[center][h3][b][u][Castle on the Clouds][/u][/b][/h3][/center][hr]

[b][color=#43a2f0]"Well...,"[/color][/b] Ion trailed off, his normal bravado faltering for just a second. [b][color=#43a2f0]"Maybe one day when she lets go of the reigns a bit, yeah? And give yourself some credit. In my eyes, you [i]are[/i] the most eligible bachelor and I'll make sure my fans know who's King around here,"[/color][/b] he winked and grinned, shooting Felix the finger guns unironically.

[b][color=#43a2f0]"Gotta scoot, Nightlight! Stay out of trouble,"[/color][/b] Ion ordered, as he lifted off the puke-smeared glass. Electricity crackled through his uniform as he shot off, buffeting their table's umbrella.

[b][color=#f7e286]"Can I get a mimosa, a double shot of Jameson and a cup of ice [i]to go[/i] please and thank you!"[/color][/b] Dawn called out, flagging a waiter down.

Dawn stared at Felix with her arms folded and carried that resting bitch expression of a sibling who recognized that face of "oh yeah sis, I'm totally listening and comprehending, and am totally NOT about to go and do the [i]opposite[/i] of what you just said just to be petty and annoying." You know... that expression that Artemis was usually leveling at HER whenever she was about to go off and do some dumb shit.

[i]What the hell is my life and how did it come to this?![/i]

[b][color=#f7e286]"What's your plan, [i]Nightlight?[/i] Put a decoy under the sheets and sneak out the window?"[/color][/b] She asked, emptying the mimosa, whiskey, her leftover coffee, and the potent smelling contents of a flask from her purse into the cup of ice. Dawn covered the concoction and shook it vigorously while maintaining eye contact with Felix.

[b][color=#f7e286]"Don't suppose we could just have a nice breakfast and spend the rest of the day playing hooky pretending our responsibilities don't exist and not, you know, go running [i]towards[/i] all the death and chaos? No? Right. Of course not,"[/color][/b] Dawn sighed, stabbing the lid with a straw. She slurped down a large gulp and crunched loudly on an ice cube.

[b][color=#f7e286]"Alright, [i]fine[/i]. Let's go get into trouble!"[/color][/b]

[hr][center][h3][b][u][Ares Estate - Justice Square][/u][/b][/h3][/center][hr]

Pandemonium. Noun. A wild uproar or unrestrained disorder; tumult or chaos.

It was [i]pandemonium.[/i]

Ares Special Task Force, Docwagon Platinum Response... gaping tears in reality rimmed with purple energy out of which ambulances and emergency response vehicles screamed, police fire and Templar, all armed and brandishing, all screaming for everyone else to stand down. In the middle of it all, a wildly out of place woman in a black designer dress trying to calm down a confused and terrified foreign dignitary that looked like he was suddenly ripped away from a gala or fancy charity event and holding open far too many portals from which a myriad of personnel streamed back and forth.

Curtains of electricity sprang up, crackling menacingly between the groups and pushing the corporate response teams away from the Templar. Ion descended to the plate surface dramatically, the four "eyes" of his stylized visor sparking brilliant blue.

[b][color=#FA649B]"You're [i]late![/i]"[/color][/b] the Director yelled over the cacophony of shouts and sirens.

[b][color=#43a2f0]"Sorry, Lady-Boss, had to stop and check on my [i]King[/i]. I don't move as quick as your other first responders, yeah?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#FA649B]"Yes, sorry, oop~!"[/color][/b] she conceded with a sigh as she stumbled on her designer heels to get out of the way of a paramedic rushing past with a gurney. Ion leapt over four people to catch her.

[b][color=#43a2f0]"You simply [i]must[/i] be more careful, my Queen!"[/color][/b] he said, holding her hand gingerly and brushing a lock of disturbed platinum out of one of her mismatched eyes. He couldn't hide the smirk in his voice. She gave him the look that deserved. With a gut-wrenching falling sensation like he was being pushed through an infinitely small space, and the crack of displaced air, he was standing on the other side of his electric curtain with more Ares rifles than he was comfortable with pointed at him.

[b][color=#FA649B]"I'm okay, get back to work Ion,"[/color][/b] the director's voice whispered in his helmet's comm speaker with a note of amusement. Ion smirked beneath his mask, though he couldn't help the spike of unease he'd felt at seeing the uncharacteristic dark circles under the director's eyes that were only just barely covered by a hasty application of makeup.

Everyone was working overtime.

[b][color=#43a2f0]"Alright, everyone calm your tits and get out of each others way,"[/color][/b] he shouted, his voice magnified through his suit's external vox. [b][color=#43a2f0]"We're all on the same fucking side here, so how about you take those cock-holsters off the trigger and start cooperating, we all have jobs to do!"[/color][/b] He ordered with his fists on his hips, and much more bravado than he felt.