[CENTER][sup][h1][center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019e7f21-1715-736e-aa0d-694be4bd0ee4.webp[/img][/center][b][center][color=black] A Q U A L A D[/color]
[color=gold]A Q U A L A D[/color][/center]
[/b][/h1][/sup]
[sup][color=limegreen][b]L (No Cap)[/b] (part I)[/color]
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[color=goldenrod][b]BROOKLYN[/b][/color]
[color=limegreen][sub][b]INFERNO: EPILOGUE[/b][/sub][/color]

[INDENT][COLOR=SILVER]The paramedic wrapped the boy’s hand, dressing the burn that was already blistering the skin from where Arthur’s fist had connected with the fire troll.

In an adjacent ambulance, Tom Curry was wrapping cold, wet blankets around Garth. 

The realization of that prompted one of the paramedics to protest, sprinting over as warnings of hypothermia could be heard over the din of the sirens.

When he got close enough to make out the pale boy’s shark-like skin, those words seemed to choke in his throat. [color=snow]“Take my word for it, he’s actually comfortable this way,”[/color] Tom stated evenly, turning away to continue nursing the Atlantean boy.

Picking up a bottle of water that he’d been given, the tow-headed Arthur made his way closer to the pair. [color=limegreen]“Dad, where’s our hotel?”[/color]

Looking up, the man held the boy’s eyes for a moment, then looked off at the smoldering cityscape around them. [color=snow]“Your guess is as good as mine,”[/color] he offered finally. [color=snow]“Hopefully it’s still standing. Or my truck is at least in one piece – assuming the roads are even open for us to get home.”[/color]

“I wouldn’t count on driving out for a few days,” a police officer remarked, passing around the back of the ambulance that had become a pop-up clinic, shelter, and general safe place for people to gather as the fallout from the battle took hold.

The fire trolls had retreated back to the sea. Now New York was left to cope with the scars.

“L-Trains have collapsed in at least five different spots. Maybe more,” the cop explained. “Radio says the National Guard has been mobilized and the President has already promised support, but it’s going to be a hell of a job to clear the roads.”

Lighting a cigarette, the officer seemed to be resigning himself to a long night. Or maybe it had already been that, with no dawn in sight just yet. Gesturing to the smoldering ruins that were strewn across the block, the cop added, “We’ve been trying to search for anyone who might be trapped in the rubble, but I don’t know how we’re going to find anybody in that. Need heavy equipment, dogs... no way to get any of that in here now.”

Arthur’s gaze moved over the wreckage. Then down to the ground. 

He’d spent his whole life trying to keep his talents from showing through. Keeping his thoughts in his head, and trying to keep everyone else’s in theirs. Being careful not to let people see his real strength. Or even his real speed in the water.

He took a long drink from the bottle, before passing it over to Garth. 

Raising his head back up, the boy took a breath as he started to take a step.

His father’s hand caught the hoodie that he wore. [color=snow]“[b]Don’t[/b],”[/color] Tom warned flatly. [color=snow]“You’ve done enough. Too much. Someone else can take it from here.”[/color]

With a roll of his shoulders, Arthur stepped out of the hoodie as another step carried him further. Slowly turning, even as he continued toward the wreckage, the boy held out his arms in something of an apology as he answered,

[color=limegreen]“I am someone, Dad.”[/color]

Turning around to face the line of smoldering ruins, a marriage of twisted steel and reinforced concrete from where the elevated train tracks had struck nearby buildings, the boy’s eyes flashed as he let his mind wander up and down the street.

Tears welled up in his eyes as the [b]fear[/b] took him by surprise, nearly overwhelming him as the [i]pain[/i] and the [i]panic[/i] began to trickle through. 

“What is he..." the officer began, only to have his jaw fall open as he watched Arthur casually pull the twisted hulk of a burned out Cadillac out and discard it like a used tissue.

[color=limegreen]“You want to rescue some people? Well, let’s get sendy,”[/color] Arthur called back, struggling for a moment to find a hand hold – alternating his posture and grip several times.

Then he pulled up, deadlifting what was left of a building. Struggling with balancing the massive hunk of debris, the boy adjust his grip and heaved it as far over his head as he could, revealing a crumpled but still intact Dodge beneath the wreckage.

The cop and the paramedics were frozen at what they were seeing.

For his part, Arthur was not appreciative of the shock and awe. [color=limegreen]“What the sigma, bruh? [i]This shit’s heavy![/i]”[/color]

Spurred on by a push from Tom Curry, the first responders rushed in to start pulling people from the car.

“CLEAR!” the cop yelled, as the last person was pulled from the car.

[color=limegreen]“[b]GYAT![/b]”[/color] Arthur belted out, stepping out from under the wreckage and he let it drop behind him. Dust and debris shot out in a cloud as it hit with a thunderous clap.

“[i]Daaaaaamn[/i] son. The fuck you ‘sposed to be? [b]Hercules[/b]?” the cop blurted out. 

[color=limegreen]“Who’s Hercules?”[/color] Arthur asked innocently, then shook his head. Probably more skibidi ohio boomer rizz. The less said about it the better.

Instead, he pointed off to his right. [color=limegreen]“Two more over there,”[/color] he noted, before changing direction and adding, [color=limegreen]“One up there.”[/color]

“You got more in you like that?” the cop asked.

[color=limegreen]“Just getting started, [i]bruh[/i]. No cap,”[/color] Arthur quipped.

“I guess we’re getting– what did you say? Bendy?” the cop asked.

[color=limegreen]”Sendy!”[/color]

Skibidi ohio boomer rizz.[/COLOR][/INDENT]