take advantage of in the future.

[color=B0C4DE]"Nice, Emma,"[/color] Brent smiled, glad something worked out for once, [color=B0C4DE]"Lily, how many more can you do? Angelic and Sophia need help too, if you can manage."[/color]

Ernie looked between Determination and Lily, delighted at the discovery of this new combo. Amplification with no consequences. This was exactly what they needed. He pulled Lily up into a sitting position so he could pat her on the back, the parts that weren't stained by blood at least.

[color=00a99d]"You worked it out!"[/color] he beamed tiredly, [color=00a99d]"Awesome stuff, I'm proud."[/color]

There were still so many who needed to be healed. Even if she completely vanish her wounds, the mental and physical toll of repeatedly using this kind of magic needed to be considered.

[color=00a99d]"Angelique and Sophia. Then take a small break, yeah?"[/color]

Dizziness threatened to overtake Lily when she was pulled her into a sitting position. The worst of the injuries were gone but the effect of the blood loss was still with her. But that didn't prevent her from beaming at both Brent and Ernie. Who would've thought that there was a solution to her stigma problem? Delighted that Emma found a solution, she nodded at both boys that asked her to heal more. No need to hesitate this time. She sent out her thread that immediately wrapped itself on Angelique's wrist. 

As the the singer's injuries transferred to her, the x-marked blonde gasped at the new pain in her chest. Voices in her head clammored for her to hurt someone again. But this time, she didn't worry about the voices. The solution was there beside her. She immediately connected herself to tulpa, transferring what would have been fatal had it been human. And then one by one, she healed each subnatural, alternating between taking injuries and transferring them to Determination, making small whimpers every time she took on damages. [color=lightcoral]"No need for breaks,"[/color] she smiled tiredly at Ernie.

The balded Aberration merely raised a skeptical eyebrow, still smiling thanks to the migraine that had been lifted from him. The girl had lost a lot of blood. He wasn't going to make the same mistake he had at Wisford and overestimate the healers' medical knowledge.

[color=00a99d]"Just don't bite off more than you can chew, yeah?"[/color] he chided with one last pat on the back.

What Ernie said made sense. She should make sure that she doesn't tire herself too much that she'd be unable to help out when she was needed again. But at the moment, she didn't really care. Her friends needed her.

It really was hella impressive, and Brent shook his head at just how effectively Lily could work once she had a target that she didn't mind healing. Patting the younger girl on the back, he said, [color=B0C4DE]"Real good work you're doing. Next time we're not facing the end of the world, I'll treat you to something to eat. Got a request?"[/color]

The question made Lily look up, just after she had transferred the latest injuries she had taken to Determination. The smile on her face was huge, her eyes twinkling with delight and she said the first thing that came to mind. [color=lightcoral]"Ice cream and donuts, please."[/color] And then she turned her attention back to the rest of the injuries around her.

[color=00a99d]"We'll make both then,"[/color] Ernie stood up. A light smirk remained on his face despite the dire situation, [color=00a99d]"Ice cream's surprisingly easy to do if you've got the equipment. And donuts is just baking."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"The next Team SAP activity?"[/color] Brent grinned.

Lily's eyes were wide as she looked from Brent to Ernie. [color=lightcoral]"...is just baking..."[/color] she echoed. [color=lightcoral]"I don't know how to bake... or at least I don't remember if I can..."[/color] She grimaced as a new set of injuries transferred to her. They were small cuts but the smallest ones were almost always the most painful ones.

[color=00a99d]"Heh. I'll teach all you guys. But let's make sure we get outta here alive before we set a date or anything,"[/color] Ernie's smile started to fade as he took in more of the chaos outside. So much fear and distress. This wasn't good for his Stigma.

Lily nodded and turned her full attention on those that still needed her. Some of the guards who had been with them were injured too, if not dead. She hesitated, wondering if she should heal them. [color=lightcoral][i]Priorities,"[/i][/color] she thought and continued healing subnaturals. There would be time for the regulars later. Maybe.

Seeing that Lily was in stable health, Ernie went to his own business, picking up his bag and twisting open his concealer to start covering his neck. Once that was done, he walked over to the fallen soldiers to see what he could salvage. The glares of the remaining mourning their fallen comrades were easily ignored.

The wounds in her body having healed, Kusari stood to her feet with an annoyed groan. Emma using Determination as the recipient of Lily's magic earlier would have been great. At least Lily didn't have an excuse to refuse to fully heal herself. As she wiped off some of the blood on her she looked towards the way out of the room, and then to Angel and Sophia. [color=662d91]"Shouldn't we be regrouping and making sure everyone is alright before we jump into battle?"[/color] She said, her tone an audible facepalm. [color=662d91]"Better yet, why bother fighting at all? We weren't given orders after all."[/color] She wasn't speaking to anyone in particular, the way she say it her words applied to all of them.

