Fallenreaper

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

MISADVENTURES

&

L O C A T I O N: Somewhere in New York City
T I M E: Present Day ( July ) Sometime Around 10 AM

---

Benjamin led the way down the street. His feet thumped the pavement as cars drove past, the drivers' eyes barely sparing the pair a glance. Trees expanded across the neighbor's yards breaking up the blandness of the concrete. All the houses had similar, or identical, architecture interwoven into their designs. Each one still held its own identity.

He took a sharp turn onto the worn road leading to the old Benson's place. The place they crossed paths with last night. Benjamin's eyes widened when he spotted the moving van parked outside. About four men were hauling out anything from dressers to couches through the door. Benjamin cast a worry glance at Athena as they continued onward, not straying too close to the place. A nearby grey Subaru Forester rolled into the driveway and ground to a stop. A small family of four began to exit including twin boys.

"We need to head home, now," Benjamin stated.

He quickly backtracked farther down the street and onto a side alley, heading to his house.

After exchanging a worried glance in Benjamin's direction and a quick nod of agreement, they ran back home. Much of her earlier coldness had dissipated with only a few of its residue still in her system that she knew tea would fix with no problem. Still, she cast another look back at the family moving into the house with trepidation.

They ran back home and quickly thanked Emma for lunch as they took their food upstairs. Athena finished the lunch and then swiftly hopped into the shower. Only when she's finished with her shower and her routine, she returns to the loft, still drying her hair with a towel.

"I guess you'll be heading out to investigate the house later?"

Benjamin held his cellphone to his ear. He silenced her with a finger as he continued his conversation, Duff on the other end. He continued to pace while he held the one-sided conversation.

"Yeah, I'm still here. Sorry, Athena walked out of the shower and distracted me."

Donned now only torn jean shorts sitting at her hips and a loose grey baggy shirt with short sleeves, one corner of her shirt tucked into her shorts. Her long hair was quickly drying but her towel continued to dry her hair. Athena sat down on the sofa as she waited for him to finish the phone call.

He paused, listening to Duff's gruff voice before he continued.

"Anyways, there's an old house in my neighbor. I never paid it much mind... until now. Athena and I were walking home in the evening when we both sensed something. I saw a dark, shrouded figure in the window. A child, I think. Athena sensed something dark and wrong within the house."

Benjamin waited for a reply.

"No shit, that's why I want you to come over and we can check it out. If something is in my territory, I want it out now."

Nodding, he finally ended the conversation.

"Kay, I will see you shortly." He hung up and set his phone down, turning to Athena.

A reassuring smirk crossed his lips, answering her earlier question.

"Duff is coming over in an hour or two. So do you need anything before we get ready to go?"

With the towel still loosely hanging around her neck, with most of her hair now more dry than damp, she lightly shrugged. Leaning forward on her knees, she tucked her chin into her hand with her elbow on her knee and regarded him with a contemplative look. "I'll need to have a cup of tea, but otherwise, not really?" She hummed thoughtfully.

She stood back up, moving toward the book she received from Morrigan. Opening it and skimming through it gave her an idea of what she ought to be looking for, but without more information, her idea of what the entity was limited. Athena closed it again to lean against the table where she had set the book to continue drying her hair and look in Benjamin's direction.

"I'm prepared this time, so, we'll wing it," Athena said, hoping for the best.

"You sure about that?" Benjamin looked uncomfortable at the suggestion.

He looked to his window and sorted his thoughts, considering how to best phrase it. His hand rubbed his neck a few times before just uttering the words in his head, in a blunt fashion.

"Duff's and my experiences with winging it, usually end in destruction. I don't want you to get hurt." Benjamin chanced a glance at her to observe her reaction.

She waited for a beat, observing Benjamin with an unwavering look. "The best we can do is investigate the house and try to find out what the entity is," Athena said with the slight tilt of her head. Her hands stilled the towel.

A gleam flickered in her eyes, looking away, and she flashed a derisive smile. "I won't get hurt, I don't think that's something you ought to worry too much about." Righting herself to continue drying her hair, she moved toward the bathroom as she continued with the planning.

"Well, how about we go in, and just try and find out where the source is? And if things go wrong, we get out."

Benjamin continued to watch her until she looked away. He chewed the inside of his mouth a moment as he brushed his lower face. The boy paced a short distance from his sofa to the wall and back again, debating on his part in the conversation. He knew that look.

"I disagree, nothing ever works out that easy." He paused to face her retreating back.

"Duff and I have regeneration abilities. What abilities do you have?"

Popping into the bathroom and quickly finishing the remainder of her after-care shower routine, her hair was pulled into a single braid down her back and walked back toward Benjamin.

"A multitude of them," she said thoughtfully. "Like you, I can regenerate, but it's circumstantial and I can see energy. Which, now that I say that aloud, sounds weird, so it's definitely something you have to see to understand." Athena sounded sheepish. "Otherwise, I don't have anything in the way of combative abilities so I can't help you in a fight, unfortunately."

"Which is likely to happen. We don't know how violent this spirit-or whatever it is- might be. Do you have any way to keep it from messing with you?" Benjamin asked when she finally came out of the bathroom.

His arms crossed over his chest as he prepared to stand his ground. He stared at her with a hard edge to his expression and patiently waited for her reassurances. Watered down or not.

Athena didn't seem bothered by the hard edge in his gaze as she continued to think. "I should be fine—it won't get to mess with me like last time since I was caught off-guard," she said with a hand on her chin in thought. "I'll have to see if I can mess with it instead, if I have to."

Benjamin could tell his attempt to be intimating failed with Athena. Forced to admit he lost the battle, it chaffed his pride and irritated his protective wolf. He snorted then glanced at the nearest clock. As he suspected, barely a few minutes had passed since they started this conversation.

"Fine. Just promise me, if things start looking really bad then you leave. I don't want to see you hurt." His voice held some pain when he considered the possibility.

Athena looked up, breaking her musings at the possible defenses she could use to combat the entity. Walking over until she stood just an arms' length from him, she reached over and tapped his arm.

"Hey, I'll be okay, Benjamin," she reassured with a smile, her voice soothing. "If anything happens, I'll leave, but I won't leave you behind if I can help it. You and Duff, okay?"

"All right. We got some time to kill." He turned away and walked to the sofa, picking up a controller.

"Want to play something while we wait?" Benjamin gave a softer smile that filled with warmth.

Nodding, she grinned. "Yeah, let me grab some tea and then I'll be down to kick your butt," she said with a confident smirk.

~|~

The hours flew by faster than Athena and Benjamin expected before Duff arrived. Emma climbed the stairs with the gruff older wolf in tow. She knocked on the door before Benjamin rose from his seat, placing the game on pause, then opened it. He gave a smile and thanked Emma, gesturing for his 'uncle' to enter.

With bushy, salt, and pepper eyebrows, Duff looked Athena up then down. Despite the meeting with Barron yesterday, the wolf still clung to his caution.

"All right, so what's the plan with this thing in your territory?" He grouched and he took a seat on a nearby chair.

Benjamin inhaled then looked at Athena. He hoped she might explain better about what she sensed than he could.

Athena set the controller down on the coffee table and regarded both wolves with a subtle lift of her brow. Crossing her arms, she glanced at Benjamin once more as he looked to her.

"The plan is for us to go in and find out what exactly this entity is and then come up with a plan to get it out after we have more information," Athena explained. "Call it a scouting or a reconnaissance mission, and try not to engage more than necessary. Then we'll regroup outside. Clear?"

Duff huffed under his breath then asked another question. "What exactly are we looking for? I'm assuming you're going to try to identify this thing."

Her brows furrowed in thought. "We'll use a black light to find traces of the ritual or whatever may have summoned the creature, if it was summoned. To be honest, I'm not too sure of what we are looking for, considering we saw it at a glance, at a distance." Humming aloud her thoughts, she continued, lifting her gaze to the older wolf. "That's what this mission is for—reconnaissance."

Duff stiffened, then forced himself to relax. "Can we set a time limit because I rather not provoke it any more than we need to. I've dealt with a poltergeist before and the longer I stuck around, the angrier it got. I rather not have knives stabbed into my head."

Athena nodded, agreeing. "It's day time, but I think we should limit it to about two hours, at most. Sounds good?"

