The copies eventually began to thin, and the original teenage girl started to fade in like a film transition next to Rend. Before she'd even finished fully materialising, she was adjusting her shirt and brushing her hair back. "Hey, Rend." She tried to sound disinterested even as she reached behind her and pulled her top a little tighter to attract his attention. It did, but she missed the annoyed eye-roll that followed when he looked away. Mimic grinned from ear to ear. Progress!

"Well done with this mess," Chrysopoeic rumbled at the front of the group. Her smile faded. It wasn't her fault, and she opened her mouth to say so, but then Dian caught her eye. The little brat stuck her tongue out at her, while she was busy with her leg too. Little baby. Mimic returned the favour. She could stick her tongue out further anyway, unless Dian did something funny. But it definitely wasn't her fault for this mess. Rend was supposed to take care of that teleporter lady anyway. He'd seemed too eager to go looking, so Mimic had already decided she didn't like the teleporter.

She looked over at the new guy. He looked cute. Maybe she could play with him later. Those discs flying around him looked like he had a cool power too. With a small smile, Mimic decided she'd find his room later and have a little talk. Maybe he'd appreciate her properly. Maybe it would make Rend jealous. She bit her lip, pleasant thoughts running through her head as she let her top adjust itself back to normal and her last few copies burst or faded. She liked that power sometimes. Too bad Null had killed the Epic with that power. She wanted to use it more often.

[hr]

Spectrum looked around as the air around her spontaneously cleared itself of copies. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, she scanned around for Charlotte, a pang of white fright making her drop a few feet when she couldn't see the girl. Ignoring the group battling on the street, she spun and pointed a finger, heading in the direction she was facing when it stopped. A nearby window shuddered in time with an explosion, and she glanced at it to see Charlotte inside. "Charlotte!" She shouted, smashing the window and taking out the last copy assaulting the girl. "Thank the High you're okay." She took the girl in her arms, then held her at arms' length checking for injury. "You are okay?"

Another explosion rumbled, and Spectrum decided it'd be more prudent to be out on the street when whatever was causing those rumbles got here. "Come on, let's find Dragon," she said, taking Charlotte's hand and practically dragging her out of the building. Dragon wasn't far, thankfully, and she went to him right away. "What's-"

"Sh." Dragon interrupted her, looking down the road. She followed his gaze and a chill went through her. Just the two girls had been enough, and now there was a whole group of them, men and woman and... Was that metal ball [i]bleeding[/i]? She stepped closer to Dragon, ushering Charlotte behind her even as she hid behind him. The man in front of the newcomers gestured, and the ball dropped to the floor, cracking the tarmac and rolling to a stop between them and her family. She blinked, a colour flickering across her armour. Her family?

[quote]"Hear me, so called heroes!" He called out, his voice booming through the area. "You have been blinded by the lies and tricks of your false gods. You have fought valiantly to defend those which should have been destroyed, grown like cattle before the slaughter! Your failings in this are of no fault of yourselves, but of those who claim to guide you and protect you."
"But have you been protected? No, you have not! Your city has been a playground for the twisted beasts of the dark, of the murderers. You attack children because of these liars! You sit when you should act! I, Chrysopoeic, have come to rid this corruption from this City and take my rightful place on the Throne, my Alkahest at my side. Lay down your powers against us, and rise beside of us into glory and greatness, bringing the flood of change that are coming."[/quote]

In the silence after that speech, the explosions were drowned out by a slow, pervasive rumble. Spectrum recognised it even as she wished she didn't. It was a building falling. A few blocks away, but still close enough that she squeezed Charlotte's hand for comfort. The Island would put it right back up, but that hadn't mattered to the residents of the Fitch building. Dragon, oh High he looked cool, folded his arms and waited for the rumbling to finish before replying, "Gee, thanks, Chris, but the High don't take too kindly to blasphemers. Perhaps you should run off and find some other city to play warlord in."