"[color 33ec06]I mean, Brahms did say that we needed to evacuate.[/color]" Marcus said, taking a sitting position on one of the overturned pieces of furniture. His leg throbbed uneasily, but he tried to ignore it; there were people who needed the healing more than he did, and it wasn't like this was the worse injury he'd every had to deal with. Hell, it wasn't even the worse injury he had to deal with in the last month.

"[color 33ec06]But we've got quite a few unconscious people, and we can't exactly run around with them without making ourselves targets.[/color]" he added, weighing the pros and cons of the few strategies that were slowly forming in his mind.

While Marcus was speaking, Lily's black thread wrapped itself around his wrist, instantaneously healing his leg. After she had taken care of Marcus, she finally turned her attention to the regulars, still hesitating about whether she should help them out or not.

[color=B0C4DE]"Bigger problem,"[/color] Brent added, [color=B0C4DE]"Is that Zoe, Hazel, and Allison have already gone off to engage. Are we going to leave them behind? Force them to come along? Or what?"[/color]

Yeah, try and force those people to do anything. That'd be more dangerous than staring down the monsters that were currently wrecking the city. Not that Marcus could blame them for running off; there were people out there being killed, and even he didn't want to just turn tail and run, despite the safety that kind of plan assured them.

He gave Lily a look as the black thread wrapped around him, instaneously vanishing with his glass cuts. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped; he didn't need the healing - especially for a little (comparatively) injury like he had. Still, he wasn't going to chastize her for helping, giving her a small smile and a nod instead.

"[color 33ec06]We could split up again, like Wisford. Everyone willing to fight follows those three, while the rest of us get these wounded to a drop point, and meet up if we're able?[/color]" he said, his own voice unsure. It wasn't a good plan, but they currently had no plan, and it was better than [i]that[/i], at least.

Callan's attention was more drawn to the conversation than Sander's meager response. As Kusari suggested they leave, she stood and listened for a moment. "[color=a2d9ce]Sander and I can stall while you guys find a safe place to regroup,[/color]" she said. The thought that Sander might refuse didn't so much as cross her mind. She glanced at Kusari with a wary frown, "[color=a2d9ce]Either way, I'm going out there.[/color]"

[color=B0C4DE]"We're already grouped, other than the three that have left. What exactly would regrouping even do?"[/color] Brent pointed out. Was this her hero complex kicking in?[color=B0C4DE] "And destroying the ice giant...I don't think that would mean much. It was summoned or created by someone, Callan. This isn't going to end unless you find that person."[/color]

He paused, slowly taking in the enormity of the situation. Why was he reasoning so hard? Wasn't this heroic, idealistic bullshit something he liked? Strange.

At the mention of his name, Sander looked up, blinking in surprise -"[color cyan]...I have to stay with Christmas.[/color]" -He stated, tone suddenly firm.

Emma sighed, finally speaking up, [color=8A3DFF]”We have to do something. We can't just abandon the others... and anyways...”[/color] Emma suddenly wasn't sure if what she was going to say really mattered. Would they care about the people of D.C.? The very same people that hated them, that thought them lesser than themselves? [color=8A3DFF]”We don't know how fast the Precursors will be here... if we don't do something the city could be in serious trouble.”[/color]

The confidence in Callan's expression faltered for a moment as Brent pushed back, memories of the hospital rooftop and his quickly retreating back coming to mind in spite of the urgent chaos around them-- followed by Sander's rebuttal. Hadn't Brahm said there would be back up? Shouldn't they take Christmas and the others to safety? What did he mean that ice giant was summoned by someone? How did he know that? Was it a mage? A monster? Where was it?

One thing at a time.

Callan nodded. "[color=a2d9ce]Emma's right. We have to do something. But we can't leave Christmas and the General here,[/color]" she argued, motioning towards the man. She glanced down at Sander pleadingly, "[color=a2d9ce]Sander, you're not coming?[/color]"

"[color cyan]I want to stay with Christmas.[/color]" -The blood mage answered simply.

[color=00a99d]"What a surprise,"[/color] Ernie called out drily, looking up from the pile of guard equipment he was gradually amassing for the others. The boy himself was already wearing some paraphenalia, [color=00a99d]"But that's fine, ain't it? It's not like Christmas is in any shape to heal, even if he was awake. He's useless here. Just take him and the general some place far and safe."[/color]

Sander spared Ernie a glance, but didn't make any further comment. He turned to Callan instead -"[color cyan]Do you want me to stay?[/color]"

Marcus sighed angrily and shook his head at the lack of actual answer from Sander, and crossed his arms. "[color 33ec06]I can grab some of the uninjured guards and run everyone that's not fit to fight somewhere out of the way. Hopefully with my power, I'll be able to drop them off and turn right back around and join you guys.[/color]"

He chuckled to himself, in a tone that almost sounded like irritation. "[color 33ec06]Hell, Kadabra's already here, so the fight'll probably be done by the time we stop arguing and actually get out there.[/color]"

Frustrated by Sander, Callan made her way over to the window, anxiously tapping her heel while Ernie spoke up. She noted his tone with mild irritation, but decided against saying anything. Whatever beef they had with each other could wait.