Benjamin took this opportunity to interrupt Athena's next reply. He stepped toward Duff causing the elder wolf's head to dart into his direction. Though Benjamin hadn't done much, a small and subtle language played out. One between an Alpha and his Beta.

"Well, we can pass ourselves off as stray dogs if we need to. I'm not sure if Athena has a few spells up her sleeve?" His eyes looked back at her, checking to see if she had any better ideas.

Duff scoffed. “Have you seen us in wolf form? That’s as ideal as trying to pass off a bear as a throw rug.”

Athena tapped a finger to her chin in thought. "If it comes to passing off as something, I could probably make you appear more like a dog, if you want that, and I can make myself appear invisible and make both of you also invisible if you wanted that," she said without waiting a beat, immediately after Duff's remark. "It won't last long, but it'll be long enough for what we have to do."

Benjamin bit his lip. “I don’t have much information about the family that moved in. I don’t know if they are dog lovers or what. We could try a few different approaches.”

He paused long enough to grab his soda and down a drink before continuing.

“First, as much as I hate taking the risk, we can observe the family’s routine. The kid might be less willing to chase off a ‘lost’ dog than the parent might be. If we can get in, we can guard the family and search the house while looking normal.” Benjamin noted as he continued to weigh the idea in his head.

“It at least allows us to get a more clear idea of their daily routine.” He looked at the other two to see if they objected to his idea, deciding to move on when they didn’t.

“Athena, it might be a good idea to alter Duff’s or my werewolf appearance to be more mutt-like. We are considered really large ‘dogs’ and there’s some unnaturalness to our anatomy on close inspection. If this doesn’t work, we can come up with a plan B. Maybe becoming friends with the kid?”

Duff spoke up. “I’m not wearing a collar or getting chipped.”

Athena seemed amused as she glanced in Duff's direction, but nodded.

Benjamin sighed, frowning, before making the choice for them all. “Then I will. Athena can be the owner since it looked like the kid was around our age. That means we need to head to the nearest Wal-mart to print out a tag and buy some supplies.”

And Athena nodded again. "Sounds good. Let's get going and start this, shall we?"

“We should consider plan B first before heading out and get our story straight when or if the kid starts to investigate. I don’t want to underestimate him and have this thing blow up in our faces.” Benjamin noted as he considered a quick cover story.

“Athena, do you have an address registered in your name?”

Athena hummed. "I do not, unfortunately, since I'm still a minor. Everything is under my dad's name or my company's name. Probably best if we play it where I'm on vacation, hence an address I could use." Chewing her bottom lip, she tilted her head and crossed her arms across her chest.

“That’s what I was thinking. The tag still needs a valid address or the moment they don’t see one, they might suspect things are off. I just didn’t want your actual name connected with your profession. Last we need is a fan stalking you again.”

Athena shuddered at the thought. "We can use my company's public address, since, it would mean you do belong to me, but can be technically vetted through my company. Instead of their phone number, we can use Duff's on the dog tag so that when they call, Duff picks up the phone instead."

Duff rolled his eyes at the mention of Benjamin belonging to her. “I do sound the oldest so it makes sense. Just don’t let her tug you around too much, Benjamin.”

The popstar lifted a brow in Duff's direction before looking in Benjamin's. Her arched brow remained as she looked on curiously. "Tugging?" She blinked. "Do you want to be tugged on with the collar and leash on?" And then lightly frowned in confusion.

For a moment, Benjamin didn’t know what to say. His inner smartass wanted to make a comment, but he knew it might’ve been taken the wrong way. Duff managed to save Benjamin from incriminating himself.

“Please, can we just cover plan B? The scent is overwhelming at this point and I’m feeling nauseous now.”

Athena's confusion was apparent, but said nothing and glanced between the two males.

“Duff, that’s enough. But you are right, we need to consider plan B.”

“What happens if the kid calls the pound?”

“That’s why I suggested a lost dog instead of a stray. I'd rather not be chased by the local animal control and worst case scenario, even if they do pick me up, at least, they'll have a number to call.”

“I hope they don't decide to spay you while you’re there.”

Athena winced.

“Moving on.” Benjamin snapped as he ignored that statement, mainly for his own comfort.

“If I’m chased away, we have Athena come to the house looking for her ‘dog’. Maybe coaxing the kid into helping by placing up posters or just walking around the neighborhood.”

Athena merely nodded again, lifting a hand to her temple as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "At the very least, it'll give me an opportunity to talk to them and go from there. The conversation can go either way, but I'd like a few pictures of you and me for reference so they can see it instead of just using a lost poster. That way I can show it to them on my phone."

And then she winced again. "How much evidence did we want to provide, at this point?" She shook her head. "If I'm a doggie parent, wouldn't I have, uh, what, loads of pictures of my dog on my phone?"

“Depends on your storage and if your phone has been replaced. I know a kid at school that has only a few pictures of his dog on his phone. Most of your pictures could be at home, which you’re not. Also, it depends on how long you have had the pet too. Less time means less chance to take pictures, right?”

Duff interrupted. “Let’s go get the stuff, and we can gloss over the details along the way. You both will have to squeeze into the truck as it doesn’t have a back seat.”

Already, the older man lifted onto his feet and began to move toward the door.

Athena moved to grab her cellphone, wallet, and a hat to follow Duff as she and Benjamin continued to talk details.

X-Men: The New Era - Avalon Rising

ᴠᴇʀᴏɴɪᴄᴀ "ʀᴏɴɴɪᴇ" ᴍᴀʟᴄᴏʟᴍ

---

_{Saturday, October | Danger Room}

Ronnie continued to wait for a better answer from Heidi. Aggression and impatience oozed from her posture as her aura seemed to demand more.

When Oriana pointed out that her demands for more hadn’t been unreasonable, her right arm shot out and gestured at the student.

“Veronica and see?” She huffed, still waiting for better answers.

However, the redhead butted in. Immediately, Ronnie’s eyes snapped to Uná and shot the rude bitch a dark warning look. If it wasn’t for the fact their bullshit dragged her into things, Ronnie doubted she would ever talk to this rag-tag bunch of misfits.

The fact Uná decided to shrug off her justified concern and threatened her, irked Ronnie. Her fingers tightened on the meat of her arms while she continued her heated glare, her ears listened to the summary. A quick note of the names were pinned to the back of her mind.

When Uná finished, Ronnie didn’t take her hand. She didn’t appear even subdued by the answers or the friendliness Uná shifted to. Instead, she kept her arms close to her chest and opened her mouth. Before the words slipped out, another girl spoke to correct the information. This caused Ronnie to frown.

The moment for any discussion over Uná left Ronnie’s mind when she heard a masculine voice speak about monsters. Once more, her vision switch targets to zero on the man that screamed before. By this time a stressed and upset Cleo’s voice could be heard from the hallway ranting to Uná, who was still in the room. Shrugging off Crazy Cleo’s oddness, Ronnie took a step toward both Oriana and Drake.

“No, fuck that. I’m not about to play Russian Roulette with my life. Especially fighting something I don’t understand. You all want to do that, that’s your choice.” Ronnie managed not to shout it as she continued.

“I just came here to learn to control whatever is wrong with me and go back to my normal life. That’s it. Not get pulled into something I didn’t sign up for. Also, monsters? Are you sure? It sounds like fairytale has gone wrong.”

Chrono Asylum: Prelude to Madness

Samad Armir

_{“I will never stop or rest, until my quarry is dead. Time is my ally and I’ve got plenty of it…”}

Name: Samad Armir (Former last name, unknown)
Official Title: Desert Wolf
Team Title: Wrecking Crew
Gender: Male
Age: (Chapter 1) 24/ (after chapter 1) 27
Position: Linked Asylum
Specialty: Hunter
Alchemic Style: Vocem (primary), Motem (secondary )
Asylum Code: L (50)
Weapons:
Primary Weapon
Desert’s Fang Prototype: Based off a Persian style scimitar it has two modes, combat and hidden. It's a small cylinder of unknown purpose, appearing to be nothing more than a trinket. Once placed in his hand then squeezed a blade made of shaped plasma erupts. This can cut through nearly anything without any issues but light enough he can easily wield it, often his go-to weapon when he’s forced into a confrontation lacking the surprise element. When he’s finished, he smacks the lion’s head with palm and deactivates the blade.

