[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/12606d51-d406-43b2-9e02-ddd4234dbfc4.png[/img]
[sub]featuring Arvind Nortman[/sub]
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[Color=#dcd0ff]“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this, Arvi.”[/color] Nalini groaned, as she stared at the pack of detergent. The glimpse of small red light caught her eye. [Color=#dcd0ff]“Why is your phone out? No, don’t film it, you idiot!”[/color] She stepped forward and slugged her brother in the shoulder.

Arvi let out a yelp. [Color=#f4d258]“Okay, okay, okay, fine! Shit, that hurt.”[/color] He sighed and rolled his eyes. [Color=#f4d258]“I just thought it would be cool to have a viral video of my sis on Facebook or something. I dunno. Besides Tide pods aren’t any worse than the bleach your were drinking.”[/color] He rubbed at his shoulder, his mind obviously on something else. 

Nalini was starting to have second thoughts about hanging around her brother. She didn’t hate him, but he was just… [i]Arvi[/i]. Tall, dark, and six-foot-four, he towered over people. They shared the same golden brown eyes, but his were behind thick horn-rimmed glasses. Long, midnight hair framed his angular face. He’d grown so much over the summer that she almost didn’t recognize him. His awful posture and thin, gaunt features disguised the fact he could be a linebacker. He had the shoulders for it, he just hadn’t grown into himself yet. It’s a small wonder why he complained about being approached by every sports team at the school.
The real tragedy is that he suffered from a a serious life-threatening condition where he would say something obvious, and she would threaten his life. It was like having her own personal narrator running around stating everything exactly as it happened [i]when[/i] it happened. He also suffered from a degenerative brain disease called “unable to shut up.” It was a miracle he lived to be fifteen, but his future was still unclear.
Their parents did little to stop it either. Honesty was big in their family, so he got a pass when he played it off. The problem was they were both keeping a secret from their parents. Well, a single big one, in particular.

[Color=#dcd0ff]“Arvi, take a moment, think really hard, and ask yourself ‘What are a few reasons your sister, Nalini, might not want to be on the internet?’”[/color] The sarcasm and derision was obvious in her voice.

Arvi began considering this without any restraint. And, much to his sister’s chagrin, did so aloud. [Color=#f4d258]“Well…. You could kidnapped by some weird criminal organization and ritually sacrificed like that movie we watched a couple weeks ago.”[/color] His fingers popped out, and he started counting them absentmindedly. [Color=#f4d258]“Dad would probably find out really quick, since he’s on their all the time now. Which would suck because you’re embarrassed to tell him that you’re a spider freak with badass powers like being able to break through walls and swim in battery acid, which I still don’t get by the way. Your friends will either love you and harass you to show off, or be weirded out and avoid you. And-”[/color]

Nalini’s eye twitched furiously as her mouth fell open. [Color=#dcd0ff]“That’s enough Arvi, I got it.”[/color]

[Color=#f4d258]“The media could turn you into click bait and some cheesy tabloid writer could-”[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]“Damnit, Arvi! I said I got it. Now, shut up!”[/color]

[Color=#f4d258]“Well you asked.”[/color] He said innocently.

[Color=#dcd0ff]“I give up.”[/color] Nalini’s expression sank. [Color=#dcd0ff]“I’m surprised your friends don’t die of an aneurysm just by listening to you.”[/color]

[Color=#f4d258]“They won’t, but you might. So are you gonna eat it?”[/color] He looked at her expectantly.

Nalini stared daggers at him, but they bounced off his obliviousness. It was like trying to stare down a blank wall. [Color=#dcd0ff]“...I guess.”[/color]

[Color=#f4d258]“Cool.”[/color] Arvi slid a metal folding chair under him and sat down for the show. [Color=#f4d258]“I’d hate to come all the way out here to this creepy, abandoned warehouse and not see at least one crazy thing before I leave.”[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]“Fuck you, Arvi.”[/color] She said, but her words didn’t have their usual bite. She shrugged, defeated, and popped the small pod of colorful detergent in her mouth and began chewing it down. Her grimace was habit by this point. It didn’t actually taste that bad. It was sweet, sour and chalky, and it burned a little on the way down. A hair-raising, prickly feeling spread through her limbs in waves.

