[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/628604259478536196/816885736183169024/39042089424.png[/img][/center] [COLOR=red][INDENT][B] [SUP][SUB][H3]Recluse Incident[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=silver]September 1st, 20XX | Streets of New York/Reyna’s Apartment | N/A[/color][/sup][/INDENT] Everything burned inside and out, her eyes continuously watering as she leaned over and harshly puked out what little contents her stomach contained. She repeatedly hacked and coughed violently, her body desperately trying to relieve the irritation that filled her mouth and throat while she felt like she was choking on the air itself. Her neck glands were swollen and ached as if she had been sick for days with an infection, making it that much more difficult to breathe normally in this current state. Her head was pounding, vision blurring as she glanced around, trying to figure out what had just happened to cause this sudden reaction. A red mist hung in the air, everyone around her was producing terrible screams, though it almost sounded more like a distant echo to her ears. They were all trying to get away, scurrying in a blind panic or stuck frozen, not out of fear but simply because they were in just as bad shape as she was. Reyna had simply been on her way to work, eating breakfast on the go and working on tempting her co-worker over the phone to cover for her with the promise of a treat in return since she was sure at this point that she wasn’t going to make it in time. It was when she opened her mouth to take a bite of her pastry that her senses were assaulted as if she had gotten pepper spray directly to the face which led to where she was now. She wanted to claw at her skin to get rid of the unpleasant fire crawling in her veins like angry wasps and desperately rinse her mouth out repeatedly to remove the unwanted dust on her pallet which meant work suddenly was a hell no. Her body worked as if on a dazed autopilot as she found herself turning around, stumbling weakly in the opposite direction of where she had been headed and not even caring when she lost her shoes along the way. All she wanted to do was go back home, to rest and not feel any of this constant pain anymore. Reyna’s eyes wavered on drifting close, her limbs screamed at her to stop as each step was like knives while wearing lead shoes but she pushed on, determinedly. The darkness at the edge of her vision was getting worse with each passing minute and she felt chills running down her spine as if a fever was setting in. If someone asked her how long she had walked, how long she had pushed herself to the limit, well...she couldn’t answer and frankly, didn’t know how she had managed it other than brute stubbornness against giving in. It was a miracle she made it to the shared apartment door or even remembered how keys fit into a door lock. She made her way inside, not even bothering to lock the door and had a flickering thought of if she had even shut it playing in her mind as she began to strip while wandering to the bathroom. She wanted out of these clothes that itched like wool and to get rid of that horrible burning against her skin so the shower was her first and only thought, any worry or shame taking a huge back seat. Obviously, it was a completely horrible plan, so many variables to easily go wrong but the most obvious were slipping or drowning. Sadly, her brain didn’t even register those thoughts upon turning on the faucet, sparking the shower head to life and stepping into the water. She found herself startled, the warm water had felt like a bucket of ice being poured on her, on top of the fact that the irritation to her skin had stayed even with scrubbing and after a few minutes of suffering did not solve her problem a damn bit. Little to her knowledge, the shower had done a bit of good at least for keeping her awake but it had not helped much with coordination as she slipped out of the tub and onto the floor while the shower still kept going. She wanted to force herself up, to go get a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt before hopping under the covers to take a nap. Honestly, she couldn’t find the energy to do so and found herself groaning in pain as she rolled on her side, sleep taking her. Reyna awoke to a little paw tapping on her face, Jiji meowing at her. She groaned, her throat feeling like it was on fire and just wanting more rest but she wouldn’t ignore her baby’s needs for her comfort. She sat up slowly, shakily moving to stand and feeling miserable from lying who knew how long on the title bathroom floor. She shuffled to her room, gingerly pulling on a tank top and slipping into some boxer shorts before making her way to fill the cat feeders as Jiji rubbed happily against her feet. She couldn’t help the small smile on her face even with all the pain. It only took her leaning over to pet him to cause instant regret as she rushed to get to the kitchen sink, only to trip and puke all over her hand as well as the floor. Her nose scrunched, not really happy with the thought of having to clean that up when her eyes caught red. Chestnut eyes widened in horror, blood covering her hand and the surface of the floor in a large puddle. She shook in fear as raw panic gripped her, the vague memory of her mom and the times she had seen her cough up blood. It made her gut twist, the thought that she might be just as sick without realizing it. It wasn’t like she went to the doctor often. There was no way she could afford it and she was terrified of hospitals but she wasn’t dumb to ignore a sign like this. Reyna dragged her way over to her discarded dress pants, the coppery tinge of blood coating her mouth as she kept coughing up the substance while trying to grab her cell. The moment her hand latched onto the device, she quickly worked on calling a number she never knew she would need or would want to call for. Reyna wasn’t sure if Morgan was here or not, assuming not and the last thing she needed was a friend seeing something like this. [b]”9-1-1, what is your emergency?