Hearing Kadabra's name was a comfort, but did little to diminish her desire to get moving. Even if she could help save one person, it would be worth it. Better then standing around arguing for sure. Noticing the bright light high above the city, Callan turned back to face Sander and the others, "[color=a2d9ce]Sander, if you're not going to help me, then at least help Marcus get the injured out. It isn't safe here.[/color]" She glanced quickly at Brent, "[color=a2d9ce]I can't fly, so whatever summoned that ice giant will have to wait for Chris. But people are dying. I can't just let that ice giant keep doing whatever it wants.[/color]"

Without waiting for a response, Callan jumped, breaking into a run after the looming figure of the giant.

[color=662d91]"Hey, wai-"[/color] Kusari reached out her hand as Callan ran off, only to let it limply fall to her side as she exited the room. It was far too late to have everyone escape at once, so she threw the idea of a quick retreat out the window. [color=662d91]"You fight one giant monster and suddenly you're an expert..."[/color] She grumbled to herself before turning to the others. [color=662d91]"I'm borderline useless against something that big, so I'll help whoever decides to get out of here."[/color]

Just like that, she was gone, huh? Brent smiled mirthlessly at the sight of Callan's retreating back, the superhuman launching off after Hazel. If she wasn't planning on listening to reason the first place, why even ask?

[color=B0C4DE]"I'll stay behind then, if you're all retreating. Someone's gotta watch their backs,"[/color] the arbiter said, his eyes catching onto Ernie's looting activities. [color=B0C4DE]"Sander, can you power up with Kusari's blood? And Ernie, got binoculars or a gun in that pile of yours?"[/color]

Ernie gestured to the pile with a flourish. Armaments from a total of thirteen separate soldiers, nine dead and three unconscious. More than enough for the remaining class here. Glowsticks, flareguns, grenades. Helmets with visors, body armor and combat boots. Binoculars were definitely included. Guns too. A smaller, separate pile of utility belts similar to the ones handed out for the Wisford mission was by Ernie's feet. Standard issue pistols were somewhere in that. Beside the belts, a hill of assault rifles and stun guns glinted in the sunlight. Ernie tossed a belt and a pair of binoculars to Brent.

[color=00a99d]"Plenty of both. Got some heavier duty stuff here too but unless you've trained with them before I wouldn't recommend picking them up,"[/color] Ernie said, nodding to the grenades and assault rifles.

"[color cyan]Yes.[/color]" -Sander gave a curt answer to, but he stood up and ambled over to Ernie instead. From the looted items, he took a knife. Then wordlessly, he walked toward a corpse and knelt down next to it. A stab in the neck area was enough to let the cooling blood ebbed, and Sander put his hands where the wound was, soaking up the warmth.

Lily was looking and listening to what was happening around her, still sitting where she had fallen earlier, the dizziness abating a little but still there. It would take a bit for the blood she had lost to regenerate. She still haven't healed the guards yet but as soon as her eyes settled over Sander stabbing what appeared to be a dead man in the neck, she felt sorry for them. [color=lightcoral][i]If I heal them they'd be able to help out in any way they can. If they don't...well, then at least they won't be any more burden to any of us,[/i][/color] she thought to herself and looked up at Determination, who was still standing beside her after being summoned several times.  Making up her mind, she sent out her thread. The first regular it touched cringed and pulled back, most probably expecting that it'd hurt rather than heal. When his injuries disappeared, he gave a sigh of relief and glanced towards the blood soaked Aberration sitting a few feet away, a mixture of fear and gratitude in his eyes. Something Lily didn't really notice or care to see.

One by one. The same cycle. Take and give until all injuries were gone. Determination disappeared one last time with a poof...or at least that's how Lily thought it disappeared. And then when she was done, she looked towards Emma and gave her a triumphant smile. [color=lightcoral]"Thanks, Emma!"[/color]

Emma returned Lily's smile readily. [color=8A3DFF]”Of course. I'm just... sorry I didn't figure this out sooner. Things would've been a lot easier on you and Kusari.”[/color] Emma's smile turned to a slight frown, thinking about all the injuries the both of them had to needlessly sustain, if only she'd been a little smarter, a little better with her power.

The grin was still on Lily's face. It would take a lot to bring her mood down with her stigma sated. [color=lightcoral]"Better late than never!"[/color] she happily replied.

"[color 33ec06]Guess that makes you Offensive Support![/color]" Marcus said. An eerie similarity to the mission they'd just finished not that long ago.

He wandered over the pile next to Ernie, shooting Sander a disgusted look as his slit the throat of a dead guard. Sure, the man wasn't needing the blood anymore - but it seemed disrespectful at the least. Some of the guards watching this were probably friends...and he didn't think that he'd remain as cool as these guys when faced with that. As sobering as it was to remember, these guys were people too.