[Color=#f4d258]“Well… Anything?”[/color] Arvi’s his laser-focus was on her.

[Color=#dcd0ff]“It takes a few sec-”[/color]  Her body jerked and twitched uncomfortably as she grit her teeth to avoid biting her tongue. She could feel her muscles swell and tighten beneath her skin. She winced not from pain, there was none, but from the bizarre sensation that wracked her nerves. [Color=#dcd0ff]“I don’t think I’m ever going to get used to that.”[/color]

[Color=#f4d258]“I wouldn’t either.”[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]“Well, time to test it out.”[/color] Nalini eyed her surroundings. Metal drums sat in neatly organized stacks atop shoddy palettes. They lined the warehouse from wall to wall. She had no idea what was inside them. A wheel-less forklift rested cinder blocks behind Arvi. 

She took two steps and vaulted into the air, somersaulting, as she sailed over Arvi’s head and landed by it. She gripped it with both hands, and lifted it. It felt much lighter than she had expected, but she grunted with effort anyway. It seemed appropriate.

Just as she hoisted it over her head, she could hear soft clapping. She crooned her neck just in time to see Arvi make a surprised whistle.

[Color=#f4d258]“So what else can you do?”[/color] He ventured.

Nalini felt a twinge of annoyance. Her grip tightened and the metal screeched under the pressure of her frustration. She forced herself to relax, and set the forklift backdown on the cinder blocks.

[Color=#f4d258]“Aww! You could’ve thrown it at the trash heap. That would’ve been clutch.”[/color] He sounded disappointed.

[Color=#dcd0ff]“When I want to throw something, Arvi, you’ll be the first to know. [i]Trust me[/i].”[/color] Her attention drifted as she caught the scent of something bitter and metallic. It smelled faintly of chocolate too. [Color=#dcd0ff]“That’s odd.”[/color] She wandered towards the source, following the pungent odor.

[Color=#f4d258]“What’s wrong? You find something?”[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]“Maybe? I’m not sure.”[/color] She admitted.  Her feet lead her further into the stacks of metal drums. The stood like fluted columns trying to hold up the arched metal roof. The further into the warehouse she went the less neatly organized the aisle became. Many of the drums had rusted, and a clear blue liquid seeped out of some of them making grimy trails toward dark stains in the concrete floor. She didn’t need the warning of yellow hazard symbols to know this stuff was dangerous. The sharp odor turned sweeter, like burnt sugar, as she approached one of the loose drums. It’s polished exterior had rusted away and tiny holes near the bottom allowed more of the blue chemical to slowly seep out onto the floor like molasses. 

Nalini dabbed at it with her finger and immediately felt an electric thrill course through her hand. Instinctively, she licked her lips and touched it to her tongue. It tasted unreal. Sharp and sweet flavors electrified her senses. Colors around the room popped out at her, vivid and intense. She lazily turned to Arvi, her expression slack.

[Color=#f4d258]“Hey… Lini, are you okay?”[/color] He sensed something was wrong.

She heard him, but couldn’t muster any word to respond. She was too distracted. She could feel his pulse thumping from several yards away and the skittering of rats to her left. She saw plumes of air vibrate and pulse around her, shimmering with faint color like a soap bubble. The wisps of color floated into her. It tasted loud and sweet. She felt warm and giddy even as panic clawed for her attention.

[Color=#dcd0ff]“Arvi, don’t step any closer.”[/color] She said meekly. She flinched as she saw the air shake with her words.

[Color=#f4d258]“Why, what’s wrong?”[/color] His heavy brows knit together with concern.