Secondary Weapon
Katar: Usually a H shaped weapon first recorded in the 16th century and used in the Middle East, Samad’s has been enhanced for the modern world. Instead of being gripped, the weapon is strapped upon a thick bracer that looks like a bondage accessory ranging about 8.4 inches in length between the wrist and elbow. On the underarm is what appears to be a small, metal clasp that hides an inch wide blade running down the length of the bracer which ejects at a press of a palm button. On the outer side is a set of ornate strips folded in and can also be flipped out. When extended it creates a small crossbow that shoots small arrows about the size of darts.

Additional features~ There’s a canister that can hold up to about 50 small, tightly packed arrows.

Alchemy Specialization: Velocity Manipulation- Samad can influence the velocity force of any object including living or inanimate that is within his eyesight. This means he can increase or decrease the speed it is traveling at (not fully stop it), alter the target’s magnitude (make the impact softer or harder), redirect from its original target, and even transfer any speed to another source. A favorite tactic in the battle for Samad is to absorb the velocity of an attacking object or person then store it away for later use to get a step ahead of his opponent.

Appearance: Samad is a well-built man, like all Asylums, with a fit physical frame and muscles created by the harsh conditions of the missions he has experienced. On closer inspection, it is obvious he is made for strength rather than speed naturally. His height is about 5’7”, the average for most Arabic and Middle Eastern descended, with a weight at around 225 pounds. Being the son of the Kain’s Shah, the king of the bloodline, Samad clearly takes after his father with his reddish-brown eyes and pure onyx hair, cut short to prevent the normal wavy found in it when he grows it out. His skin is built for the harsh desert environment with the tone of Kalahari sands giving him a proud appearance. A deep, black L, his Asylum number 50, is tattooed into his underarm of his left forearm where it can be hidden from sight.

His attire is often chosen based on his mission. The main questions that need answers are namely what is required and what is the common appearance within the setting, further details filled in when he ends up purchasing the items. This means he doesn’t keep a wide range of outfits for personal use and merely buys on-demand, through the few sets he has are fairly simple. His most favored often fit several needed traits like comfort, mobility, durability, and allows him to blend into modern crowds easily. This means no qualities that stick out like a sore thumb as he hates being the center of attention or noted on a heavy level.

The most frequently used ones are various plain, cotton shirts of usually long sleeves, jeans, and athletic shoes. His shoes are often the most replaced item of his causal wear and have seen some wear and tear. On his middle finger is a thick, titanium ring given to him when he was a child. The piece is shaped into the image of a scorpion wrapped about the finger to touch its claws to its tail, a cut and polished ruby set within its main body.

Personality:

Patient: Being a hunter suits Samad as he uses time as his ally and goes about stalking his prey at his own pace, never rushed by urgency or need to save lives. In his mind, everyone will die, including himself. This makes when mean less than the how. He also knows he’ll eventually catch up to the target and when he does, he’ll make sure they will either fall or never forget. Paranoia works in his favor in this case since it makes his prey sloppy and easier to locate later. In both conflict and outside it, Samad manages to keep a tight rein over his emotions which creates an objective tone and viewpoint with the matter he’s discussion.

Restless: When there’s an unfinished task left, and he’s unable to work on completing it, Samad becomes restless. These traits shown in the way he moves reacts, and more through mostly in subtle ways. Not because he values or wants to protect life, but because he values his own accomplishments deep inside. While he won’t disobey orders to leave things well enough alone, it doesn’t mean it won’t bother him off and on, especially when reminded of it.

Loof: When not being requested on his thoughts or engaged directly in conversation, Samad gives off an aloof attitude to the scene. Most find him distant and cold on the first impression which alters when Elsa gives him a little nudge. Then his warmer personality shines through with a friendlier demeanor.

Blunt in speech: Samad doesn’t believe in sugarcoating the truth as he sees it and in the clearest way. This eliminates any doubt over what he means, but it is often voided of empathy and sensitivity. Elsa is usually his buffer between the harshness of his words and people, gradually trying to teach him how to soften them. It’s a work in progress.

History: Will reveal throughout IC.

---

Elsa Jackson

_{“I’m passionate as ice, a relentless force of nature that will freeze you in your tracks.”}

Name: Elsa Jackson
Official Title: Ice Mother
Team Title: Wrecking Team
Gender: Female
Age: (Chap 1) 21/ (Post Chap 1) 24
Position: Linked Asylum
Specialty: Sniffer
Alchemic Style: Motem (primary) Sigillum (secondary)
Asylum Code: XXX (30)
Weapons:
Primary Weapon

Composition Bow: During her youth, Elsa showed a passion and talent on the composition bow. With her sharp eye, she rarely misses. Despite its complicated appearance, the bow can break down into two parts. The string to be hidden around her waist with the wheels being buckles and the main shaft can be folded up to about half the length of her leg. Making it easy to stash somewhere on her person. Each part has a magnet which when activated will automatically pull the correct part into the right area and fix them in place. It is undetectable by metal detectors and under x-ray, it appears to be completely solid thanks to an alchemy coating.

Arrows: Her quiver has up to fifty arrows which when hidden, appear to be nothing but wooden rods in a canister. Their tips and feathered backs fold in to create a smooth appearance.

There are a few different types of arrows in her arsenal alongside her normal ones. Every single specialized arrow is prepared before a mission and the amount on her person always differs depending on the mission’s information.

Smoke Arrow- When activated on impact, it emits a thick fog which disperses in a 25-foot radius all around the point of landing. This is usually used for escaping or hiding her allies, mainly Samad, from sight.

Acid Arrow-Filled with highly acidic compounds, this cocktail can burn through flesh or metal the moment it lands. Depending on the thickness, it can take time and be washed off by water.

Ice Arrow- Using her own alchemy, she imbued her and shoot them at a target. Patches of thick ice will form over one section of that target. With some selective aiming, she can freeze someone solid.

Fire Arrows- The complete opposite of her ice arrows, when this lands on a target it burns and spreads like wildfire. Unless put out quickly, it will cause heavy damage until it finally fizzles out.

Secondary Weapon

Karambit Knife: Should the enemy get too close for Elsa to use her bow and arrows, she’ll fall back to her Karambit. She’s learned how to channel her ice ability into the blade and with each score, it will freeze the wound. The ice spreads outward to constrict the target’s movements. It’s a thin patch and with a little effort, the ice can be broken off or melted.

Alchemy Specialization:

Ice- Elsa is able to lower temperatures enough to create ice from multiple water sources. In her capable hands, she can mold it into any shape, size, or structure in her imagination. These structures are not thinking or alive. Her power is limited by the water source and its state. The more spread out and less around, like in dry climates, the harder it is to collect. The opposite is true for liquid and wet climates.

Appearance:

Elsa is your average, caucasian blond beauty. She keeps her wavy hair to about shoulder length and combed to one side, pulling her bangs clear of her face. A strong feature is her bright, green eyes. They are filled with warmth most the time, but when her fury gets the better of her... they turn colder than ice. Trailing down her figure, most will notice she has a pleasant mix of soft curves and muscle. With her job, it's hard not to.

During her casual time off, she enjoys sweats and loose shirts. Especially the type from Samad's culture. It's caused a few arguments until Samad finally gave in to her whims and accepted she wouldn't take no for an answer. There is a heavy contrast to her 'work' clothes and casual. Her work focus on movement, practicality, and bending in. So they vary based on her current job. A default one is jeans, shoes, and a pretty shirt.

Personality:

Compassionate/Empathic: Brought into AMRO during her pre-teens, Elsa managed to retain her humanity. She's able to relate and understand other's points of view, or at least respect it. This allows her to connect to those often left unstable after traumatic events. However, despite these qualities, they will never get into the way of her mission's goal.

Relaxed/Friendly: Reports on the team's interactions with others have shown Elsa took the lead during them. Unlike her partner, she has the ability to start up a conversation and endear others toward her. This has left a positive impression and made her a few friends in unexpected places. When conflict starts, she'll be the first to cease it with reason and her partner backing her up.

Insults due out of rage often run off her back, like water from a duck's back. She pays them no mind or importance. It is believed she learned to improve her patience from Samad, but sources can't confirm this. Her default behavior oozes a cool, calm nature overall.

Ice Cold: Only in set conditions has she been forced to ignore her morals and humanity. An icy cold fury settles into her soul as she will speak little, and become hostile. Little deters her from the goal she sets. In this vision of herself, she truly reflects her ice alchemy in its purest form. Ruthless and determined.