He snagged a gun from the pile, checking the magazine to make sure it was actually loaded, and a utility belt to accompany it. He was just about to turn away when the familiar orange hue stood out to him - another flare gun. The first one had at least done [i]something[/i], so it probably wouldn't hurt to have another. Or that was his justification as he greedily shoved it in his belt.

Offensive support. Gearing up for the mission. Evac team.

Hopefully this one went a little better than last time.

Emma glanced down at the pile Ernie had formed. It all seemed a bit macabre, looting the corpses of the dead guards. Even though they never did them any favors something about it still felt wrong. Emma glanced at the guns wearily. Would it have made a difference in Wisford? Emma quickly picked up one of the belts and a pistol to go with it, suddenly deciding to make up her mind before she lost her resolve. She began putting it on, turning towards Marcus. She hadn't gotten the chance to say anything to him during all the chaos. [color=8A3DFF]”I'm glad you're okay.”[/color] she said, trying her best to smile despite the situation they were in.  

"[color 33ec06]Should have known you'd never be able to get rid of me that easily.[/color]" he said with a chuckle, slipping his arm around her and pulling her in for a hug. "[color 33ec06]I'm glad you're alright, too.[/color]" he added softly.

Ernie rolled his eyes as he buttoned up the combat shirt. He could almost pass for a regular soldier now if it weren't for the lack of body armor on him. The sentimentality was understandable but...god, there were several corpses in the room. Not to mention the ice giant lumbering around. Well, at least Cal had left before she could see this lovey dovey nonsense. The balded Aberration looked to the couple's belts as he clipped his helmet, narrowing his eyes at the firearms.

[color=00a99d]"You two know how to use those, right? I don't want anyone here shooting themself in the foot or breaking a wrist cos they were cocky."[/color]

Emma hugged Marcus back before breaking off to turn towards Ernie. [color=8A3DFF]”My step-dad took me shooting... once.”[/color] Emma said, looking down at the gun now attached to her belt. [color=8A3DFF]”In Wisford I was caught out without my power, in the middle of that mess with the enemy Mages. I... don't want that to happen again. It'll only come out of the holster if I don't have any tulpas to fall back on. It's better than nothing, right?”[/color]

"[color 33ec06]And Max taught me how to shoot. BB guns at least...[/color]" he said, turning to also look at Ernie. "[color 33ec06]Must've been worth something at least, because I managed to hit a little rat thing, and that gravity girl back at Wisford.[/color]"

Ernie nodded, satisfied with the responses. [color=00a99d]"Just making sure."[/color]

Emma's answer caught his attention though. Caught out without her power? Did her summons--no, 'tulpas' now, whatever the heck that meant--have some time limit? Did they drain her energy a lot?

[color=8A3DFF][i]"I fled when I could have saved them. I shut down on that battlefield."[/i][/color]

Ernie frowned but decided to let it go. Not the time. He'd have to keep an eye on her though. The Aberration focused his attention on the assault rifles in lieu of Emma's mystery powers, lifting one up to get the feel of it. Urgh. Way too heavy for his liking. But it completed his disguise so he'd just have to deal with it. His whistle and a pair of binoculars hung from his neck. An impromptu sash made of the climbing slings he'd brought to Wisford carried his first aid kit, as well as his personal collection of carabiners, belays and his grappling hook. Had it not been for the canvas bag full of ammunition and grenade pouches, Ernie might have looked like a real Private.

While others spoke up, Brent got to work suiting up. Combat helmet, body armor, boots, a utility belt with both a gun and a stun gun holstered, as well as the binoculars that were requested. It was a shame that climbing gear wasn't available, but the collection of grenades were definitely tempting, even if he wasn't able to overclock and toss them. He thought about it for a bit, before deciding to grab himself a flare gun instead. After that, it was just filling his belt with two more of those standard-issue pistols, an oddly comical look if it wasn't for how his power functioned.

Was a melee weapon necessary as well? He looked at his body armor, before deciding not to bother. This would be fine for now.

[color=B0C4DE]"You three are going to be heading away then?"[/color] Brent asked, twisting his hips to test for how unwieldy this setup was.

"[color 33ec06]That's the plan.[/color]" Marcus said, looking to the members of their little group. "[color 33ec06]If we're able, we'll rejoin you guys. Try to leave some fight for us.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"I'll stay here. Wouldn't be much help with the move with my power,"[/color] Ernie looked to Brent to see if that was okay with him. Though retreat was a really tempting action, someone staying out here all by themself seemed like a bad idea. He needed to have faith in his rope, [color=00a99d]"Someone's gotta watch the backwatcher's back, right?"[/color]

Strange. He'd been so eager to stay on the backlines at Wisford. What was different here?

The fact that he had the chance to protect a friend. The fact that he had the option to leave at any time. The hundreds of terrified screams filling the air. It was true that he didn't give a shit about the lives of some asshole Regulars. But that didn't make watching a bunch of lives get snuffed out any easier. Wasn't this why he started training to improve himself? So he could do something when it counted?

