[sup][h1][center][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/82fa3fb006e4a85a60530826f3e0fbe1/5ba732607eca068a-39/s400x600/d4a9d9d820de7c97233fbf8c007097f3049db381.gifv[/img][/center][b][center][color=black] S A R A H  M A R I E  K I N G[/color]
[color=orange]S A R A H  M A R I E  K I N G[/color][/center]
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[center][sup][i][color=lightgray]Millenia Park; with Kenzo Yamamoto
Abilities Used:[/color] [color=orange]Sixth Sense[/color][/i][/sup]
[@McNephelim][/center]

[indent]Sarah had only proceeded about one hundred feet onto the paved pathway when something brought her to a stop. If not a scuffling of feet in the stillness behind her, the new, yet known voice of Kenzo made her stop without first slowing her pace. She made a half turn, her hips to her neck rounding towards her new ally. She was still figuring out what to make of the guy; his heart seemed in the right place, and he presumably knew how to fight, or at least had enough bravado to get by; he’d at least hold against the scrubs from 70th and the common Delgato thugs. When her twisted body became stretched as far around as it could manage, her legs followed. In long strides, she walked towards Kenzo, stopping about a yard in front of him. She stared at him, part steely, part annoyedly, and part empathetically. 

[color=orange]“I get it,”[/color] she expressed earnestly. [color=orange]“Keeping the walls up isn’t lost on me, and neither is dealing with the gang bullshit.”[/color] She let out a groaning sigh, less at Kenzo than at the situation, and aligned her eyes with his. [color=orange]“If you’re going to come with me, then stick close; none of this… twenty-feet back, around the corner stalker shit. Now let’s go.”[/color] She turned back around on the balls of her feet. [color=orange]“I’d prefer to find Maddie before it gets dark,”[/color] she said over her shoulder. She took a healthy stride forward and resumed her pace along the path. This time she moved with a less bullish momentum; in part, for the fact that she was entering a more populated area, and in part to not blatantly abandon Kenzo now that he was committed to following her.

As Sarah expected, the paths across the park were populated, but not crowded beyond a normal weekday. Not far into their walk, she noticed a huddle of 70th Streeters indulging in a smoke; the scent of marijuana lofted into the air around them; Sarah caught the smell and a slight contact experience as she neared them. She eyed them cautiously as one of them also noticed her with a look that suggested he recognized her. But Sarah paid him and his group little more than a passing glance; as much as she’d have loved to lay out more bodies from the 7-0, Maddie was her priority unless the gang moved on her and Kenzo first. She looked to Kenzo and gestured for him to keep moving, in case he was getting a similar urge to pick a fight.

Sarah pressed on, undaunted until she came to a small car lot a short distance into the park. As a black sedan rolled into one of the parking spots, a sensation crept its way under her skin. It was familiar: searing and heavy, like someone hating her purely for being as she was… the same feeling she had caught from Taiwu from the Blue Dragons. She came to an abrupt halt, letting the feeling wash over her, muscles contracting and falling loose in rhythm with her heartbeat. She side-eyed the black car… if they were tailing her, she couldn’t let them know that she knew. She looked around the park away from the black car. Other than what was emanating from the sedan, she felt nothing concerning. She turned to speak to Kenzo, but was pulled away by a voice from behind her…[/indent]

[CENTER][sup][h1][center][img]https://c.tenor.com/_dREp7THfQIAAAAd/tenor.gif[/img][/center][b][center][color=black] Z H A N G, T A I W U[/color]
[color=6ecff6]Z H A N G, T A I W U[/color][/center]
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[color=lightgray][sup][i]Millennia Park, with The Driver & Xiao Feng[/i][/sup][/color]
[@Nallore][/CENTER]

[indent]Taiwu huffed softly, but indignantly. Xiao Feng didn’t seem to be grasping the full picture. The pyromancer shook his head and recomposed himself. [color=6ecff6]“Any move we make on the Lucky Noodle will have to go through the girl… and maybe those other kids. Best we figure them all out, and how best to deal with them.”[/color] He rested his head back in his seat. [color=6ecff6]“But as you wish, we stick to the plan. I’ll let our recruits know of my request when we hire them… If you don’t mind, I’d like to run point on that job.”[/color] He rubbed his finger and thumb together, producing a small, lighter-sized flame. [color=6ecff6]“And you know me. I clean my tracks well enough.”[/color]

He allowed Xiao Feng the moment to consider the proposition. 