[/b] [color=red]”Help....coughing blood....”[/color], she rasped out as her eyelids started to droop down once more. She vaguely thought she heard a reply but she was already long gone and into the land of dreams. She didn’t hear when the paramedics had arrived, didn’t feel when they had strapped her onto the gurney, or even flinch when they started hooking her up with IVs and checking her over. [COLOR=red][INDENT][B] [SUP][SUB][H3]New York City[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=silver]September 5th, 20XX | Greenwich Hospital | N/A[/color][/sup][/INDENT] She slowly opened her eyes even though they felt heavy and her vision equally unfocused. The blankets around her felt like sandpaper, too rough against her skin and everything around her was far too loud. The world around her felt sterile and far too clean to her senses. She wanted to speak but she felt like her mouth was full. Reyna blinked a few times, her hand weakly reaching up to her face and going into full blown panic as she tried to yank at the tube on her mouth. Alarms started going off, nurses rushing in to stop her and trying desperately to keep her calm but it was having the opposite effect as she was about ready to hyperventilate if it wasn’t happening already. Reyna tried to remember how she got there but instead, it was all a massive blank and could only sit frozen like a deer with a gun locked on it when she gazed at the tubes sticking out of her body. She had to face the cruel unbelievable fact that she was in a hospital. Hospitals meant death. They meant something was wrong. She shook in fear, letting the nurses do what they needed to as she stayed in shock. Once some of the tubes and equipment had been removed, the doctor started in on some tests while happily chatting about how wonderful it was that she had woken up. He explained how lucky she was to be alive, apparently a weird gas had affected a large number of people which had caused a good amount of deaths. It appeared that the ones alive were on lock down in various hospitals for their own safety and the safety of others though it wasn’t outright stated. The stories jolted some of her memories, everything still a bit shaky and she wasn’t in the best of shape still. Reyna only resisted a bit, getting annoyed and scared over being picked or prodded at but ultimately let them continue. She was relieved when they left her alone once more, her sight instantly looking toward the window so she wasn’t looking at the sterile prison she had found herself in. She just wanted to be home. She wanted to cuddle Jiji and be out of this hell. It was just looping pain and a crawling feeling in her veins, not that she would tell them that. She sighed, turning her attention over the items that had been returned to her and pulled out her cell, preparing for some lecturing or worried call from Morgan at least since it had been days since any return home which was definitely not something Reyna ever did. She noticed a few calls from her work but was to find not much else which was extremely concerning but decided to listen in on the voicemails anyway before worrying over checking in. She sat quietly, the cascade of chocolate brown acting as a curtain while she listened, a twisted smile on her features before she laughed pitifully and tried holding back tears. Reyna found herself tossing the phone on the bed, eyes back on the view from her windows as silent tears fell from frustration, finally giving into the overwhelming amount of feelings she had experienced since waking. [color=red]”Of course on top of all this bull that I would lose my job. It’s like the nightmare that won’t end....”[/color], she whispered to herself, turning on her side and curling into a tight ball, trying to block everything out. Reyna had never felt more alone in this moment. [Center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/628604259478536196/818270415419867136/4353647564.png[/img] [h2][color=silver]September 1st | Within The University | NYC / NY | 20XX [/color][/h2][/Center] [hr] Waltzing down the hallway, Adalbert was simply heading to his class. A successful man needed to be successful in school, so it was only ideal to ensure he wouldn't be late by arriving early. As he brought himself into the classroom, he simply picked the place he found most optimal; Setting his bag between his legs only to pull out his laptop and take a moment to browse his work. The Sticky Hook™ design was nearly perfect. He tested it out, found a few kinks with the retraction that caused some close calls, but otherwise he was swinging around like a movie hero. He wasn't doing this in public, of course: This was a private project, in his own private work environment. He intended to keep it under wraps, maybe sell it off to gain a boost in approval from his father at some point, but for now it was his. And he'd have fun with it. The silence in the class was deafening. While he was successful and had a good future ahead of him, Adalbert never found much peace with his peers, or even his own father. Silent days, weeks even, seemed to be the norm. He wasn't exactly 'friends' with other students, or a 'son' to his own father. More like a pupil, a person to take over and push Rugard Hardt's fame a step above even the Osborn family. It was depressing. All he was seeking was approval; To be told he was worthy of