Plus, they had just survived a tower fall. As long as they stayed far from the ice giant and blob's path, they should be fine.

[color=B0C4DE]"Who's gonna watch the back-backwatcher's back then?"[/color] Brent replied with a grin, before trying out his binoculars. [color=B0C4DE]"Good to have you though, Ernie. Gotta get back here once I run out of guns anyways."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Alright. Keep yourselves safe.[/color]" Marcus said, giving the two a nod. He turned to face the rest of the penthouse, taking a deep breath. Military planning; Max was always the best at military planning. For obvious reasons. Lot of yelling - staying cool and confident. Power. Be aggressive. A little bit different than the interview. The interview was nice and cooperative. They didn't need nice right now; they needed action.

Brave face.

"[color 33ec06]Transmit. Everyone still in the Penthouse, listen up: If you're staying to fight, you need to find Ernie and Brent so you can actually come up with some plan of attack. Everybody else, you're with me for Evac; grab any unconscious or otherwise injured people you see, and meet up with Marcus. That goes for all the USARILN Guards too! Over![/color]" he barked, almost trying to mimic Brahms's tone.

With that out of the way, there was still one more thing to take care of. Snagging the phone that had been stuck in the utility belt, Marcus spoke into it, still trying to command the authority he was currently faking.

"[color 33ec06]This is Marcus Howell from the Wisford Subnatural Group. We've got wounded personnel and need an immediate evacuation point.[/color]"

Wasn't nice. But hopefully it was effective.

[color=f7976a]"Take the south-east general evac route detailed in the communicator, heading towards the Anacostia River,"[/color] a gruff voice sounded through, talking briskly, [color=f7976a]"There will be evacuation personnel to escort you further once you reach Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge."[/color]

The line cut as quickly as it had been picked up.

Sander chose that moment to rise to his feet and amble back to where his roommate was. His torso was still sheathed in that bright glow of Christmas’ power, but along with that, there were thick wisps of red smoke billowing from his skin. Strength coursed through his veins, in exchange for the small price of desecrated bodies and disgusted looks from the living. 
 
However, Sander didn’t seem to notice either. He just pulled Christmas into his arms, lifting the small boy up easily into his arms. 
 
“[color cyan]I’ll go back too. I can…carry you if you can’t walk?[/color]” -Sander offered to no one in particular, eyeing the prone bodies of nearby soldiers.[/hider]

[hr]

[hider=Angelique, Grant and Sophia: Retreat]Having heard Sophia's plaintive groan of pain just beside her, Angel was the more tempted to suck it up and deal with the pain and get one of their healer to help. Their situation was foreboding as whatever broke inside their body proved to be a growing danger as time went by. Plus, Angelique wanted to help the others as soon as she could, but she was a sitting duck with her injuries.

But they wouldn't last long however. There had been a small commotion happening near the balcony, where everyone had gathered. Soon enough, the pain in Angel's side began subsiding as a black thread appeared on her wrist. The black-haired young woman recognized this manifestation of power. It was without a doubt Lily's. Why the fuck was it always her? Why wasn't it Christmas? Angelique was relieved to finally breathe freely without coughing blood and feeling her ribs flaring up with pain each time she breathed, but she felt bad for the girl to have taken her injuries, to feel her pain even if it was for the smallest amount of time.

Clearing up her blood-filled throat with a last bloody hack, Angel wiped her crimson-stained lips. Now that she was patched up, there was no need for her to be sitting up on her ass and be useless. Some of her classmates already started heading towards the fight. She had to help. She wanted to help. 

No, she wanted to fight. She wanted to destroy. Release her burdened mind from the pent-up anger and rage that was darkening her mood. She needed to vent, release it all against those deserving it.

The Voice Aberration tried to stand up and join the others. Become part of their plans and make sure Lily was being taken care of properly,. But the internal blood loss had already taken its toll on her. Angel's knees bucked under the sudden diziness, sending her falling frontwards and into Grant.

Grant was previously a bit confused from the sudden disappearance of his side's injury, though the blood staining his hand stayed. One of the healers, he could assume. He cast a glance to the side, where the black string lead to. The healer... her name was... well, it started with an L, he could remember. The sound of movement caught his attention in front of him, and he was faced by the sight of Angel trying to stand.

[color=0095FF]"He..hey, don't..."[/color] For once, Grant's voice had a hint of concern break through his usually flat voice as he watched her try. He took a step forward just in time for her to get back on her feet. For a moment, he thought that she might be fine, and there was nothing to worry about.

Then she began to fall. Even worse, began to fall toward him.

[color=0095FF]"Hey!"[/color] He exclaimed with emotion without thinking, bringing his hands up and catching her body before she, he, or both of them could hit the floor. His arms shook a bit from how sudden it was. He let out a breath, relieved, while at the same time realizing his voiced outburst. [color=0095FF]"Are... uh.."[/color] He cleared his throat before trying to get his words out again. [color=0095FF]"You shouldn't try to stand yet. Just sit down for a bit."[/color]

The warmth of Grant's arms catching her was welcoming instead of the ruined floor's impending cold touch, but that only made Angel angrier at herself. She hated this weakened state, She though she would be okay and, even if she was feeling dizzy, she could be of use. But not right now, as it would seem. Her body made sure of that.