She drew in a long breath of toxic air and sighed sweetly. [Color=#dcd0ff]“There’s fumes. It’s dangerous. Go back.”[/color]

[Color=#f4d258]“Where am I gonna go, Lini? You’re the one who drove here!”[/color]

Shaking her head, she struggled to find her voice. [Color=#dcd0ff]“Don’t fight me on this! [i]Go. Outside.[/i]”[/color]

She looked at the viscous blue residue on her hand. It had had already absorbed through her skin. Some animal impulse drove her to dip her hands into the shallow pool of toxic chemicals. Her skin darkened and she felt the euphoric rush of energy course through her veins. Her senses were melding together. The ripple of an airliner overhead crashed gently against her skin. Her blood smelled like fire. The world was so bright, noisy and overwhelming, she sank into it.

She awoke to the sound of Arvi’s voice, distant and echoing inside her head. Her eyes slowly creaked open, but she didn’t need to see. She felt his footsteps hammer into her ears like a stampede. She smelled him too, soggy laundry, fabric softener and something musty. It was strange, she knew exactly where he was. She knew where everything was. The initials carved into the concrete floor to her left. The pidgeons sleeping in their nest above her. The guns and ammunition hidden away in some of the empty drums.

Her gaze lazily drifted to the rusted container beside her. It was empty. The stains on her hands were gone too. [i]How long was I out?[/i] With a groan of effort, she rolled onto her hand and knees. Her clothes were sticky and ruined, and blue chemical trails spread out along the floor in every direction. That’s when she realized it. Every nearby drum was empty. She had no idea how she did it, but she knew she had drained them all to feed her growing hunger. Every instinct she had said it was coursing through her right now.

She would have to figure it out later though. This warehouse wasn’t abandoned, not at all. Someone was using it to smuggle guns, and she was pretty sure there was a couple skeletons beneath the concrete. She felt sick thinking about it, but she urged herself to move.

Her senses dulled as the euphoria faded, but she could still see the faintly shimmering outlines of chemical fumes rising from her clothes. She called for Arvi.

No answer.

[Center][H3][s]     | : [/s][[b]○[/b]][s] : |     [/s][/h3][/center]

[b]“Arvind! Is it true you were suspended?"[/b] 

[Color=#f4d258]“Mama, it’s not my fault, ok? They were beatin’ up one of my friends. What was I supposed to do, stand there and let ‘em? I didn’t have a choice!”[/color]

[b]“You always have a choice, Arvind. You know how I feel about violence.”[/b]

[Color=#f4d258]“Yeah I know. I still got marks from you hitting me with that slipper when I got a D in math.”[/color]

[b]“That was different, and you know it.”[/b]

[Color=#f4d258]“Really starting to feel the double standard, Ma’. Besides Dad and Nalini are on my side, why aren’t you?“[/color]

The sigh was audible even to Nalini as she quietly rounded the corner of the building. She could hear their mother shouting through the phone. Arvi wore a tired expression. She cleared her throat, so Arvi would realize she was behind him.

He turned around in a flurry. [Color=#f4d258]“Uh… Yeah, ma, you’re right like always. Whatever you said and all that.”[/color] He mouthed the words [i]Are you okay?[/i] and his expression said [i]You look like shit[/i].

Nalini nodded.

[Color=#f4d258]“Alright ma’, I-gotta-go-love-you [i]bye[/i].”[/color] -Click- He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone rang again. He took one look and silenced it. [Color=#f4d258]“So what happened?”[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]“We need to leave, right now.”[/color]

[Color=#f4d258]“What’s got you weirded out all of the sudden? A few minutes ago you were just guzzling through that blue stuff like one of the seniors at a keg party.”[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]“That’s not even half of it. I’m pretty sure someone is using this place to hide smuggled weapons, and I don’t want to be here when they get back. Got it?”[/color] Nalini arched a brow to test him.

He caved. [Color=#f4d258]“Uh… Nope. Sound logic. Let’s bounce. You hungry? I’m hungry. Let’s get something on the way home.”[/color]

The two wandered back toward the street as night began to fall. Watchful eyes followed them as they ventured down the road.