the CEO chair. But his father was more of a person for backhanded compliments and disregard, despite keeping great appearances in the public eye. And when the regular students eyed him, they saw him more born into success, not even knowing why he was there: Not realizing the burden of having such an expecting parent was perhaps something that made him not get along with others well; Even when he searched for companionship in some manner. He shook off those thoughts, typing away at his laptop. He'd make his own fame, gain his own appreciation. He'd go above Hardtcorp, his father. Even Oscorp Industries. Fame would find its way to him, one way or another. He'd earn it by working for it; He wasn't one to keep his hands clean. He'd get as dirty and greasy as he had to in order to prove his genius. This little toy was just the beginning. [center][sub][i]...?[/i][/sub][/center] He felt a stir; Sort of like a momentary blackout. He had been staring at his computer, but when he snapped back he was staring upwards; Head resting on the wood behind his head. A whiff of the air gave off an impulse that something was wrong: Everything itched, ached. His nostrils were blazing, his throat was burning. He quickly stood up, panicked, letting out a horrid sneeze that shot blood straight from his nose and mouth forward onto the table in front of him. [Color=silver]"What--"[/Color] He paused, feeling something in him; It wasn't just irritation, it felt like things ceasing to function. The blood got worse; His view started stirring red. His attempts at words were shut down by choking on his own blood, using the last of his strength as an attempt to scramble out of the class and into the hall. The time... The time! Someone had to be coming, right? They'd see him. Help him. He felt like his heart stopped as he stepped out into the hall; Witnessing chaos around him. The screams barely pierced his plugged up ears, but the sight of people on the ground, running, panicking... Blood everywhere. Everyone was getting affected by this. A helplessness washed over him as he fell to his knees, forcing his view to the ground as more blood insisted on coming out. If he looked up, it'd make him choke. He couldn't stop; He felt the crimson coming down his cheeks from his eyes, and before he knew it... He fell in the hall, slumping from his knees to full-on collapsed. [Color=silver][sub]"Please... Help me..."[/sub][/Color] [hr] [Center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/628604259478536196/818270415419867136/4353647564.png[/img] [h2][color=silver]September 5th | Greenwich Hospital | NYC / NY | 20XX [/color][/h2][/Center] [hr] God. Damn it. Laying in his hospital bed, Adalbert was furious. A terrorist attack, on the university? What the hell was that about? It wasn't just some damn bomb; It was a chemical weapon. He could perfectly recall what had happened; The red in his view, the pain he felt. His brain replayed it over and over, hoping for answers. But all it did was make him angry, and more eager to get out of here. His grip on the bed railings tightened as he grew frustrated, wanting out. He had work to do; Classes to take. If the University was shut down because of this, that'd be even worse. He needed to work, to improve. Not be weak in a bed. He already knew what was coming; The nurses had informed him he had a visitor coming up, who was just getting dressed to be allowed inside. It'd be his dad. And that wasn't a good thing. He dreaded seeing the curtains open; But he somehow dreaded the sight more than he expected. That wasn't his dad; It was one of his cronies. Dressed in black, with a mask over his face. He had a laptop in his hands, and as he approached, he spoke simply to the hospitalized playboy. [Color=Black]"Mister Hardt wished to speak with you, sir."[/Color] [color=silver]"Just put him on."[/color] Adalbert huffed, rolling his eyes. The laptop being placed in his lap, Adelbert found himself watching it open, only to see a webcam shot of his father on the screen. His look tried to fake concern, but the boy knew better; Glaring at him with contempt. [color=silver]"Couldn't even visit me in person, dad?"[/color] Adalbert questioned, irritation audible. [color=silver][b]"Son, you know the business world doesn't stop for one terrorist attack."[/b][/color] Rugard Hardt commented from the screen, shuffling through papers and signing off things as he went along. He didn't even seem terribly invested in checking in; That would've stung more if Adalbert wasn't used to it already. [color=silver]"Oh, I know. You have to find the best way to mark up the situation. What's it gonna be? Charity cause to families in need from the attack? Opening a building to use for temp classes? Kissing an infected baby on live television?"[/color] Adalbert knew he wasn't the concern: It was to drag the boy into something. Some sort of scheme. Nothing worthwhile. [color=silver][b]"You must've learned something at this point, to make guesses like those."[/b][/color] His father said, chuckle following. [color=silver][b]"I couldn't drop you out of your schooling; The temporary building was a good option. You'll be returning to classes right after you recover, won't you?"[/b][/color] This bastard... Adalbert kept his composure, exhaling from his nose. [color=silver]"Of course. Just so I can eventually handle this company in a decent manner."[/color] Something felt off; Maybe it was the way the goon was staring, or the way his father spoke, but something else felt like it was going on here. [color=silver]"So where do I fit into your plot?"[/color] He questioned knowingly. [color=silver][b]"Not anywhere particular, you can focus on your studies! Though I will make sure to be there when you are released; There is surely going to be a bit of publicity upon your release."