History: Will reveal IC.

Chrono Asylum: Prelude to Madness

Coming in, as ordered boss.

Samad Armir

_{“I will never stop or rest, until my quarry is dead. Time is my ally and I’ve got plenty of it…”}

Name: Samad Armir (Former last name, unknown)
Official Title: Desert Wolf
Team Title: Wrecking Crew
Gender: Male
Age: 29
Position: Linked Asylum
Specialty: Hunter
Alchemic Style: Vocem (primary), Motem (secondary )
Asylum Code: L (50)
Weapons:
Primary Weapon
Desert’s Fang Prototype: Based off a Persian style scimitar it has two modes, combat and hidden. It's a small cylinder of unknown purpose, appearing to be nothing more than a trinket. Once placed in his hand then squeezed a blade made of shaped plasma erupts. This can cut through nearly anything without any issues but light enough he can easily wield it, often his go-to weapon when he’s forced into a confrontation lacking the surprise element. When he’s finished, he smacks the lion’s head with palm and deactivates the blade.

Secondary Weapon
Katar: Usually a H shaped weapon first recorded in the 16th century and used in the Middle East, Samad’s has been enhanced for the modern world. Instead of being gripped, the weapon is strapped upon a thick bracer that looks like a bondage accessory ranging about 8.4 inches in length between the wrist and elbow. On the underarm is what appears to be a small, metal clasp that hides an inch wide blade running down the length of the bracer which ejects at a press of a palm button. On the outer side is a set of ornate strips folded in and can also be flipped out. When extended it creates a small crossbow that shoots small arrows about the size of darts.

Additional features~ There’s a canister that can hold up to about 50 small, tightly packed arrows.

Alchemy Specialization: Momentum Manipulation- Samad can influence the momentum force of any object including living or inanimate that is within his eyesight. This means he can increase or decrease the speed it is traveling at (not fully stop it), alter the target’s magnitude (make the impact softer or harder), redirect from its original target, and even transfer any momentum to another source. A favorite tactic in the battle for Samad is to absorb the momentum of an attacking object or person then store it away for later use to get ahead upon his opponent.

Appearance: Samad is a well-built man, like all Asylums, with a fit physical frame and muscles created by the harsh conditions of the missions he has experienced. On closer inspection, it is obvious he is made for strength rather than speed naturally. His height is about 5’7”, the average for most Arabic and Middle Eastern descended, with a weight at around 225 pounds. Being the son of the Kain’s Shah, the king of the bloodline, Samad clearly takes after his father with his reddish-brown eyes and pure onyx hair, cut short to prevent the normal wavy found in it when he grows it out. His skin is built for the harsh desert environment with the tone of Kalahari sands giving him a proud appearance. A deep, black L, his Asylum number 50, is tattooed into his underarm of his left forearm where it can be hidden from sight.

His attire is often chosen based on his mission. The main questions that need answers are namely what is required and what is the common appearance within the setting, further details filled in when he ends up purchasing the items. This means he doesn’t keep a wide range of outfits for personal use and merely buys on-demand, through the few sets he has are fairly simple. His most favored often fit several needed traits like comfort, mobility, durability, and allows him to blend into modern crowds easily. This means no qualities that stick out like a sore thumb as he hates being the center of attention or noted on a heavy level.

The most frequently used ones are various plain, cotton shirts of usually long sleeves, jeans, and athletic shoes. His shoes are often the most replaced item of his causal wear and have seen some wear and tear. On his middle finger is a thick, titanium ring given to him when he was a child. The piece is shaped into the image of a scorpion wrapped about the finger to touch its claws to its tail, a cut and polished ruby set within its main body.

Personality:

Patient: Being a hunter suits Samad as he uses time as his ally and goes about stalking his prey at his own pace, never rushed by urgency or need to save lives. In his mind, everyone will die, including himself. This makes when mean less than the how. He also knows he’ll eventually catch up to the target and when he does, he’ll make sure they will either fall or never forget. Paranoia works in his favor in this case since it makes his prey sloppy and easier to locate later. In both conflict and outside it, Samad manages to keep a tight rein over his emotions which creates an objective tone and viewpoint with the matter he’s discussion.

Restless: When there’s an unfinished task left, and he’s unable to work on completing it, Samad becomes restless. These traits shown in the way he moves reacts, and more through mostly in subtle ways. Not because he values or wants to protect life, but because he values his own accomplishments deep inside. While he won’t disobey orders to leave things well enough alone, it doesn’t mean it won’t bother him off and on, especially when reminded of it.

Loof: When not being requested on his thoughts or engaged directly in conversation, Samad gives off an aloof attitude to the scene. Most find him distant and cold on the first impression which alters when Elsa gives him a little nudge. Then his warmer personality shines through with a friendlier demeanor.

Blunt in speech: Samad doesn’t believe in sugarcoating the truth as he sees it and in the clearest way. This eliminates any doubt over what he means, but it is often voided of empathy and sensitivity. Elsa is usually his buffer between the harshness of his words and people, gradually trying to teach him how to soften them. It’s a work in progress.

History: Will reveal throughout IC.

---

Elsa Jackson

_{“I’m passionate as ice, a relentless force of nature that will freeze you in your tracks.”}

Name: Elsa Jackson
Official Title: Ice Mother
Team Title: Wrecking Team
Gender: Female
Age: 27
Position: Linked Asylum
Specialty: Sniffer
Alchemic Style: Motem (primary) Sigillum (secondary)
Asylum Code: XXX (30)
Weapons:
Primary Weapon

Composition Bow: During her youth, Elsa showed a passion and talent on the composition bow. With her sharp eye, she rarely misses. Despite its complicated appearance, the bow can break down into two parts. The string to be hidden around her waist with the wheels being buckles and the main shaft can be folded up to about half the length of her leg. Making it easy to stash somewhere on her person. Each part has a magnet which when activated will automatically pull the correct part into the right area and fix them in place. It is undetectable by metal detectors and under x-ray, it appears to be completely solid thanks to an alchemy coating.

Arrows: Her quiver has up to fifty arrows which when hidden, appear to be nothing but wooden rods in a canister. Their tips and feathered backs fold in to create a smooth appearance.

There are a few different types of arrows in her arsenal alongside her normal ones. Every single specialized arrow is prepared before a mission and the amount on her person always differs depending on the mission’s information.

Smoke Arrow- When activated on impact, it emits a thick fog which disperses in a 25-foot radius all around the point of landing. This is usually used for escaping or hiding her allies, mainly Samad, from sight.

Acid Arrow-Filled with highly acidic compounds, this cocktail can burn through flesh or metal the moment it lands. Depending on the thickness, it can take time and be washed off by water.

Ice Arrow- Using her own alchemy, she imbued her and shoot them at a target. Patches of thick ice will form over one section of that target. With some selective aiming, she can freeze someone solid.

Fire Arrows- The complete opposite of her ice arrows, when this lands on a target it burns and spreads like wildfire. Unless put out quickly, it will cause heavy damage until it finally fizzles out.

Secondary Weapon

Karambit Knife: Should the enemy get too close for Elsa to use her bow and arrows, she’ll fall back to her Karambit. She’s learned how to channel her ice ability into the blade and with each score, it will freeze the wound. The ice spreads outward to constrict the target’s movements. It’s a thin patch and with a little effort, the ice can be broken off or melted.

Alchemy Specialization:

Ice- Elsa is able to lower temperatures enough to create ice from multiple water sources. In her capable hands, she can mold it into any shape, size, or structure in her imagination. These structures are not thinking or alive. Her power is limited by the water source and its state. The more spread out and less around, like in dry climates, the harder it is to collect. The opposite is true for liquid and wet climates.

Appearance:

Elsa is your average, caucasian blond beauty. She keeps her wavy hair to about shoulder length and combed to one side, pulling her bangs clear of her face. A strong feature is her bright, green eyes. They are filled with warmth most the time, but when her fury gets the better of her... they turn colder than ice. Trailing down her figure, most will notice she has a pleasant mix of soft curves and muscle. With her job, it's hard not to.

