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

[img]https://i.imgur.com/WLI7SfK.jpg?1[/img]

[color=#D3D3D3]Location:[/color] In an Uber
[color=#D3D3D3]Interacting w/:[/color] None[/center]
[color=#D3D3D3]"Just six months into this internship and I'm gonna be fired... [i]ugh[/i]..."[/color] Charlie mumbled to herself as she settled into the backseat of her Uber.

Adjusting her glasses on her face, Charlie lifted a dainty hand to massage her forehead, hoping to alleviate the ensuing headache. Today had been a [i]long[/i] day. Really, every day had been long ever since the GENESIS lab assistants managed to concentrate the energy captured from the Morphin Grid into five crystalized forms. Elizabeth Thorne, Charlie's boss, made it a point that they needed to locate five users for these new powers, but she was resistant in locating people outside of the trust of GENESIS. Several attempts to partner the Power Crystals with GENESIS representatives were met with complete and utter failure or a dangerous physical reaction that got swept under the rug. You couldn't [i]sue[/i] GENESIS for something you signed up for.

[color=#00BFFF][i]"It would appear that the Crystals will only bond with people that they trust with this immense power,"[/i][/color] Dr. Ogden had told her a few weeks ago. [color=#00BFFF][i]"I'm not sure a person of a business mindset will understand the emotional connection of that. Charlie... This is your new assignment: locate five worthy people to possess these Power Crystals. For some reason... I have a good feeling."[/i][/color]

Weeks later and Charlie was [i]still[/i] trying to find the five worthy people to wield the Crystals. She would be lying if she said that she didn't try one of the colorful Crystals on herself, but that only resulted in a nasty burn mark on her hand that was still recovering based on the tightly taped up hand that she had. Whenever she or the other lab assistants that were actually getting paid worked with these Crystals, they had to wear protective gear. It was worth a shot.

The Uber was directed to take her to her apartment, but there appeared to be a situation going on at the four-way intersection. Several cop cars were closing off a section of the area with a hefty amount of smoke and remnants of fire building up from a considerable distance away. The straight away path was the quickest way to get to Charlie's apartment, but there was no way of getting there.

[color=#D3D3D3]"I'll just get out and walk. Don't worry: I'll leave you a five-star review,"[/color] Charlie said with a hint of impatience in her tone. Straightening up her olive green bomber jacket over her body and pulling down the beanie over her ears, Charlie walked down the sidewalk towards the area to see if she could at least make it past the officers, but now they were bringing out the police tape.

"Ma'am, we're gonna need you to stay on this side of the street," one of the officers informed, holding out his hand as the other officers continue stretching out the tape.

Furrowing her brows, Charlie stopped short of crossing the tape, gesturing to the other side of the street. [color=#D3D3D3]"But the only way to my apartment is literally down this street."[/color]

"Kid... what are you, 18? Can you even [i]afford[/i] an apartment in this economy?" the officer said with a chuckle. "Listen, we're in the middle of a potentially dangerous situation and just wanna keep you and the other Angel Grove citizens safe. Do yourself a favor and go enjoy the New Years Eve festivities, alright?"

Clinching the bag over her shoulder, Charlie winced from the pressure of her bandaged hand. If there was one thing that she hated it was being referred to as a [i]kid[/i]. She didn't spend most of her teenage years at Angel Grove University studying various STEM-based subjects to be disrespected like this. Hell, she hadn't been a [i]kid[/i] in years.

[color=#D3D3D3]"Fuck you,"[/color] she mumbled under her breath, rolling her eyes before turning on her heels to head down the narrow street that led towards the shore where there was music being played. The officer had said something moments after her departure, but Charlie disregarded it. Glancing down at her watch, she noticed that it was about 15 minutes until midnight. She was [i]exhausted[/i] and wanted to sleep, not socialize with drunk people. [color=#D3D3D3]"It won't hurt to find something to eat until this gets cleared out..."[/color]

As she walked, Charlie was unaware that the Crystals that were lightly clanging in her bag from the slightest of movements were feebly beginning to glow as she headed towards the crowd of people. The way that her backpack was slightly zipped opened allowed anyone from behind and on the left side of her to see that there was [i]something[/i] inside glowing a multitude of colors.