[color=9e0039]"No!"[/color] The Aberration exclaimed angrily. But realizing shortly her wrath was directed at the wrong person, Angel sighed, her voice grew calmer and her face softened slightly. [color=9e0039]"I just want to get out there and help. I'm not going to sit up on my ass and do nothing while the others are risking their lives."[/color]

Grant ever so slightly flinched from Angel's exclamation, her voice angry, loud. Recollection. Gone. He was looking straight at her as her next words were calmer, yet conveyed the same message. He collected his words, trying to find the right words to say. They had to be in there somewhere. Grant finally slowly shook his head. [color=0095FF]"I understand you want to help. But in your condition, going out there is a death sentence. You can barely stand as it is. You'll be able to help much more once you've recovered."[/color] [i]Couldn't lose another.[/i] At that thought, his brows furrowed and he ignored it, shaking his head free from the thought. [color=0095FF]"...I'm not saying you shouldn't help, but wait until you can actually stand on your own to do so.[/color]

[color=9e0039]"I just..."[/color] Angel tried to convince herself and Grant that she didn't want to feel useless, but she interrupted herself midway. Why was she trying to argue with him? Because she wanted to prove she was strong and dependable? So much for looking that way, as she was still caught up in Grant's securing arms. 

Thoughts of Wisford. Thoughts of the Flags game back at USARILN. She had been useless. Useless because she let herself become overexerted from her wounds. Useless because she was too reckless and didn't prioritize her welfare. Grant was right. She would be of no help at all in this state. Worse, she could become a liability to her teammates. And that was the last thing she wanted to be.

[color=9e0039]"You're right. I'm sorry."[/color] Angel nodded slowly, apologetic. 

As much as she wanted to sit down, being firmly secured in Grant's protective arms kind of prevented her from doing so. [color=9e0039]"Uh... can you help me over there then? By the couch?"[/color]

Situation disarmed. He fought back a sigh of relief when Angel agreed, apologizing. He had barely noticed that he was still holding her from catching her from the fall. Caught up in convincing her and all. Her request made him realize their somewhat awkward position, and his arms loosened, but was careful not to just drop her. [color=0095FF]"Oh, yeah.. yes."[/color] He'd say, moving to support her rather than hold her. Settled, he lead her to the wrecked couch.

[color=9e0039]"Thanks."[/color]

Although Angel detested the thought of sitting down on this now-uncomfortable couch while she took some time to recover, she willed herself to settle down and watch what the others would be doing. She didn't like the situation, but she couldn't afford to be a nuisance to the others by going against her body's current lacking functions. 

[color=9e0039]"Grant? Could you bring Sophia here too? If I need rest, she probably needs it more than I do."[/color]

After Grant let Angel sit down on the couch, he gave a glance back at the younger subnatural still on the ground where he had just helped them from. It was only when Angel spoke when he found out her name. Sophia. Put name to face. He gave a nod before he made the quick trip back to the girl, and he carefully lifted her up in his arms. Predictably light. Slowly, he headed back to the couch and set her down on it.

Even after her injuries had been healed, Sophia remained lying there. She didn't trust herself to get up, not when she still felt lightheaded and weak. She was aware that Angélique was moving beside her, but didn't speak or request that she be moved. The dark-haired boy whose name she still couldn't remember came for her anyway, catching her by surprise when he bent to pick her up instead of just helping her to stand up. Maybe that was a good thing that she was carried, she probably would have protested being helped, too afraid that she would black out again while trying to stand. It wouldn't be the first time she had done that while standing up. She was really too sensitive.

While being carried Sophia gripped tightly to Grant, or at least, as tightly as she could while in this state. Even the movements from being carried made her feel dizzier, so when she was set down on the couch she curled up there with her eyes closed, muttering a quiet phrase meant to prevent anyone from worrying. [color=BD892F]"I'll be fine soon."[/color]

Angel quietly nodded at Sophia's reassuring words. She didn't look all that well, but the worst off their injuries was past them. She needed some rest, like Angel herself. [color=9e0039]"Alright. Take as much time as you need."[/color]

And oddly enough, Angel meant it for Sophia to just sit down and not take part of the ongoing battle. Seeing Sophia like this, it made Angel remember the loss her class recently had. Savannah... It was painful to remember the child this Aberration was starting to grow fond of had vanished to suddenly while she was not by her side. 

[color=9e0039]"I'm sorry. When we fell, I thought I could somehow shield you from the impact. I didn't think I would actually squeeze your bones in with the shock."[/color]

[i]Time.[/i] Something they didn't really have. Even through the haze that clouded her mind, Sophia knew that out there those monsters were still roaming. When would those creatures decide to head this way? [color=Bd892F]"Soon..."[/color] she murmured again, but this time the words were almost lost. Nevertheless, she let herself relax into the couch, focusing on recovering from the shock that the sudden fall had given her. 