During her casual time off, she enjoys sweats and loose shirts. Especially the type from Samad's culture. It's caused a few arguments until Samad finally gave in to her whims and accepted she wouldn't take no for an answer. There is a heavy contrast to her 'work' clothes and casual. Her work focus on movement, practicality, and bending in. So they vary based on her current job. A default one is jeans, shoes, and a pretty shirt.

Personality:

Compassionate/Empathic: Brought into AMRO during her pre-teens, Elsa managed to retain her humanity. She's able to relate and understand other's points of view, or at least respect it. This allows her to connect to those often left unstable after traumatic events. However, despite these qualities, they will never get into the way of her mission's goal.

Relaxed/Friendly: Reports on the team's interactions with others have shown Elsa took the lead during them. Unlike her partner, she has the ability to start up a conversation and endear others toward her. This has left a positive impression and made her a few friends in unexpected places. When conflict starts, she'll be the first to cease it with reason and her partner backing her up.

Insults due out of rage often run off her back, like water from a duck's back. She pays them no mind or importance. It is believed she learned to improve her patience from Samad, but sources can't confirm this. Her default behavior oozes a cool, calm nature overall.

Ice Cold: Only in set conditions has she been forced to ignore her morals and humanity. An icy cold fury settles into her soul as she will speak little, and become hostile. Little deters her from the goal she sets. In this vision of herself, she truly reflects her ice alchemy in its purest form. Ruthless and determined.

History: Will reveal IC.

Legacy of Heroes: The New Age

Samantha Haynes/Hexfire

---

_{January 1, 2020 | Keystone City}
By: @Fallenreaper
Mentions: @Crusader Lord

Later that Night

---

As Scarlet predicted, Samantha didn't hear her shouts. A mixture of disappointment and acceptance plugged her ears as she continued down the dark hallway. The thumps of her tennis shoes hit the mosaic floor, distorted by the lengthy shadows and dim light. Weeks ago the museum director had insisted they use cheaper, low illumination lights for nighttime shifts. The lack of warmth caused Samantha to shiver then quickened her pace toward the back room. Thankfully, it wasn’t too far. Her heart pumped blood fast enough, it hummed in her veins.

When she reached the door, she paused. Her eyes lowered as she sifted through the numerous keys. A sense of being watched caused her to pause. Samantha stepped closer to the wall then turned about, her eyes narrowed at the darkest part of the room. Her fingers adjusted her glasses, righted them again on her nose.

She took a small step forward and addressed the seemingly empty hallway.

“Hello? Is someone there?”

Silence greeted her. Samantha lowered her shoulders and chased the tension from her posture. I’m losing my mind. The thought fluttered across her mind, her attention returned to the keyhole. She slipped the right key inside and gave it a hard twist. A muffled click indicated she had unlocked the door. With a heavy push, she entered. It swung shut behind to secure in place.

Pushing her fear and worry to the side, Samantha felt for the light switch. Her fingers pressed into the indentation. Click! Hiss, pop! Samantha cursed her luck. The bulb went out leaving her to scramble about in the darkness. Her fingers reached under her glasses and rubbed her eyes.

“This day sucks.” She muttered to herself.

Straining against the shadows, she couldn’t see a thing. Her arms stretched out to touch the wall and gradually began to make her way to the storage section. She failed to spot the plastic prop of a ‘mummy’ coffin. Her knee smacked into it causing pain to ripple through her nerve endings. The thump echoed throughout the room followed by Samantha’s small curse.

Her arm reached out to brace against the wall as she assessed her injury through touch.

From the obscure corner, a figure materialized then walked toward Samantha. Two gloved hands reached out then seized her. One snapped over her mouth, silencing her yelp of surprise. The other found her waist and pulled her against his body to fix her in place.

X-Men: The New Era - Avalon Rising

ᴠᴇʀᴏɴɪᴄᴀ "ʀᴏɴɴɪᴇ" ᴍᴀʟᴄᴏʟᴍ

---

_{Saturday, October | Danger Room}

Ronnie’s eyes pinned Heidi in place, like a butterfly in a display case. She gritted her teeth enough that her jawline tightened and her weight shifted to one side. Her arms continued to cross over her chest while she absorbed the student’s words. They obviously didn’t realize their bullshit now included her against her will. This was not acceptable nor would she let it stand.

With a deep breath, she inhaled then exhaled through her nose. She opened her lips to utter her next words only to have Crazy Cleo follow her outburst with a swift and sudden departure. Her figure slipped past the redhead who recently stood at the door, ready to bar anyone from leaving. Ronnie glared at the retreating blonde making her way into the hallway then moving to vanish.

At this point, students were coming or going. Leaving Ronnie rather frustrated when it came to learning answers and getting a clear picture of the situation. If it hadn’t been for the Headmaster’s words, she would’ve left it alone. It should’ve been their problem, but now it was hers. One she intended on getting a handle on.

After the older biker wannabe left and two students came back, Ronnie couldn’t wait any longer. Pushing the odd antics from her head, she let out a small huff. She continued shortly with her train of thought.

“Unfortunately, it appears it concerns me as well. Even if I didn’t arrive until now. I want more details than the watered-down version you gave me because I want to figure out how this might affect me.”

She looked closely at each of the remaining students.

X-Men: The New Era - Avalon Rising

ᴠᴇʀᴏɴɪᴄᴀ "ʀᴏɴɴɪᴇ" ᴍᴀʟᴄᴏʟᴍ

---

_{Saturday, October | Danger Room}

When Ronnie entered the danger room, it didn't resemble any building she had ever been in. With a name like Danger Room, she should've figured it wouldn't. Yet it still surprised her at first.

Her eyes scanned the hard panels along the circular wall. Together with their near eerie perfection, they reminded her of a padded room tinted blue. All the small lights in the upper corners illuminated better than she imagined it would.

She shifted in place, feeling out of place. In a defensive habit, she crossed her arms over her chest and forced herself to remain still. Her head rotated about until her eyes rested on the adults in the center. Their uniforms indicated they were school staff.

Her eyebrow arched. She glanced around at the misfits when the Dean mentioned the incident and local LAPD. She realized she had gotten mixed up with not just misfits, but trouble makers. Her hand rose to rub her temple with her fingers. When the man's lecture fell onto the subject of why they were here, Ronnie fought not to roll her eyes.

To be cured.

If she had spoken, the words would've rolled off her tongue without a second thought. Ever since her powers manifested, her image and life suffered. She still hated the fact a video of her outburst reigned wild on public media. A perfect example of why mutants were dangerous.

From what little information she managed to access, there appeared to be no cure. Else her mother would've booked an appointment first chance she got. For now, this was the closest thing Ronnie had and she intended to see it through.

Her teeth tightened as she watched an Asian looking girl dart out the door. There was no doubt in Ronnie's mind the student had been chasing after the Dean for some reason.

When the man behind her screamed, her head jerked over her shoulder. Her expression fell into a glare at the wannabe biker's reaction over nothing. A snap, crackle, and pop followed shortly. She caught the small zap of electrical causing Ronnie to step back, staring at the culprit. Apologetic, Zappy girl promptly made her exit and followed by a dark-haired teenager.

Was everyone here crazy, or a ticking time bomb? Ronnie practically screamed in her head.

Not waiting for any more surprises, she spoke. “I don’t know about you all, but that was unsettling. I’m hoping this isn’t normal.”

X-Men: The New Era - Avalon Rising

Veronica 'Ronnie' Arleen Malcolm

_{Please disregard the piercing in the nose, she doesn't have one and would only wear a fake one}
Name: Veronica 'Ronnie' Arleen Malcolm
Nicknames/Aliases: Paper Girl, Bitch, Queen Bee. There's honestly a lot.
X-Men Code Name: Origami
Gender: Female
Age: 16

Physical Description:

Ronnie tends to favor outfits with a sense of modern style and enhancing her assets. She tends out use off whites, pastel, or other light colors to stand against her darker skin. She refuses to do neon since the contrast is very ugly. The girl enjoys her name brand clothing, even for her casual wear. It's one of the perks of being able to afford and enjoy looking good in it. One of the examples of her style is her favorite outfit. A soft tan spaghetti top and low cut jean shorts, with a tassel pendent gold necklace and brown leather belt. She would top it off with wedge sandals on her feet. On her person is always her small purse keeping her essentials, cell phone, and spare cash on hand.