[/b][/color] [color=silver]"So you can look like the caring father you never actually could be."[/color] Adalbert spat, and quite literally, he spat at the camera; Slamming the laptop shut and shoving it into the goon's arms with aggression. [color=silver]"Get the hell out of here, and tell my father I'll be informing the nurses to not allow any visitors."[/color] His command was strict, rude, to the point: Vile, even. The man simply left, taking the laptop with him. In a small fit of anger, Adalbert slammed his fist down on the bed railing. While he didn't take notice of it, he had bent the railing somewhat with his strike. He decided to simply rest and recover; He'd deal with his dad's bullshit in time. He always had to deal with his dad's idiotic schemes for higher regard… Would he ever escape that? [center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/628604259478536196/818279510285090847/432342.png[/img][/center] [COLOR=red][INDENT][B] [SUP][SUB][H3]Collaboration[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=silver]September 7th, 20XX | Tea Shop/Alleyway | [@Potemking][@soren][/color][/sup][/INDENT] The blankets rustled as the single occupant rolled over with a soft moan, blinking against the sunlight that filtered in through the thin curtains. A hand shot out of the cocoon of warmth to snag the digital clock off her dresser which caused genuine surprise to light up on Reyna’s delicate features when she read the time. She was on verge of a mini panic attack at the thought of being this late to work or not calling in sick when reality hit her. ’Right, they fired me....shit, what do I do now? I have saved enough but it isn’t gonna last.’, was her thought on the matter, worrying about relying too much on Morgan and then having to pay her roommate back. She haphazardly placed the clock back into its position as she crawled out of the comfy bed, stretching as soon as she was on the edge and forcing herself to join the world even if it was tempting to just stay there for the rest of the day. She was never one to wallow in self pity though since one didn’t get out of problems by doing nothing. A loud purr snagged her attention as Jiji slowly moved out from under the covers, obviously having been snuggling with her while she slept. He instantly hopped onto her lap, standing in his hind legs to place little paws on her shoulders with a light mewing. She hugged him gently with a light chuckle before picking him up to hold him close. He had been like this since she got home as if he feared he had been abandoned or maybe he realized she needed the extra love. Either way, she was happy to spoil the baby boy with snuggles and treats. She carefully readjusted Jiji, using one arm to hold him while the other one pulled open different drawers so she could get dressed. It was a simple task that she had perfected over their time together since when Jiji was little, putting him down when he was like this wasn’t an option. She could still feel the memory of him literally climbing up her body to meow in your face at the injustice. She sat the black cat back onto the bed, fishing out some treats and placing them there to distract him while she pulled on a simple pair of faded jeans, a black tank top and a baggy red zip-up hoodie. Reyna snagged her laptop bag as she headed for the door, pausing only for a moment to call out to her roommate while sliding on her sneakers.[color=red]”Hey Morgan! I’m heading out for breakfast since I don’t feel like cooking! I’ll try to snag you something good!”[/color]. That being said, she made her way out the door and debated on which location to stop at, having a few ideas that would work so she could eat as well as snag some free Wi-Fi to get some searching done. Life didn’t pause and she wasn’t going to let the weird days since the incident stop her from focusing on what she needed to do next. [Hider=B-Side, With Von]The earlier Adalbert was awake, the better. He'd been up before the sun, and definitely preferred it that way. Due to the incident, he was taking a bit of time off work to both recover from the strain of everything and to avoid his father for a few days. Relaxing at home was difficult, though. It was too quiet, too lonely. He needed a livelier place to sit down and enjoy. He was thinking of how to dress for the day, before looking at his wardrobe and realizing his attire was mainly a collection of suits and ties. Annoyed, he dug around; Not finding anything particularly better than his suits, but he'd take it. A dark pair of blue jeans, a black dress shirt, his signature red tie, and a nice overcoat in case the wind made things too chilly. He looked at himself in his full-body mirror and wasn't absolutely ashamed, so he decided this would be good enough to head out for the day. He quickly grabbed his essentials; housekey, wallet, and laptop before he walked out his door, locked it, and carried on. It wasn't even ten steps before his phone started ringing. Annoyed, he looked at who it was. Noting it wasn't important to him at the moment, he muted his phone and crammed it back in his pocket. Screw 'em. He was taking a day off, and nobody was going to stop him. His father's words still had him irritated, though just that day in the hospital was a pebble in a pond full of stones with how angry the man made him sometimes. He dared someone to give him trouble, today... He knew a place he wanted to go. It was small, but popular, and their tea was absolutely to die for. His walk there was brisk, and he was quick to jump in line once he entered, as not hurrying to do so would land you in a pit of troubles. Thankfully with his height, it was easy to see the menu to see if there were any sort of specials going on. He saw nothing of importance, and stood quietly as he approached the front of the line. [b]"Yes, sir! What can I get you today?"