[center][b][i]October 20, 2020
6:00 PM PST
Gold Coast Estates, Coast City CA[/i][/b]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/JY7j3s0.png[/img][/center]

Jessie stared at the projected image on the otherwise blank wall, watching the live news feed intently as confusion mounted in her city. Not just Coast City, but every major population center. Corpses rising from the morgues, the funeral homes, cemeteries, and all starting to roam the streets. It didn't make any [i]sense[/i]! What possible scientific explanation could there be for walking corpses?! A virus seemed unlikely what with how widespread the outbreak was, and reports were starting to trickle in from other nations too so it likely wasn't some kind of attack. A metahuman maybe? Someone who could control the dead? But how could they do it with this many, and so widespread? As much as Jessie hated to entertain the possibility, this concept of 'magic' that had been floating around since Lady Arcana had shown up almost made sense... But if magic truly was real, there had to be a way to quantify it. But for that, she'd need samples. 

Throwing on her cloak and grabbing her hoverboard, Jessie sent out a text message to Echo and Vox; [b][color=92278f]"Bagging zombie bits, be back soon!"[/color][/b] before settling her goggles over her face and rushing out the door. The board clicked satisfyingly into place on her boots and the girl was off like a rocket, streaking above the well-kept lawns and streets of the rich suburb before arcing higher and beelining for her old neighborhood: The Block and Northgate Park.

[center]------------------------------------------------------[/center]

A few moments of flying later, and Jessie's goal was in sight. Reaching up to tap the side of her goggles, the inventor grinned as the displays lit up and her vision turned green. She knew the lenses of her goggles were now emitting an obscuring green light, making her face harder to identify, and with her eye-tracking software she could control the telescopic zoom for her teleporting, as well as aspects of her hoverboard. Jessie could see the green stretch of grass and trees, the conspicuous wound in the otherwise uniform layout of streets and buildings. This would be the spot. Large gatherings of people, nearby hospital and cemetery, and lots of shambling space. And speaking of shambling, Lightning Bug could see a few of them now, trying to chase down some tourists!

Swooping down out of the air, Lightning Bug activated the repulsor mode on her board, essentially sending into an autopilot so she could focus on the half-dozen corpses stumbling their way towards fresh meat. She cracked her knuckles and grinned at the popping of electrical sparks that flew from her hands as she did so. A sharp whistle, and a few rotting heads turned in her direction. [color=92278f]"Come on now, that doesn't seem fair at all!"[/color] She taunted, motioning towards the fleeing tourists. [color=92278f]"I mean they wouldn't stand a chance, with their fanny packs and sun visors! Why don't you go after a real challenge, huh?"[/color] She said with a grin before turning her outstretched fingers in the direction of the group of zombies. 

In an adrenaline-filled instant, time seemed to slow for Lightning Bug. She could feel the air at her fingertips warm as electricity arced between her fingers. A near-invisible streak of ionized air shot from her hands, slicing through the air towards the zombies. Milliseconds later, electricity bursting from her exposed fingertips, arcing and leaping through the ionized path and striking the zombies head on. Enough of a charge to fry whatever was left of their brains, most likely. And yet, the group seemed mostly unfazed... Apart from some charred flesh and smoking hair, the group of undead seemed... Well, undead. And were now advancing on the girl.

[color=92278f]"Hm... Well, that could have gone better."[/color] Lightning Bug said, backing her board up as she plotted her next move...