HT- 5'8" ( 172.72 cm )
WT- 144 lbs.
EY- Brown
SK- Light brown
HR- Dark and tightly curled.
BLT-Thin
Markings/Piercings: None.

Mutations:

Paper Manipulation (this is the broad term for her abilities):
This includes, but not limited to the following.

Manipulation.

-Using a form of telekinesis to move, locate, and or alter any paper or paper related objects. This means if they are made of a paper or paper-like substance -if they are bendable and made from paper they count as paper-like- she can control them. This has a range of about 3 meters in any direction.

Altering Properties/Mending.

-She can change the properties of paper like substances. This includes, but not limited to:
*strengthen it against attack. This is mainly against blunt force or any attack not listed in the weaknesses of paper. (see chart underneath)

*Combine many sheets of paper into one giant one.

-Can repair or mend any paper like substance. Following the law of energy, Veronica can't make something out of nothing. She needs to use another source of paper in order to 'mend' the damaged one.
Once she has, she can easily restore it back to any original state before the damage.

Create Paper Constructs.

-With a little time and enough paper, Veronica can create constructs big or small. From weapons like swords and bow and arrows to actual moving creatures. Her ability in this area is limited only by her imagination and amount of materials available to her. The larger (like a buck or truck) the construct is, the longer and more focus it will take to create. These are the type to impact their environment the most. Likewise, the smaller ones are the opposite. Though it will still take time and focus to create a great number of the same small construct.

-These constructs are rooted in reality. They function like their real life counterparts and without issues most the time. Due to their paper origins, they are vulnerable to paper weaknesses.

-Once made, they no longer need her to hold them together and can act freely according to their nature. Ronnie can, if she wishes, manipulate the object and guide it into helping her. Example: Ordering an animal construct to attack a hostile or avoid hurting allies with a paper arrow.

Paper weaknesses include:

Water-When soaked with water, paper weakens and crumbles.
Fire/Extreme Heat-When exposed to flame, paper burns easily and turns to ashes.
Slicing and Cutting- Any sharp, cutting weapon or surface can easily rip paper to pieces. Rendering most of Ronnie's efforts useless.
Material Availability- As mentioned before, she's limited by her material's amount. The greater amount, the more she can do and create. Like wise, the same is true with limited supplies. She can create it out of thin air or alter materials into paper.
Additional notes
While Ronnie is gaining control over her ability, she hasn't mastered it yet. This means there will be cases where it either doesn't work at all or not in the way she wants it to.

Personality:

Ronnie's personality is a complicated one. Below are the core traits that at this point, heavily influence her decisions and actions. These are subject to additions or changes as she grows.

• Level Headed
• Selective Loyalty
• Charismatic
• Dominant
• Selfish
• Lacking Empathy

Background:

Small notes (NPC ones)
Parents
Father- Christopher Malcolm
Mother- Paige Malcolm (surname: Black)

Ex-Friends
Alexander King
Yasmin Williams
Julia Wells

Rivals
Maggie 'Mag-Pie' Warner

---

Ronnie could never understand why her mother married her father. They were as different as night and day, but it was obvious who held the reins in the relationship. Her mother. Together they ran Tech Guardian Industries, a 'rags to riches' global security company. This is the environment Ronnie grew up in. A place she never knew what or limitations, but also a place full of high expectations. Weakness was not tolerated.

From the moment she was born to every waking second, her mother expected success. No excuses were acceptable. Shame left a stinging impression, but no physical punishment came. She developed heavy hatred at that sensation and those who cause it.

Before her mutation surfaced, her old school described her as bitchy and dangerous. Especially to those in her crosshairs. Those select individuals of her clique benefited from her power. It came at a price. Her approval meant everything in the school scene.

For a while, her life appeared to follow a law and order routine. Well maintained for her success in life. Then her mutation turned everything on its head.

The incident caused quite a stir. Her father worried about her health and safety, though she could see the fear of the unknown rise in him. This behavior quickly stopped when her mother chastised her. This 'stunt' of hers would damage not just her image, but the family's and the company's too.

Some students had caught the whole incident on their cell phones and posted it on social media. They pointed her out as the source. Soon after, the principle to call her parents. He requested she remained home until farther notice. A newly formed no tolerance policy. The social media rumors ignited the internet like a wildfire. Students began to fear and judge her until even her clique began to ostracize her.

All her years of influence and power, gone in a matter of days. The worst day ever for Ronnie. Within the week, someone from The Ashford Institution for Gifted came knocking. A small conversation later, Ronnie's parents agreed. She suspected her mother agreed just to purely to give the incident time to blow over. Paige Malcolm wanted problems solved instead of hidden.

Nearly a month later, she was shipped out to California and on her way to the new school. One filled with freaks like her.

Recap of your mutations awakening:

>>>Search: Mutant attack on student, Washington DC.
....searching
>>>About 8,380,000 results

A soft click could be heard as the newest video is picked. The description listed the location as Lincoln Memorial Academy. A private school for girls in Washington.

Mutant Attacks Another Student.

Panicked screams start the video. Several students bolt for the door, their hands trying to tear it open. As the door opens, they move into the hallway causing shouts of protest. The camera holder's hand shakes as sheets of paper fly about in erratic patterns. They swarm nearby students. Scoring thin, red lines across their exposed skin. Slower students, like the phone's owner, duck under desks or chairs. Anything to protect themselves from the onslaught.

With a cautious turn, the camera owner shifts focus from the chaotic scene to the back of the classroom.

It rested on two students at the epicenter of the carnage.

A dark skinned girl stood firmly in front of another. The victim, her face and waving arms seen through the largest swarm of paper, struggled to escape. She pleaded for mercy. Thin red lines score across her skin under rips on her uniform. She slammed into a counter then crawled into a corner. Suddenly, the flying paper dropped to the ground. All of them in perfect union. The red head could be heard whimpering as the only standing student stirred. Her curled, dark head glanced around in confusion.

The video ended with the cellphone owner's last words.

"She's a fucking mutant..."

Needless to say, Ronnie left an impression when her powers first woke up. According to newspaper reports, Ms. Malcolm approached Ms. Warner before an altercation occurred. Soon after, papers flew off desks, out of notebooks, and folders to attack everyone. Once the chaos died, Ms. Warner was taken to the hospital. She suffered several shallow lacerations across her body which weren't life threatening. The school suspended Ms. Malcolm due to a 'No violence tolerated' policy. One that had never been upheld or existed until the incident.

Sum up your week in roleplaying in just 3 words

Slow as heck

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

MISADVENTURES

&

L O C A T I O N: Somewhere in New York City
T I M E: Present Day ( July ) Sometime Around 8 PM

---

The sun began to set over New York's skyline, drowning the restless city in growing darkness. Cars zoomed by as they flooded the streets with zooming lights and sounds. It was a backdrop that comforted any city dweller. Lamp posts illuminated the sidewalks with pale yellow light. In the area where Benjamin lived, only Athena and he was important. He tuned out the humming of night owls flocking into clubs, bars, and more to focus on her.

He could talk for hours with her, just because he missed her so much. These moments in their lives were fleeting, and he cherished them. Distracted by their conversation, the hair on his neck abruptly bristled. Benjamin's lips pursed then turned to the right, his eyes gazing upward.

A large, aged house towered over them. He recognized it as the old Jefferson's place. Abandoned for several years, rumors of haunting figures and strange suicides surfaced. When things were normal, he never really believed any of those tall tales. The wild imaginations of his fellow students.

As he tightened his vision on the third story, a curtain moved ever slightly. The hazy image of some small figure stared back at him. His breath stalled in his throat. Benjamin's feet grounded to a stop, unable to move. Something was off with that house.

Athena, in mid-conversation, stiffened much at the same time as Benjamin did, but she looked toward Benjamin rather than where he was focusing his attention. The hairs on the back of her neck lifted, prickling her skin as a shudder shook her, and her heart both raced and fell at the sensation of something cold washing over her.

Pale, she slowly lifted her gaze toward where he was looking at, sensing something was incredibly wrong with the house they were staring at.

"Benjamin?" she called out to him, in a soft voice. "What-What are you looking at?"

Benjamin watched the figure flow backward and fade into the darkness. The curtain falling back to shroud the interior. Athena's voice brought him out of his distracted focus. His attention shifted to her, his nostrils flared at the fear. He took a moment to calm himself.

"I thought I saw something in the window." He chided himself for scaring her more.