[/b] The agitating bubbly cashier asked, and he took a moment to ponder before answering. "Rooibos tea, and a breakfast sandwich." He pulled out his card, swiped it to make his payment, then was quick to step out of the way for the other customers. He scanned the populated establishment and found himself almost overwhelmed. So many people around, it made him a little shaky. He wasn’t good with people, at least he didn’t think he was. They often made him nervous despite a cool exterior, he wanted to swerve and hide his way from interaction, despite wanting to be around people. Was that weird? He thought it was weird. He calmly waited, and grabbed his items as they came out. He wandered trying to find a seat, thankfully locating one by the window. It gave him an opportunity to sit, enjoy a small meal, a cup of hot tea... Just enjoy some peace. He pulled out his laptop, glad to have the table space for himself, and pulled up a file on his computer. The Sticky Hook still needed some work done, and he had a few smaller projects to consider, as well. All of the parts he’d need would be easily obtainable, he thought. Most of it was in his workshop anyways, a warehouse building near Hardtcorp itself that was a bit run down, but provided him a place to work in peace as nobody really bothered with them, especially not the smaller more rundown spot he had chosen to use. He continued typing away, sitting peacefully for the moment. [/Hider] The walk was short but refreshing, the trees slowly readying to change color and the fall air just chilly enough to be pleasant without being miserably cold. Reyna pushed open the glass door, the bell above it chiming as she entered the shop. She had passed by this place many times but had never really had the time to stop or would forget, already having stopped elsewhere and telling herself [i]‘Oh, I’ll do it next time’[/i]. She happily took her place in line, changing the position of her bag as she leaned and tried to get a look at the menu so she would be ready before getting to the counter. There was nothing worse than waiting in line behind someone that went over the whole menu at the counter. The only thing that could possibly be worse were the ones that insisted on making a million different changes and details for one cup of coffee. You don’t see people who drink tea doing that crap. The line moved steadily, the place seemingly packed with people and causing a bit of worry in her gut. She really was hoping that she hadn’t walked this whole way, lugging around her laptop bag to have to turn right back around and head home. That would just be depressing. At least on the plus side, there were no tall ass people in front of her making the menu a bit easier to spot. She stepped up to the counter as she dug in her pocket for her wallet and simply stated,[color=red]”Earl Grey tea and two breakfast sandwiches, please.”[/color] The girl behind the cash register in an annoyingly preppy voice asked for her name which caused Reyna to reply quickly,[color=red]”Reyna.”[/color], while she handed over some bills and added in a [color=red]”Keep the change.”[/color] not wanting to deal with the girl longer than necessary. She also really didn’t want to be bothered with putting the change away. She shoved the wallet back into place, planning on moving out of the way of other customers when the girl spoke up again, “I’m sorry, miss. We only have one breakfast sandwich left. Is there anything else I can get you instead?”. Reyna sighed, frowning a bit as a pout pulled onto her lips since there was no way she wouldn’t be giving the sandwich to Morgan at this point. [color=red]”Just give me a blueberry muffin instead.”[/color] she replied in an exasperated tone, stepping away as the girl gave the same exit scripted line before addressing the next customer. She pulled the strap to her laptop bag in a more comfortable position and scanning over the sea of people, just trying to see if there was even an open spot. It appeared she really did have the most rotten luck today. [Hider=B-Side, With Von]This place was actually really nice. The bustle of the place being packed was a great backdrop for his tea venture and study. He felt relaxed, and wasn’t as worried about the whole situation he’d been through as much as he had been before arriving. He was focusing on another project, feeling safe for the moment. His fingers tapped away, continuously typing. Von had just been trying to enjoy himself for a little while. But a flash from the other side of the window caused him to turn away with an annoyed expression on his face. Fucking journalists, now of all times. He huffed out a breath of frustration, looking back at his meal. It was almost finished, anyways. He put his laptop away before finishing his meal in a speedy manner, figuring it was time to leave. But he would get one more cup of that hot tea for the road; It was fantastic! If only his time wasn't being thrown to the wayside by an annoying ass journalist needing a few dollars, then he'd be in business. He walked back into line, overhearing something about them being out of breakfast sandwiches. Damn, he didn't cause that, did he? No way, there were other people behind him. Surely they just took too many. Who needed two, anyways? He kept quiet and stood in line, having to wait a few minutes before he'd be able to skedaddle. He cautiously looked over his shoulder, not seeing the journalist anymore. Maybe he decided to scram instead of wasting his life sitting outside that window. Von sighed, palm slowly sliding down his face as he tried to vent his irritation. Deciding maybe he'd take a bit of a walk before heading home. The weather was pretty nice, so he might enjoy it.