In the meantime, the car had rolled into Millenia Park, coming to a stop in a small lot a short way off of the road. Taiwu thought to question why they had stopped, but his attention was quickly overcome by the sight of someone he hadn’t expected to see… [color=6ecff6]“Her.”[/color] His eye looked as much like a dragon’s as they could as they narrowed at the sight of Shimazu’s pupil walking past them across the Park; close by her was the other fighter, the one who had openly proposed jumping him back in the old man’s shop. What they were doing in the Park was neither to Taiwu’s knowledge nor his interest. But seeing them was curious regardless. Perhaps he could seize his moment to get what he needed; jump the girl, wet a knife with her blood, and then get it back to Amara. Taiwu’s hand twitched over the handle in the car door. 

But then the girl stopped, and Taiwu stayed his hand. Her stance was known to him; it was the same position the old man used to take when he was trying to ground himself and feel his environment. Had he taught her his tricks? If she had any measure of Shimazu’s ability, she’d have already caught on to his presence. And then there was the other one. Taiwu knew nothing of what he could do; only that he had made light work of the other Blue Dragons earlier that morning. As much of a fool as he might have seemed, he at least knew how to fight with competence. [color=6ecff6]“No. Not yet.”[/color] He knew Xiao Feng wouldn’t be inclined to join in on his personal fights. A two-on-one against opponents he had little knowledge of wouldn’t be pragmatic. That wasn’t to mention that the 70th Street gangbangers nearby wouldn’t take too kindly to him starting something so close to their territory; they’d turn against him before the other two out of principle. 

Finding himself a middle ground, he rolled down his window. [color=6ecff6]“Bold of you to leave the Old Man alone,”[/color] he called.

Sarah turned to face him down, but didn’t budge from her spot. [color=orange]“Bold of you to assume I left him alone,”[/color] she retorted. 

Taiwu’s lips curled upward. But he could hear the honesty in the girl’s tone; she wasn’t lying. [color=6ecff6]“You best watch your back, Kid. The Old Man won’t have it forever.”[/color]

Sarah’s fists tightened and turned white as a ghost. She took a single step toward the car. [color=orange]“Was that a threat?”[/color] A rush of energy was gathering into her balled up fists. The sensation driving her to throw a hand forward pressed against her like a hot iron. But the self-reminder of the 7-0 not too far away, and the task at hand combined to hold her back. [color=orange]“I’d love to stay and finish this,”[/color] she said. [color=orange]“But I have more important things going on right now.”[/color]

Taiwu laughed mockingly. [color=6ecff6]“So be it. We’ll take a rain check. I trust you won’t disappoint when the time comes.”[/color] Taiwu’s window rolled up.

Left staring into the dark-tinted window of the Blue Dragon’s car, Sarah turned away, and looked back to Kenzo. [color=orange]“We should keep moving,”[/color] she told him. She began to walk away slowly. [color=orange]“That asshole’s not worth our time right now.”[/color][/indent]

[sup][h1][center][img]https://c.tenor.com/Brulmz2N_fwAAAAC/tenor.gif
[/img][/center][b][center][color=black] K E N  S H I M A Z U[/color]
[color=yellow]K E N  S H I M A Z U[/color][/center]
[/b][/h1][/sup]
[center][sup][color=lightgray][i]Lucky Noodle, Little Asia; with Steven Donahue, Julia Kray, and The Weeping[/i][/color][/sup]
[@Skelm], [@Silver Carrot], [@Tally Dor], [@Nallore][/center]

[indent]Shimazu stood with bated breath as they waited for the man to explain himself. He shifted slightly to better shield Ashley, just in case. [color=yellow]“There is no need to call the police,”[/color] he urged. [color=yellow]“Detective Donahue will call in back up if he feels it’s necessary. Please, go home Ashley; you need not be here.”[/color] He spoke without breaking his eyes off of the man emerging from the shadows. While still vigilant, he relaxed slightly when The Weeping, as he sat himself down, introduced himself, and began to explain himself. 

It was quite the story… a being produced by La’moi Swamp, just outside of the city. Shimazu was aware of the urban legends that had abounded about the place; it was a favored dumping ground for gangs such as the Delgatos for disposing of those that they had taken out. Ken nodded with a hint of triumph as he learned his assessment of The Weeping’s nature was true: a single body with a multitude of souls attached to it. What was more was that, as Shimazu had been weary of, The Weeping’s actions hadn’t been entirely voluntary. Between the spirit that had been pressuring him to act, and the one called Amara of the Void (a name and group or place that Shimazu had no knowledge of), The Weeping had barely been afforded agency.

His own gaps in knowledge aside, the situation was seeming clear enough; the pieces of the story made enough sense together. 

But there was no preparing him for what came from The Weeping next. A striking glance was sent in Shimazu’s direction; he returned it, not simply out of obligation to courtesy, but for a sudden draw towards the man. And then…

"You need to let it go, Chef."

