((Collab between Letter Bee and Daft Monarch))

The moon was bright at this late hour, the air cool as it blew. But the boy only barely noticed it, keeping only enough attention not to bump into the fire hydrants and dumpsters. He was absorbed in his quest, driven by fear and a little hope. And so, Ascot walked on towards the subway, the mask hot to his touch, invisibly burning with unnatural power. But despite that, the urgency given by the voice had faded, and the boy began questioning his course. As the subway drew into sight he looked towards Zoe, finally answering her questions:

"I heard a voice in a dream, telling me to go to the subway. I then woke up with this mask in my hand," he held out the gold-and-white object. "I know, this sounds crazy and scary, but...Zoe, I'm scared."

[color=#7fffd4]"We're strolling through the alleyways of Lightbridge at near enough midnight, and now you say it's because some dream voice told you to catch a train?"[/color] Taking a moment to internalize this information she let out a sigh, softly shaking her head, albeit with a smile. Will wasn't a liar, not in her experience, so something absurb must have happened to have him spouting this fun.

The pale gold mask held up before her was no cosplayers DIY costume, that much was clear. Reaching out to run a finger across it's surface she suddenly stopped, eyes wide, as a jolt of trepidation stayed her hand. That feeling again, but this time it had really raised her hackles. Hand withdrawing to rub her forehead, Zoe took a moment to calm down. Or at least tried. Her body demanded action.

[color=#7fffd4]"Alright. I'm feeling weird enough today that I can go along with your story. That said, this is, indeed, super fucking weird. You know that right?"[/color] Zoe smiled, making eye contact with her sibling as she reached out to grab his free hand. Giving it a squeeze she continued, [color=#7fffd4]"look, the way I see it, we can do one of two things. We could go home, watch a movie and leave all of this behind us. Done. Or we keep going, face this demon of yours. The subway right?"[/color] Turning her head to the looming subway entrance she finished [color=#7fffd4]"we're right here, bud. This is the sub travelling the c-route. Good a place as any. It's your choice, smart guy."[/color]

A nod from Ascot as he said, "Let's move forward; I don't think this business would go away if we ignore it. Do you have a flashlight?"

[color=#7fffd4]"Course I do! Have I ever let you down before?"[/color] she quipped, freeing an arm from her rucksack to let it swing down to her side before unzipping and reaching blindly in, feeling for the compact torch she knew lurked at the bottom. For a brief moment she felt something hard brush against her fingers, accompanied by a strong static shock. Her hand shot out the bag in surprise, a short but decriptive chain of expletives finding their way off her tongue. 

Shaking her hand as the shock dissipated, Zoe gave the offending bag an evil eye. She placed it on the floor and unzipped it fully, getting a better look.

[color=#7fffd4]"The... fuck?"[/color] 

"What's the matter, Zoe?" Ascot asked, going to his sister's side and looking into the opened bag. His heart chilled at what he saw there.

[color=#7fffd4]"You... This isn't yours? You didn't put it in my bag?"[/color] she asked, brain glitching out. Nestled at the bottom of the rucksack among a half finished bottle of water, small knife, torch and various other inner city necessities rested a serpentine aquamarine mask, reflective silver horns and spines adorning it. 

[color=#708090]Claim it. Keep him safe.[/color]

That was when her brain gave up, her fight or flight instinct peaking overwhelmingly, freezing her in place for what seemed an eternity, but was merely moments. As her whole entire life would dictate, her subconcious chose to fight. Fight by confronting the problem. Noticably dazed Zoe knelt down, reaching once more into her bag and grasping the polished visage. A faint charge shocked her again, milder; she hardly twitched.

[color=#7fffd4]Wha... I. What is... this?[/color] On claiming the mask, withdrawing it and standing up again, a tangible, sublime thread wove it's into her soul, slowly but increasingly siphoning away the unnatural hypertension that had been driving her mad all day. Zoe released a long sigh of relief, one she hadn't known she was holding. The sigh tapered into a soft but genuine giggle of happiness. Right before their eyes the mask came to life, seemingly in reaction to the transfer of emotional energy. The empty, darkened eyes filled with a blanket of swirling clouds, pale and mercurial, darkening towards the center. Faint golden blue tendrils of electricity arcing throughout the evershifting clouds emitted the barest flicker of light in the  darkness between the siblings.

Zoe tore her gaze away from the fascination in her hands to to meet her brothers eyes. The sudden, welcoming gift of inner peace lent her confidence and a strange willingness to let  fate do it's worst. Grabbing her flashlight she picked up her bag, shouldering it again as she straightened up. Turning bodily towards the subway, she held out the torch, motioning for Will to take it. The mask by her other side tingled in her hand. 

[color=#7fffd4]"I really hope your brain can figure this one out Will. For some reason, I don't think we're getting out of it."[/color]

Ascot nodded. "True reason accepts all that exists, even if it cannot explain it." He then took the torch. "I know enough stories to know that this might be the start of something great, something grim, or both. The masks must have some special significance, and we must keep them at hand...along with your Krav Maga skills." A thought. "I don't think we're going to be alone in getting these masks. We may have...partners waiting for us in the subway."

So, with torch in hand, he went onwards, entering the area...

Zoe just rolled her eyes with mirth, making a show of cracking her knuckles before following, always keeping two steps behind him.

[@Redward]