"I just never paid attention to the rumors about this old place until now. Thinking back... I'm now wondering if there was any truth to them.”

She shivered, as though cold, gooseflesh appearing on her skin as she regarded the building. Athena wrapped her arms around herself, trying to find where he was looking. Blue briefly flashed in her dark eyes, sensing energy much darker than she had ever experienced before entered her view. Copying Benjamin, she took her own breath to steady herself.

"That's—" Athena laughed nervously, "not scary, at all, nope." After a moment, she turned to Benjamin, when she couldn't see anything, the negative energy disappearing from view.

"What are the rumors?"

Instinctively, Benjamin curled his arm about her shoulders and pulled Athena closer. Letting her draw warmth from his elevated body heat. His hand rubbed her outer arm to give her comfort.

The gooseflesh stayed on Athena's bare arms for a moment, letting him rub her skin until the bumps faded to smooth skin once more. Athena sighed, sounding comforted by the touch.

"You're lying." He tried to sound teasing, but the effort failed. The teenage boy sighed then moved on.

"It's rumored that a really long time ago, a family moved in. They had a single kid who suffered from depression. During those days, they didn't understand how to treat a mental condition like that. The parents got fed up with the boy's moping and it drove him to commit suicide."

He paused for a breath.

"They say he still haunts the house and that any children who moved in, would suffer the same fate. Often driven to it by the ghost."

Dark grey eyes flitted to the house once more, shimmering to that faint luminescent blue again, bleeding in from the edges of her iris to her pupil. "There's something dark there, something dark and..." She trailed off, wrapping her arms around Benjamin's torso for reassurance.

She blinked, shaking her head. "We should get going—" She tugged on his arm, trying to move away from the building, giving the impression she was afraid of the house.

But her eyes remain focused on the building.

Benjamin had been about to say a thing when he felt her tug him. He frowned but didn't resist. Without much resistance, he started to move and follow her lead. His worry peaked at the back of his mind upon seeing Athena's reaction to the house. Her eyes were naturally strange to watch the shift from normal to blue.

"All right, no problem. It's giving me the creeps too." He easily caught up to her side then reassured her. "Duff and I will check it out later. He's got some experience with this stuff."

Athena nodded, but her hands released his wrist when they were away from the house far enough that she couldn't feel the negative energy reach her. Taking another breath, she relaxed. While she's not entirely happy with the circumstances that soured their outing, she cast one more glance in the direction of the house before they left.

~ x ~

T I M E: Present Day ( July ) Sometime Around 1 AM

---

Later that night, once she was certain that Benjamin had gone to sleep, she waited another twenty minutes to feel the energy in the mansion to make certain that all was still.
With a nod, she quickly assembled the necessary pieces and began the call.

"Hello?" she greeted, though keeping her voice quiet.

Morrigan's image appeared in the water's rippling surface. Her lips curled into a smile and eyes narrowed on someone outside the frame. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Athena's image appear on her side. Immediately, she shooed off whomever she chatted with and turned to her follower.

"Athena, it's so lovely to hear from you. I'm ready for your report and I hope it's good news." Her fingers intertwined in front of her lips, patiently waiting for the younger girl to speak.

Athena nodded, eager to get started with sharing the news. First, she quickly broke down the information regarding Baron and Benjamin's strange encounter with someone in Vegas that led to his trip back here. In their time together as they tried to piece together his missing time, she shared briefly information regarding his transformation and the meeting with Baron and Duff shortly after.

Summing up her news, she ended with the negative energy in the house that had ended their day together.

"There's a lot of negative energy there that I don't think it'll just stop with the people in that house," Athena said with a hum, frowning. "I think Ben and Duff are walking into something really—" She used a Chinese word, but it roughly translated to "evil."

"My dear, evil is subjective," Morrigan stated, indifferent to the term used. She never really cared for heavy morality. The elder woman quickly moved on as she addressed the root of the issue.

"Still... I don't like what you've told me about that house. Have you done any digging into the history of it?"

Athena nodded but said nothing else for a moment. "Not yet, not since Ben told me about it—I've only learned about it just a few hours ago. I know something's lingering there—a lot of negative…" she frowned, trying to find the right English word, "darkness?"

She shook her head. "I planned on doing some digging tonight before Ben and his packmate, Duff, go out tomorrow to investigate. I have a bad feeling about this, Morrigan—like Ben is walking into something dangerous."

Morrigan removed her fingers from the front of her mouth. She thumped her nails on the wooden desk as she slipped into thought. Her eyes glossed over in their usual fashion before she rose upright. Her voice continued to speak, though the distance muffled it slightly.

"Umm, I might have something that could help. Was it demonic or other? Did you get a heavy sense of ancient essence?" asked Morrigan, the sounds of her shuffling through her library.

Athena paled as she remembered the feeling of the energy there. "Ancient, like it's been there for a while," she said. "It's like a bunch of spirits got stuck together in the darkness and can't leave."

She shuddered.

Morrigan nodded. "Go on, anything else to note of it? It's not human at least so a simple banishment spell won't do."

Gooseflesh broke out across the surface of Athena's skin as she continued to remember. "It's like it was trying to take what isn't theirs, and make it theirs and didn't care about the repercussions. Malicious and filled with dark energy that made even Ben see something. I know it wasn't a spirit, but it's pretending to be one."

Morrigan finally pulled a book out of a slot in the bookcase. "Here it is. From what you've described, it's demonic or primal in nature. Something very dangerous."

Athena nodded, watching Morrigan move about the room, curious.

She moved toward a crow and set the book down, the creature hopped from one foot to another in its excitement. Her finger brushed the feathered head causing it to settle down.
"Once we're done here, I'll send a book over to help you identify what it is. After that, contact me again and I'll send you something to deal with it. For now, learn all you can over that house. It's important."

The woman sat down again as she faced the water bowl. "Do you understand me?"

Athena nodded again. "Understood." She tilted her head in question, thoughtful. Though she looked like she was about to ask a question, she paused, humming in thought. "I'll contact you as soon as I figure it out." A sense of determination glinted in her eyes.

“Anything else, my dear?” Morrigan asked, her eyes locked onto Athena’s.

Athena shook her head. Not until she got the book in her hands to study would she have any questions. Even then, the gooseflesh had yet to fade fully from her skin, still spooked from the memories.

"No, I think that's all," Athena managed to say with a small smile, paler than she had been at the start of the call.

“My dear, if you get any paler… I might have to suggest you take some baby goat’s blood, cinnamon, and mix it in some tea. For now, try to get some sleep. I know you mortals need it.”

Morrigan waved her hand then rose upright. Whether she was intending to send the book right away or later, was unknown.

Athena nodded and ended the call. She sat there for a moment before she stood up. A noise outside of the room startled her, and she couldn't seem to get warm. A little more than spooked, she grabbed her phone and charger and crept out of the guest bedroom toward Ben's bedroom.

She hesitated, biting her lower lip. And then she knocked before she could change her mind. "Ben?" she softly called out. "Can I sleep with you?" Her voice airy, wispy, and unlike the strength, she had earlier in the day.

Benjamin twitched, his eyes scrunched and his lips smacked. In a half-sleep state, he pushed himself upright. Propped against his elbow, he rubbed the grit from his half-lidded eyes.

"What's the matter? Still spooked?" he mumbled.

Athena padded quietly into the room at the foot of his bed. "Yeah, a bit," she admitted. Her energy was distorted since she hadn't expelled her stress yet. "I… can't get warm and I keep remembering…"

Benjamin inhaled then slid over. His hand patted the mattress, indicating where Athena could lay.

"Come on, let's see if we can change that."

Walking deeper into the room, she quickly plugged her phone charger in and set the phone in the bed before burrowing herself under the blankets. Even at the distance of how they were on the bed, she could feel his body heat spread through the blankets.

She sighed in contentment. However, it's a different story for Ben since she was ice cold.
Benjamin's arms wrapped about her. Tightly embracing her as he buried his nose into her shoulder, enjoying her scent. His body began to roar to life with a fresh wave of heat. An instinctive response to her ice-cold skin.

"Damn, you're cold." His warm breath washed over her skin.

Athena shuddered, a soft hum when she was pressed against her back against him. A different sort of gooseflesh broke out across her skin but settled quickly.