[/Hider] Reyna stood, playing with her phone only while she waited for her order which didn’t take very long to complete. She snagged all three items once her name was called, not even bothering to go into the main area as she made her way back out of the cafe with a bubble of disappointment at not getting to enjoy the atmosphere. She shuffled slowly through the crowds of people, feeling more dejected than she had upon entering the little cafe and bit her lip lightly. [i]’Seriously, how could this day get any worse?’[/i]. It was an unfortunately timed thought, as in that very same moment, she felt a large hand roughly grab hold of her wrist, yanking her sharply into a nearby alley way. The startling motion had everything in her hands spilling onto the sidewalk, any sound made muffled by the hand now covering her mouth and the presence of another person causing her to tense. She could feel instinct kick in, screaming at her to run, flee, that this was danger but it was too late. Reyna instantly felt her body slammed into the brick wall once she was dragged far enough from sight, the rough texture snagging against her clothes and scraping at her skin. She glared at her attacker, the asshole wearing a sickening grin as he pinned her. This dude was in for a serious awakening if he thought she was gonna be some damsel in distress, but she needed to be smart and wait for an opening to do as Xander had taught her. “Hey there kitten, just hand over the bag and empty your pockets. No one has to get hurt but struggle and I can’t make any promises that my hand won’t slip.” he purred in her ear causing her noise to scrunch at the closeness as well as the foul scent of alcohol that clung to him. The hand helping pin her to the wall shifted ever so slightly so she could feel something sharp threatening her side. All rational thoughts left her, eyes widening in terror which left her shaking like a leaf at the feel of it so close to her, a feeling that she wouldn’t be able to ever forget. Reyna's breath caught in her throat, struggling as she went into a full blown panic attack and having trouble paying attention to the demand made of her. She could only focus on the blade, her mind continually dropping back into the past where that cold blade threatened her throat as she watched her father broken and bloody in a chair while her life was hanging in the balance over her father’s choices. The low growl of irritation pulled her back to reality for a moment, the knife at her side now swiftly moving to point near her face and even though this would be a good point to do anything, literally anything at all….she felt like her limbs were made of stone and unable to follow command. “Didn’t you hear me?! Hand it over now before you try my patience. I’m giving you a chance here.” he hissed angrily. Reyna slowly moved the hand he allowed free to the shoulder that held her laptop, grabbing hold of the strap acting as if she was going to comply to the demand. She waited, letting him draw the weapon away just enough to not instantly cause her damage and gave a solid kick. Her attacker yelped, pulling back in pain and surprise at the sudden attack which she took full advantage of, ready to make a run for it but only made it a couple of steps when she felt the hood of her jacket being snagged. “You crazy bitch! You made a big mistake.” He cursed, now sounding extremely livid. Reyna struggled, her fingers shaking as she desperately tried to get the zipper down while she pushed herself forward to resist being closer to him. [color=red]”Let go of me!”[/color], she cried out, not having felt this helpless in a long time. The grip on her hood swiftly switched to her hair with a yank to follow, causing her to fall backwards onto the ground and pulling a hiss of pain from her lips. Her head was forcefully tilted back to look up at the pathetic excuse for a man who had decided to rob and attack her, the hand holding the blade moving close to her neck to keep her silent and probably to fulfill the promised threat. It looked like he was about to speak again, a cruel smirk playing on his lips when suddenly all his movements stopped, his gaze shifting from her to look out at the entrance of the alley. She noticed the shock on his face, the sudden panic even though nothing had happened and wished she knew what on earth was going on. When Adalbert decided to go for a walk after his time at the cafe, the last thing he had expected to hear was a cry from an alleyway. Even a simple walk couldn’t allow him to have a break, could it? Sure, one could ignore such a thing, but he wasn’t heartless enough to ignore something like this. He crept into the alley, eyeing the situation at hand: A girl was getting mugged, and that was, to Adal, enough of a reason to get involved most definitely. He hadn’t been noticed yet, so the question was what the hell would he do? If he just shouted, he’d probably get her throat slit. If he tried to bum rush, he might accidentally stab her. He needed to innovate. Adalbert looked down at his hands, a moment of contemplation… He began bidding farewell to his short-term red liquidy friend, fingers tightening around the cup. [center]Swoosh![/center] A cup soared past the girl, splattering upon contact with the thug's face. The knife dropped from his hand and he recoiled, screaming as the heat of the liquid burned his skin and got in his eyes. As he stumbled back, Adal came closer. As he approached the girl he began taking off his coat. [color=silver]"Hold this,"[/color] He nonchalantly said, throwing it to her as he walked past. "Who the fuck do you think you are?!" The thug growled, face red and burnt. He'd have blisters for sure, and he almost looked like he couldn't handle a little pain. Thankfully, Adalbert was more than equipped to retort. [color=silver]"Who do you think [i]you[/i] are? Hm?"