An apology wasn't what she had been expecting, not now. She made herself pay attention to the Aberration's words instead of the buzzing inside her head. [color=Bd892F]"...doesn't matter,"[/color] she managed to get out, and it really didn't. The fall wasn't something that Angélique had caused, and it was fine now. Even if Angélique had squeezed her and caused more damage, it didn't matter now. Not now. She would be fine.[color=Bd892F]"You tried..."[/color] Sophia opened her eyes so they were only half closed, looking at the girl next to her. [color=BD892F][i]At least she cared enough to try.[/i][/color]

[color=9e0039]"Okay.."[/color]

Angel spoke softly, returning the girl's half-closed gaze with her unshielded and tired shadow-circled eyes, trying to muster up a reassuring smile. Angel wondered why Sophia wasn't talking this much at all, or with half-spoken sentences. Perhaps she was having it way tougher than Angel considering their iprevious injuries? Or perhaps was she mad at Angelique for having accidentally crushed her bones? Who knew. Now wasn't the time to overly think about it. They were both alive, it's what counts most in the young woman's mind.

Sighing silently, the raven-haired fallen rockstar shuffled into the bent, overturned couch, trying to position herself better to relax as well. Perhaps closing her eyes for a few minutes too would help recovering from her dazed state of mind.[/hider]

[hr]

[hider=Ernie and Lily: Reprimand]As others got themselves organised, Ernie gathered equipment for both himself and Brent, breathing deeply all the while. Brent needed guns, lots of them. Ernie needed firepower. Both needed ammunition. He ran through the mental checklist and stuffed more pistols into his canvas bag, frowning when he saw Lily loitering by the Support Team.

[color 00a99d]"Feeling good?"[/color] the Aberration stood, tilting his head. The goal was to assess her current health but he probably wasn't being subtle about it.

Lily, feeling just a little bit dizzy from the blood loss earlier, was hanging around the Support Team hoping that she could be of some use to them. It was logical that she join the Evacuation Team and see if any body else needed healing but she felt like she could do more, contribute a little differently from how she always does. But how? She had no combat training. The last time she handled explosive, she almost blew up Marcus. The only thing she could do was to transfer damage and amplify. But with the other students' powers, was she really needed? 

She was still chewing on the idea of offering her help when Ernie spoke up. [color=lightcoral]"Hmmm? Oh. Yes, I'm feeling better, thank you,"[/color] she said, emphasizing her answer with a bright smile. 

[color 00a99d]"That's good. Make sure to pace yourself, yeah? Doesn't look like we'll be getting out very soon,"[/color] he sighed. Ernie looked at her more seriously this time, [color 00a99d]"Why are you standing by Support Team?"[/color]

Lily nodded and then paused at Ernie's question. It was a very strange question. Why else would she be hanging out near Support Team? Of course she wanted to help. She felt she had a lot she can contribute. [color=lightcoral]"I wanna help out,"[/color] came her simple answer.

The boy frowned at the response. She seemed earnest enough. But Ernie knew that intentions meant little if you lacked the capacity to follow through. Knew that better than most.

[color 00a99d]"It doesn't look like Emma or Kusari are gonna be sticking around,"[/color] he remarked, hoping that the girl would catch his drift. The reasonable thing to do would have been to just ask one of them to stay behind with Lily but...

Ernie grimaced. He had very specific personal reasons for not asking either of them. Plus, it didn't seem like a smart idea to put them in more unnecessary danger if they weren't up for it. Not that it had been a problem for Zhang or Kardos before.

[color 00a99d]"I think you should go with them. Evacuating a city is brutal work and we're gonna need all hands on deck. It'd probably be for the best if you stuck with those girls."[/color]

The blonde teenager stared at Ernie. He probably meant well and his words made sense but for someone who knew exactly what she can do, he didn't appear confident that she could help. He didn't appear confident at all. Was he afraid that she'd lose control over her stigma? But there were monsters. She can let loose against them. That was what they needed, to get rid of those monsters rampaging in the city, right?

[color=lightcoral][i]He doesn't want you there cause he doesn't trust you. He thinks you're worthless and a burden.[/i][/color]

That calm voice in her head again. It was disconcerting to hear. So calm, so confident of its words. And the worst part? The voice sounded like her. The voice [i]was[/i] hers.

It was Lily's turn to grimace. Should she not trust the boy in front of her? Didn't he ask her to trust him? And by trusting him, it meant that he trusted her too, right? The Aberration wrestled with her thoughts. Having her mind free of all the other voices, it seemed more confusing. Did it really matter if Ernie trusted her? Did she have to have his permission to go fight? But if she fought, would the Evacuation team be okay especially with Christmas out of commission?

