Estylwen

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

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Rhea Harlow

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Old Raygate, Prince Ed-Field

Lifeless faces. Eyes open without seeing. Bodies fallen, left in the stained grass without ceremony. And hovering over it all, a masked face. Silent, menacing. The sky transformed to a deep, bloody red...

Rhea bolted awake, breathing heavily and covered in sweat. She looked over at the clock, reading 5:09am. She sighed, hiding her face with two palms. Having woken up six times through the night, Rhea had perhaps an hour of restful sleep. It was the same as the previous nights after the festival. When the shit went down, Rhea stayed calm. But as the threat waned she beheld the loss of life in the clearing, and wept bitterly. 

Fresh tears escaped her eyes. That damn festival... Rhea dragged herself from bed, had a sponge bath, and pulled open a metal dresser. She donned a tank top, crocheted sweater and sweats, casting her eyes around her house. The inside of a train container was converted into her safe house, with mostly everything made of steel. Even her laptop on the table had a metal casing. 

From a drawer she pulled out a new phone from the many spares. The kids from — God damn that festival — ran to safety with her other phone, which held one contact: Charlie. She had memorized the number and plugged it in as a new contact, also sending a text:

This is Rhea. Are you doing okay? After we said bye, the night went to shit.

Rhea quickly created another contact. April and her had exchanged information, mostly so if April needed any statements or information, Rhea would be easy to get ahold of. From their encounter, Rhea was grateful to know the RAVEN force had such a talented, good-natured person.

Slipping the phone in her bag, along with her wallet, baton and a few cartons of 9V batteries, she slung the bag on her shoulder and pressed the wall button near the door. It slid open, she walked through, and it shut automatically behind her. From the outside, her house looked like an abandoned, rusted container. She gave it a tired glance, then headed out of the power plant. She asked for three days off from work, and Hallmark gave her a week. Time for healing, mending. Rhea decided to walk the streets of Baybridge until she felt more herself. Shake off the doom and whatnot.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

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Rhea Harlow

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Havenfield Market, Roseview

“I’m being quite serious here. You got shit for staff. Absolutely brutal toward paying customers.”

Rhea stood with her arms crossed, cape waving in the breeze. The narrow-framed man behind the glass in the security building scowled, waiting for her stubbornness to wane.

“Miss, we can’t be held responsible for the separate companies catering to the Harvest Festival. If this did indeed take place, which I very much doubt, you must take it up with their manager.” He said.

“I watched a minor get slammed in the face over a small misunderstanding. Had to take him to the First Aid tent. How do you explain that?” Rhea’s chin jutted out defiantly.

He squeezed the bridge of his nose, drawing out a loud sigh. “Evidently, this minor was in a place they were not allowed. So, they had it coming.”

“Excuse… me?” Rhea bared her teeth.

“They, uh.” He coughed. “Miss, you’re holding up the line. If you don’t have a real problem, I’m going to ask you to leave before I call security.”

Rhea threw up her hands in frustration. “You can’t even do your job. Fine. I’m going.” She marched off, muttering to herself. As absent-minded as she was, it was only when some speakers grew in volume that she realised where she wandered to. The DOVE speech was in full swing, their leader at the podium. She snaked her way closer to the stage, a smirk forming on her face. The company of charismatic metahumans tended to put her in better moods.

For the briefest moment, Rhea saw the same group from the nightclub. The three women and beast appeared among the faces, then like a ghost they melted into the crowd. Rhea’s curiosity was quickly replaced with adrenaline when gunshots and red smoke shattered the peace...

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

@BlessedWrath
Haha, you're welcome. ^^ I will say, however, that it's refreshing Rhea isn't the only 'questionable actions, unaffiliated' charrie here.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

@BlessedWrath
Love the whole working-in-the-shadows post. ;) Would you be able to put Sam's name in header tags at the top, though? It's much easier to see, especially with the multitude of characters going on.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

@Mr Allen J
The anticipation is killing me. ;P

@BlessedWrath
I would definitely recommend Old Raygate, not just because my charrie lives there. Sketchy and run down, sure, but it's perfect for any questionable work. As long as you don't mind the chemical factory smell. :P

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

What caused The Black Hound to miss? I understand that Deborah has Premonition, but I find it extremely unlike that she'd pinpoint his actual location. How would she see him stealthing on a rooftop to get that perception?

I don't believe the Black Hound had any reason to miss. And to truly strike fear into our hearts, Deborah should have died right there.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

What's your thoughts? Keep the names colored? Or just go back to the original scheme? lol

@Mr Allen J

It's a great idea. I can quickly see what colours are in use, and be reminded of my own.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

Very good, I'll remove it.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

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Rhea Harlow

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Strongriver Plaza, Hedgemount

The nightclub door creaked open.

“Yes? Oh, Aegis. You’re right on time.” Said a tall, beautiful blonde within.

Rhea nodded, pulling out a cardboard parcel from her bag. “I have something from a sister brothel for you. Manager’s eyes only.”

The lady regarded the package with curious eyes, holding it gently in her manicured hands. She thanked Rhea, and closed the door. The courier turned away, into the alley and back up the wall. Instead of heading home, as she normally would, she crept onto the nightclub’s roof. There was a certain air vent that carried voices extremely well, and Rhea held her ear against it.

The package she ran, it was ranked SSS — highly classified. Those packages started at $10,000 minimum to be couriered, and in her time of running she had only come across two. They typically held government spy intel, or something of a very dangerous nature. So, undoubtedly, Rhea was curious.

Voices whispered up from the vent.

“... want those bathrooms scrubbed by…”

“...package? Give it here, let me see…”

The silence drew on for several minutes. Rhea gently adjusted her squat, surveying the rooftop before pressing her ear to the grate.

“...Oh my god! Oh my... This has to get to Headquarters, now.”

“...what is it? Ma’am, what’s…”

“...huge threat… danger in Roseview… they won’t see it…”

Rhea heard the nightclub’s front door open. She peered over the edge as three women and one beastial metahuman stormed down the sidewalk, disappearing into a waiting limo. They drove off, tires screeching. Rhea blinked, her lips parted uselessly.

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Havenfield Market, Roseview (7:35pm)

Having showered and dressed into something more appropriate, Rhea stood at the edge of the Harvest Festival. She sported a short white dress with a near-transparent moth wing cape. They came with a wire woven into the top of the wings and little hand loops if Rhea wanted to pretend-fly.

She checked in at the front and descended into the hustle of people and lights, drifting among the stands and shows. In the back of her mind, that ominous conversation replayed. She would keep an eye open, to be sure. That didn't mean, however, that she wouldn't enjoy herself. The crowds, the performances, and all the trinkets to peruse! This would be a night to remember.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

Ah, I'm late. That's fine, continue your collab. xD