[/color] He questioned back, still approaching the thug with no hesitation. He warned the world; One thing gave him trouble today, and he'd lose it. And seeing some woman getting mugged in an alley? That was more than enough for him. [color=silver]"You can either get your ass gone, or stay long enough to regret it. What's your move?"[/color] Adal stopped walking, having put a good distance between the thug and the woman he had been harassing. This was a safe enough distance. The thug didn't take the threat well, his hand quickly forming into a fist. "You little shit, you think you're tough?" He shouted, coming at the taller but scrawnier man with aggression. He'd snap him in half, teach him to play goddamn hero in this town. He threw a punch with his left hand, but found himself shocked as he met air. Adalbert had dodged to the right, and then landed a firm punch to his face, causing the thug to nearly topple over as the force of the punch broke his nose, causing blood to gush out of his nostrils. This caused momentary panic for the man, as he suddenly wasn't feeling like he could win anymore. He took a second to regain composure before waving a bloodied hand at Adalbert, making a plead. "Alright, alright! You win! I'll leave the bitch alone! Just take her and go!" [color=silver][i]"Too late."[/i][/color] The thug soon found Adalbert’s foot booting him in the knee; Causing him to fall, catching himself by hitting his knee on the concrete after. Before he could get angrier, he had one last knee interaction: Adal’s knee straight into his face, causing him to fall backwards onto the ground, out cold. He turned, adjusting his tie before approaching the woman that had been harassed; Noting she was still petrified. Seeing the knife close to her, his instincts told him to kick it away, before trying to speak with her. [color=silver]"Miss? Are you alright?"[/color] He questioned, a hand reaching for her shoulder… The second that her hair was free, the knife clanking to the ground, and the sounds of pained screams reaching her ears should have prompted her to move or at least gotten out of harm's way but she felt petrified. It was like she was in shut down mode or more accurately shock, watching but not fully seeing as she just followed the movements. She still felt tense, jittery, fear, physically sick and nervousness as too many senses were going off at once that it felt overwhelming. It was like her instincts were crying danger, flee, fight, and oddly, a tinge of familiarity which felt safe but she was completely confused by. Reyna noticed something get placed over her head, her hands slowly reaching up to pull it closer to her like a security blanket. The voice telling her to hold it made her look up, seeing a man around six feet tall, nicely dressed between casual and business, who was scowling. She could sense the anger but seeing as it wasn’t directed at her and was now defending her, it didn’t cause her to flinch or feel nervous even though she was still on edge. The fight drifted away from her and she huddled herself smaller, as if trying to disappear. The coat felt nice, the body heat from her savior made it feel cozy and the scent was nice. It was like a little bubble of safety, taking her shocked self out of the equation of the surrounding. She was trying to calm herself down, taking a deep breath and ground herself. Reyna thought she was actually starting to make progress when she felt that strange tingle getting stronger and she tensed, fear striking her as she felt like someone was in her space. She lashed out like a frightened animal, her hand reaching out to grab the red silk of his tie using it like a leash to pull as her other hand gripped his upper arm. Normally, she would have seen it wasn’t the thug and she was in no danger. Normally, even if she was startled and couldn’t tell the difference, she would push or create space. Sadly, in that moment, the only word she thought of was ‘bite’ and that's exactly what she found herself doing. Reyna’s teeth were sunk into her hero’s neck just above the collar and she could feel the rush of blood against her tongue. It surprised her, not just because of the violent action she had taken but because it wasn’t the normal coppery tang that should have been expected, it was sweet and surprisingly good. She knew she should be concerned or godforbid stop, this not being normal in the slightest but it felt right. Adalbert expected her to just run along, or maybe hug him out of fear at most, but this was a whole new level of unexpected. His guard was down, and he paid for it with her grabbing him up by his tie and pulling him in, causing a choked gasp to escape him as she latched onto one of his arms. His composure was broken when he felt her teeth dig into her skin, his reaction to the pain being gritted teeth as the fact she was choking him with his own tie made it hard to do any sort of yelling. What the [i]fuck[/i] was going on? At first he thought she was defenseless, but here she was trying to rip his throat out?! Who the fuck did that, self-defense or not?! God, he already felt dizzy from his blood leaking out, he wasn’t sure how much he could take. He needed to stop this. He had now become her enemy for the sake of his own survival. His reaction to this bite coming in fast and brutal as an instinctual reaction to get her away and gain