Ken Shimazu’s face was relieved of any color, leaving a haunted paleness and bewildered eyes in its wake. He stood like a station for several seconds. The voice that had spoken sounded different from The Weeping’s normal voice, but still familiar to the Ramen cook. Yet he couldn’t put his finger on exactly whose voice it might have been. Chef… Indeed, the title fit his occupation of the past decade, but even his employees simply referred to him as Mr. Shimazu, or Shimazu San… And the tone with which it was spoken… The only ones who had ever called him ‘Chef’ as a proper name had been those that knew him at the Police Department. 

[color=yellow][i]You need to let it go.[/i][/color] Apt guidance for many matters in his life prior. 

He pulled out a chair for himself and took a seat, leveling himself with The Weeping. [color=yellow]“Do you know where Ms. Crane… err Maddie is right now? Or what this Amara person wanted with her?”[/color][/indent]

[CENTER][sup][h1][center][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/fff51bc06d0de75c0c92afc560d30f56/5ee10285e4d49654-8d/s400x600/ceae43f33b978cd2a2c37e1e7846b4f74a7ad550.gif[/img][/center][b][center][color=black] T H E R E S A  T O R R E S[/color]
[color=white]T H E R E S A  T O R R E S[/color][/center]
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[color=lightgray][sup][i]70th Street Hideout, Mapleview; with Valentina Vega[/i][/sup][/color][/CENTER]

[indent]Theresa entered the office. Rundown and cluttered as it was, it was still like home for her. She made her way to one of the armchairs and sat herself down. “It was just a quick errand,” she said. “Had to stop by Angel’s.” Theresa swallowed nervously, and then looked away from Val and to the broadcast on the TV. “Shaking the tree,” she continued, “seeing if we can’t get a [i]certain[/i] thorn out of our side.”

Valentina reached over to grab the remote and hit the mute button, but kept the subtitles on to keep an eye out on what the news reporter continued to say about their little heist. Her attention turned towards Theresa once more. “Which thorn are you talking about, we have a lot, mind you.” Val said as she leaned back in her seat.

“That bitch from last night.” Theresa leaned forward to match Val’s lean back. “From the underground. The fight… the one that made me look like an amateur.”

Val looked at Theresa, she wasn’t at the fight last night but she heard that she had lost to someone in the ring. “As long as it doesn’t get the PCPD down around our heads, do whatever you want to get even; we just did a heist afterall so just don’t do anything reckless or stupid.” Valentina told her.

“I doubt the pigs will care,” Theresa shrugged off the concern. “She’s just some punk from Mapleview. The one our crew in Parkside West has been having trouble with. None of them can say who she is or where exactly to find her. She’s been in our way for too long though.”

“We still have to keep an eye out, and if you want to settle a grudge go and do it, but like I said don’t do anything dumb or reckless. If you do then you are on your own.” Val said looking at Theresa, she had the rest of the crew to look out for afterall.

“Don’t worry,” Theresa said, standing out of her chair. “I’m keeping this one on the downlow.” She began her way out the door, and turned back halfway across the threshold. “No big street fights, and minimal collateral. Just me stomping out a spark before it becomes a fire we can’t control.” She exited the office, closing the door behind her. 

All there was left to do was wait for Angel to get back to her.[/indent]

[center][h1][b][u]Katherine Tran & Horace Wolfe[/u][/b][/h1]
[sup][color=lightgray][i]With Artemis. Veridian Technologies Conference Room - Nighthaven[/i][/color][/sup][/center]

[indent]“I really don’t know,” KT said, looking at her friend. She moved closer to where Diana was standing. “I just went from looking for a job, to helping thwart a security breach, to being recruited to start a Superhero team; so it’s moving a bit fast. At least you’ve already been in the game of saving the city.” She looked to Wolfe, who seemed to be in an even deeper state of thought than she was. She looked back at Diana, and said with a small laugh, “but I guess I’ve got my foot in the door now; probably harder to get out than it is to get in. I want to do my part. And if I’m gonna help you, then I’ll be in on whatever you decide.” 

“Vaughn made a valid point.” Wolfe had finally spoken up. He too moved in closer, so that he could lower his voice. “If criminals are emboldened enough to attack Veridian Headquarters in broad daylight, then the situation has already escalated beyond what even the three of us can manage on our own. There’s nothing wrong with coordinating our efforts with others who share our broader goals; if nothing else, it keeps the problems of other parts of the city from spilling out into our area.” Wolfe paused to think before resuming. “We’d have to work on how best to avoid any conflicts of interest. It’s one thing to operate on the small scale that we have been. But getting a team like the Defenders going would carry massive implications. At the very least, we can assist the Deputy Director in finding candidates to recruit for his initiative. We already have security systems in place around the city, and there is legal precedent for private entities relaying… anomalies and parties of interest to the DSHA. If it means being better prepared to manage, if not head off, any future problems, I say we move forward with it.” 

“Like I said, I would like to do my part, use my powers for something… helpful, productive,” KT agreed.[/indent]