Chrysopoeic laughed at Dragon's words. "I would think one such as you would know better. That you of all these misguided children would understand the fault and failings of these liars."

Dragon shrugged, taking Spectrum by the hand. "I couldn't care less what the High do. People threaten me and mine is when I get irritated. You're talking about stuff that's way over my head, anyway, Chris. You cause trouble, I..." He squeezed Spectrum's hand and indicated the rest of the gathered heroes, "We come down on you."

"And I had such high hopes for you," Chrysopoeic replied with a shake of the head. Holding up his hands as if in prayer, he continued, "I forgive you, child, for your ignorance. May you be cleansed before the coming storm so that you may weather it and find your rightful place by my side. Both of you."

Bringing his hands down, he looked back at Dragon. "I give you one final chance for you and yours to break free of your shackles and join me in freedom. To grow and gain, and to remove the oppressors from your head and heart."

Dragon frowned and sighed, rubbing his chin. "Don't tell me you're some mainland evangelist cult or something. There's a Catholic church about six blocks that way that's even got nuns, if you want to pray to your own God." His tone was flippant, but Spectrum noticed how he checked where everyone else was with a casual glance. He was nervous, and that made her more worried. His gaze lingered on the armless girl, Alex' friend, but he was soon matching gazes with the man in the suit again. Since her eyes were less distinct, Spectrum watched her instead, trying to weigh up supporting Dragon and keep Charlotte close or going to her.

"The only cult that exists is the one you have all been secretly anointed into," Chrysopoeic said gravely. "That same cult that I am trying to save you from."

Dragon blinked, stepping back from the group. "Spec, get that girl and bring her back. Charlotte, run to Traveler and get her to open a door back inside, quickly," He whispered. The orders given, he frowned and stamped his foot a few times. Anyone else might have mistaken it for a nervous twitch, but it was anything but. "Look, Chris, I can see you've put quite a bit of effort into the theatrics here. I mean, matching costumes, a nice gender mix for representation, but you're just missing that one final shred of coherence in your message. Take it from me, I do the marketing thing all the time between hero gigs. Probably saw my face on a billboard on the way here."

Kneeling next to the girl, Spectrum tried to remember her name. "Um... Cushy, can you walk? We need to get away from these guys." Looking at the girl's leg, Spectrum thought. If she went Green, she'd be able to carry the girl back on her own, but it'd take her forever, and Dragon's distraction might not last that long.

"If you want to sell something, you gotta make sure people understand it," Dragon continued, as if he were about to walk up to Chrysopoeic and putting a hand on his shoulder. "My rugged good looks and iron hard abs, those people understand. If I stand in front of a mirror and spray on deodorant, people understand that the deodorant is used by attractive and good-looking people. Now your whole spiel of a cult and freedom and stuffing people into tiny metal balls, I'm sure that works for you. But you gotta have a coherent message. What exactly are you trying to sell here?"


Xoxi looked up at Spectrum as she said her name through her sobs. [color=ec008c]"I-It's Xoxi..."[/color] As she tried to stand up, feeling the sensation of pain even more in her leg. The sudden pain caused the girl to fall back down onto her face, arms gone so she couldn't even pick herself back up. [color=ec008c]"... n-no... can't stand..."[/color] All the pain really made her just want to throw up. 

Speaking of throw up, Xoxi gagged a bit before feeling like she just began to spew out of her mouth... only... there was no substance leaving her. More or less. the air around her began to feel more... in tune. Everything just sort of began to work together in ways Xoxi hadn't been able to understand before. A ghost hand appeared in front of her face, flashing a peace sign before fading into the abyss...

Xoxi found herself floating upwards slightly, as if she picked herself up without her hands. Her form was encompassed by a purple aura as she did so, her eyes changing from their normal shade to a color akin to her ghost hands.

She felt... good. Like she was more intact with herself. Like she was more... her... than she'd ever been before. 

Falling back down on her foot and balancing, Xoxi spoke again to Spectrum, her tear ducts stopping production. [color=ec008c]"... d-do you know what happened there...?"[/color]

"Nobody likes someone who tells them they're living wrong, you see. That's negative and makes them feel bad."

As Dragon continued his monologue in the background, Spectrum watched the girl she was trying to rescue stand up in a halo of colour. She stepped forward, letting Xoxi lean on her to keep the weight off her leg. "I think you floated," she answered, really having no better answer. "But we gotta get moving." She felt something rest on her shoulder and back, as if Xoxi had put an arm around her shoulders, but when she put a hand up for the other woman's, grabbed nothing but air. "Keep holding on or however you're doing that. Alex should have a gate for us."

Xoxi let a soft smile escape her tears as she nodded, tapping into whatever power she had again to levitate off the ground once more, returning to being in the purple aura from before. [color=ec008c]"I-I feel... complete. Like the world is my oyster, but even more so..."[/color] Xoxi's gaze zoned out until she finally responded to Spectrum. [color=ec008c]"Y-yeah! Right behind you."[/color] Xoxi looked over at the ongoing conflict before questioning what had just happened with her powers. Did she get an upgrade? It seemed like she did, but she couldn't describe it right now.

That being said, there definitely was something new inside her. Something comforting.

Chrysopoeic shook his head, metal pooling from his hands in a lazy fashion. "You are deluded child, listen to reason." Dragon didn't blink, though he noticed. He was going to end up like the comic-book Epic if Traveler didn't give him a portal soon.