some distance from his threat. His hand swung from her left side, grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking her backwards, blood gushing from his wound as the rough exit of her teeth tore it further but that was the last of his concerns with this woman he just defended revealing herself as a threat. After her teeth were clear, he shoved her back towards the wall and tried to use his now free right arm to cover his wound. [color=silver]"What--"[/color] Adal tried to question this situation, but found something terribly wrong. It wasn't just the blood loss, he felt something wrong with his entire body, like a damn infection. He stumbled backwards, tripping over his own feet and slamming his back against a dumpster. He came to realize fast that it wasn't that he tripped, moreso his legs legitimately ceased functioning. The next thing to go was his right arm, which flopped down to his side and allowed the blood to flow more freely from his wound. What the hell was this? What was she?! His thought process stopped. He couldn't think straight, or hardly at all. It was like he was spacing out, unable to keep any thought in check. His eyes glossed over, his body ceasing to move aside from the loud, panicked breaths that escaped him. His awareness was gone. All feelings were gone. He might as well have looked dead aside from his breathing, and even then, with his blood loss there was no telling how long he was going to last. He'd probably bleed out before an ambulance could arrive. And even if they did, what the hell would someone say about this? His entire body was numb, and his mind was seemingly gone, all from one deep bite. [sub][color=silver]"Ma...?"[/color][/sub] He muttered quietly, showing a sign of life aside from his breaths. Reyna let go the moment a fistful of her hair was harshly pulled to make her remove herself. She hissed in pain, seriously feeling a split second of anger at the need for everyone to do that to her today. It was clearly fair for him to react the way he had, she had bit him but damn, her poor scalp felt the abuse and it was causing her a headache or at least that is what she was gonna blame it on. The shove caused her to stumble back, gripping the wall weakly as she tried to keep herself up. She stared at the man before her, really seeing him this time as he looked at her with a hand pressing to stop the bleeding she had accidentally caused. Reyna cringed, guilt hitting her hard and she slowly pushed off the wall, about to explain herself or try to apologize. He had risked himself to save her and instead she had caused a gigantic mess. She didn’t really get the chance to though as he stumbled backwards, slamming against the dumpster on the other side of where she was. At first she was worried it was blood loss or even fear to get away from her but then she noticed something wasn’t right. The arm that had been applying pressure to the wound just flopped down and she found herself rushing to his side. He looked completely out of it and she might have worried he was dead if it wasn’t for the harsh breathing. Was this what her venom did? [s]At least what she had deemed as venom cause what else do you call goop coming out of your teeth.[/s] She would have been blind not to notice the fangs and it was hard to deny what else was going on when it appeared in her sink when brushing her teeth, but she didn’t know what it actually did. Reyna had been too afraid to test it on anyone and when she had tried it on herself, nothing had happened. The wound had sealed when she tried to remove the blood but that was all. She carefully used her strength to lift him into a seated position and leaned him slightly against her so she could reach his neck.[color=red]”I don’t know if you can hear me but I am so sorry! I’ll fix this, I promise.”[/color], Reyna said in a panic before latching around the wound she had created, being careful of her fangs as she worked to seal the wound and pulling away once she couldn’t feel a mark against her tongue. She lightly brushed the area with her fingertips, in awe that it had actually worked but that only helped with part of the problem. How was she going to get him out of here and without looking completely suspicious? She bit her lip, looking at her wrist and then shaking her head. That wouldn’t work, she couldn’t even produce it when she wanted to and it was a bitch in a half to try and remove. The sticky hand...foot... thing was also a no go since it was also not the most reliable for her yet but a fire escape might work and taking the rooftops would keep them more hidden. She debated calling Morgan for help, seeing if they could work together to solve the issue but then she looked at the thug who was out cold and thought against waiting. She didn’t want the thug to wake up in the meantime. She had gotten lucky once and didn’t want to push her luck again so with that in mind, Reyna worked on hauling her savior up to his feet. She carefully placed him onto her shoulder in a fireman carry even though it looked mostly ridiculous as well as just awkward due to their sizes and she started for the alley fire escape. She was extremely relieved he was out of it or she prayed he was so her secrets weren’t revealed. It would have been in her best interest to just leave him there, disappear but that wasn’t her. She wasn’t a monster no matter how much she felt like one. Instead, she would take him to her home and hope that whatever this was or did would wear off soon. If she could have taken him to his own home she would have but she wasn’t creepy enough to search an unconscious man even if the price was still being creepy by taking a stranger home. This was just shaping up to be the oddest day.