In the end, she came up with just one question. [color=lightcoral]"Who will heal you if you get hurt?"[/color]

A resigned scratch of his head under the helmet. [color 00a99d]"Hopefully we'll be staying far enough away to avoid needing healing in the first place."[/color]

It was a fair point she raised. His first aid wasn't going to help with a ten-storey fall. And 'staying far enough' wasn't a viable strategy with those three Aberration girls charging away. Still, there were too many risk variables involved with Lily's healing for Ernie to be comfortable with her staying around.

[color 00a99d]"I know you feel that you gotta do something. But how will you heal out here? Hold onto all our injuries while Emma and Kusari are far behind? Transfer them onto one of the monsters and put yourself in even more danger because you got too close? There are too many risks we can't account for if you don't have a reliable transfer partner out here. I'm sorry, I just don't think it's a good idea for you to stay."[/color]

Lily pointed to the ice giant. [color=lightcoral]"Transfer to that thing. Right. There,"[/color] she said in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone of voice, jabbing a finger towards the monster several times to emphasize her point. A part of her was getting frustrated. Why was Ernie treating her like some sort of kid that was insisting on going just because she wanted to go and not someone who was perfectly capable of helping out?

[color 00a99d]"And if that doesn't work? If your power does nothing or worse, it does something and doesn't kill it in one go? You piss it off then get crushed or swatted by an angry iceberg and we can't do anything about it. Me and Brent can't exactly take that thing on and we can't have Cal playing bodyguard while she's trying to fight."[/color]

Lily opened her mouth, a retort ready. What Ernie said made sense, of course, but the golden haired healer wanted to know how she'd fare in a battle. If it was like the first battle she was in where she fought fish and squirrel like creatures, then she knew she could dish out decent damage. Not that her own life wasn't in danger as it is but it wasn't fair that the others were always put in the front lines. Just because she could heal, did that mean that she had to always be protected. She needed to know if she could protect herself in battle too. The other part of her just wanted to argue with Ernie, wanted to convince him to let her go, wanted to know if what that strange voice in her head said was true. 

But before she could say anything, her mood erratically shifted and her lips curved down into a frown. And with it came disinterest in both arguing and trying to make herself useful to people who just didn't want her to be around. [color=lightcoral]"Fine. Stay alive,"[/color] she said in a flat voice before turning away.

Ernie's shoulders dropped at the sight of the resigned girl. He'd always hated the 'for your own good' argument too. Having to inflict it on someone else just made the boy feel even worse than he already did.

[color 00a99d]"Lily, wait,"[/color] he took her lightly by the shoulder, [color 00a99d]"I thought of something you can do."[/color]

The animated look that had been on Lily's face seconds ago was replaced by apathy as she turned around and looked at Ernie. [color=lightcoral]"Stick with people who I can transfer injuries to. There's no need to say it again. I heard you the first time,"[/color] she said in the same flat tone.

He shook his head. [color 00a99d]"Something like that. But better."[/color]

God, he hoped he wasn't condemning his classmates to their deaths with this.

[color 00a99d]"Remember the teams at Wisford? Try to convince Emma and a third person to move around with you so you can join us. A mobile healer unit."[/color]

It sounded smart in his head. But real life missions always found ways to fuck this sort of careful planning out.

[color 00a99d]"Help with the evacuation first. Then talk to Emma. You'll need one more person to go with you to back you guys up. A mover like Marcus or Siena maybe. Then you can come back and help with civilian or teammate injuries when we ping you. Take a belt with you so we can communicate."[/color]

Ernie lifted one of the looted utility belts and offered it to Lily.

Lily considered Ernie's suggestion for a few seconds before nodding. [color=lightcoral]"Fine,"[/color] she said. She reached out and took the belt offered to her and then without another word, turned and walked away.

The buzzcut boy opened his mouth as if to say more. He didn't want to part on such bad terms. Maybe he should have tried to fix things. Maybe he should have given her a better plan, or shared his suspicions about Emma. But he didn't. With one last dejected sigh, he let the healer go and went back to his own preparations.

[color 00a99d]"You stay alive too. Please."[/color][/hider]

[hr]

Little time passed before the subnaturals and guards organised themselves into the separate teams. Gregory stayed with Brent and Ernie's makeshift Offensive Support team. The remaining teens began to move out, first heading south down New Jersey Avenue. Siena and one of the uninjured guards carried an unconscious troop while the remaining two unharmed soldiers teamed up to carry another knocked out comrade. Using Determination, Emma was prepared to transport Lawrence and another guard, one on each of the tulpa's shoulders. Kusari and Lily took care of another USARILN troop while Marcus helped Sophia to her feet for evacuation. A still-dazed Angel's arm was slung over Grant's shoulder as he lifted the remaining two incapacitated with his chains. That left Christmas and Brahms for Sander to transport.

[color=00a99d]"Be careful when you're moving,"[/color] Ernie called out before they left, [color=00a99d]"Subnaturals strolling around during a mage attack won't be a good time for the Regulars. For anyone, really."[/color]

With that last warning, the remaining class went their separate ways.