His slow, even breathing tickling the skin of her neck tingled down her spine. She tried not to be aware of how his arms wrapped around her waist and idly thought about wearing more clothes than just a t-shirt.

But, with her own personal heater as strong as Ben, she warmed up quickly and fell asleep soon after.

~ x ~

T I M E: Present Day ( July ) Sometime Around 7 AM

---

Benjamin's eyes opened slowly. His jaw extended and a long yawn escaped his lips. A small burn rippled across his muscles, leaving a pleasant ache. His arms began to peel themselves back from Athena's figure. It was then... he realized something.

She wore only a t-shirt and no pants. He blinked a moment then groaned at his stupidity. Why didn't he wear more than boxers last night? It was too late to regret now. With a gentle movement, he managed to push off the blankets and shift around her. Noting her cooler temperature, he quickly pulled them back over her.

He needed to get dressed and head downstairs to fix breakfast. Emma wouldn't arrive until around 8 am and it was only 7 am. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he moved to the bathroom to complete his morning routine. Secretly, he was lucky not to have 'poked' Athena in the middle of the night.

Fortunately, she wasn't bothered by Ben leaving the bed, but the departure of his warmth let her own body temperature drop again. Having yet to expel the surprising negative energy from the night before, Athena's brows furrowed, her body curling into a small ball.

Benjamin headed downstairs. His feet thumped as he hurried down, skirting into the nearby kitchen. He popped his head into the fridge to see what he had. Bacon and scrambled eggs sounded good, he thought.

His hand reached for the carton and snatched up the bacon. He shut the door with his foot. Setting the items on the counter, he began to prepare the eggs and bacon for breakfast. When he finished, he fixed Athena and himself a plate. His meal naturally had mainly raw bacon due to cravings.

After setting them on a tray, he began to haul it up the stairs.

Images flashed through her mind's eye, flitting to and fro with no certain path or reasoning. All Athena can think about was trying to wake up and hope this dream didn't turn into a real nightmare.

Benjamin smacked the door, hoping to get Athena's attention. He realized fairly quickly, he hadn't thought it fully through enough. He pressed his head against the door.

"Athena, can you hear me? I need you to open the door and I got breakfast," he stated loudly.

She jolted awake, sitting upright with her heart suddenly racing as though she had been running. Athena was ice cold again, but the sound of Ben being on the other side of the door had her run a hand through her hair, quickly combing it out. It took another second before her racing heart calmed to a more reasonable pace.

Quickly, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and ran to the door. Seeing the breakfast, she made a wane smile.

"Breakfast?" she murmured, hiding a yawn behind her hand. Her nails weren't painted this time around, revealing purple-tinted nails, indicating how cold she was. "Gimme a sec."

Scurrying off to where her things were set aside, she pulled on a pair of shorts, and then, after two minutes of washing her face and cleaning up, she was back in his bedroom for breakfast, looking refreshed.

Benjamin balanced his tray as he slid through the door. He gritted his teeth, wondering how Emma did this so easily, before setting it down on the bedside table.

"I hope you like scrambled eggs and bacon. I couldn't remember if you had special diet requirements or not." He passed her plate over then taking his own, the scent of raw bacon causing his mouth to water. His figure lowered to the bed, sitting close to Athena.

Realizing how it might look, he averted his gaze and explained, "Raw meat is better for me. Dig in, you look like you need it."

Athena nodded, sitting cross-legged as she tugged the tray over to her. Watching Benjamin for a moment more, she couldn't help the small smile again. "It's fine as long as I go for a run after this," she said, picking up a fork. Snickering, she nudged him with her elbow.

"Not like last night told me anything about the raw meat—" Another snicker as she popped some scrambled eggs into her mouth. "Thanks for the breakfast."

Benjamin chuckled as his hand gripped a strip of bacon in his fingers. He raised it then lowered it into his mouth. The raw texture of the meat and fat coated nicely against his teeth. It slid down his throat, drawing a small pleased growl.

Between bites, he smiled then spoke. "I figured you needed something after yesterday. You were cold as ice."

Athena shrugged between bites, already half of the meal near finished. She seemed hungrier than she looked. Lifting her hand and gaze to him, she pressed the back of her fingers to his arm, still ice-cold as she was late last night.

"I need more than a 'something,'" she said, seemingly amused. Withdrawing her hand, she resumed eating. "It's what I'm hoping my run will help me fix it."

Benjamin's skin rose and accelerated his heat into her skin. His fingers stopped half-way from picking up another strip of pork as he watched her. Eyes locked on her with concern and worry.

He opened his mouth to say something when a loud smack hit the window into the loft. Instinctively, Benjamin jumped and shot his head into the direction.

"What in the hell was that?" He set the plate down then rose onto his feet, moving to the loft’s only window.

A small crow pecked at the glass. It cawed and fluttered, eager to get inside.

Athena visibly flinched at the noise, glancing around to find the source. When she saw none, she tapped her fork to the plate for a moment before recollecting the conversation the night before.

Quickly, setting aside the food and utensil, she left the bedroom after Benjamin. Upon approach in the loft, she spotted the crow.

"Oh!" Athena reached forward, opening the window and let the crow in by gesturing for it to hop onto her outstretched hand. Tugging off the parchment and the small vial, she tucked those into the small little pocket of her shorts.

"Benjamin, this is a friend of mine, you could say," she said and turned to him. "I believe they got worried about me." She sounded sheepish.

Benjamin looked completely baffled. His eyes shifted from the bird to Athena, watching the creature. It cawed then gently pecked her hand seeming to want something.

At the peck, Athena shifted, moving to the bedroom to grab a few pieces of bacon and egg before walking back out to the loft to feed it from her hand.

"I was about to ask if it was a friend of yours—I guess I got my answer. Does this have anything to do with the house yesterday?" He stood there, waiting for an answer. Though he wasn't angry in the least.

"Yes, sort of." Athena furrowed her brow as she let the crow continue to snack. "I didn't like the energy that the house had and it left an impression on me. So, I consulted with Morrigan about what it might be. But, since I just had a vague feeling, it's not a lot to go on."

Benjamin exhaled, his crossed arms fell to his side. "I guess some help is better than going in blind. Is this why you're out of sorts?"

Athena nodded.

With a bit of rowdy playfulness, the crow nipped Athena's finger. Its sharp beak broke a bit of the skin causing her to bleed slightly. Another gleeful caw escaped its mouth as it darted side to side, like some feathery dog.

Despite the new cut, Athena seemed used to it and smiled at the crow. Her fingers rubbed on its form, giving it the affection and love it deserves for coming all this way.

"There's always a balance, something I noticed when my abilities came to me. With so much negative energy, it'd take all of my yang energy to compensate. Or positive, I suppose." Looking over at Benjamin, she tilted her head in thought.
"Just give me a bit and I should warm up soon," she said with a smile.

Benjamin took a sharp inhale before his body relaxed. His eyes still fixed on the crow, tensing a bit at the drawn blood and fighting down his primal urges. It was mainly to rip the thing's head off for hurting her. Thankfully, only her reaction gave him a reason for him to hold back. The teenager's discomfort faded.

"All right, do you need anything?"

Once the crow was satisfied with the affection, she let the crow go and shut the window. Sticking her cut finger into her mouth, she gestured for them to head back to the bedroom and finish their breakfast before going about the rest of the day.

In the next few hours, after some tea and asking Benjamin for a run, Athena was successfully balanced again. Now, they were hanging out in his gaming area, watching a movie.

~ x ~

Benjamin's arm began to tingle before he shifted off the couch back. He rubbed it a bit to get some feeling back into it. His eyes watched the conclusion of the action movie as he leaned over and reached for the remote. He clicked the DVD off and set it down.

He rose upright, stretching then looked at her. "I'll call Duff after the run. It gives me time to think and sort out how we should approach this. We might have to wolf out and explore the property at night."

His arm already reached out for his pair of shoes. With an easy heel hook and toe tap, they slipped on easily.

"You ready to go?" He asked.

Athena nodded, listening as she grabbed some clothes. "Sounds good—lemme get changed and we'll go," she said as she disappeared into the bathroom, only to quickly reappear sporting a black sports bra, accents lined in hot pink, and black-camo colored leggings. Slipping her phone into a small pocket lined into the leggings, Athena's lilac sports t-shirt slid over her chest to hide toned abs.

After slathering sunscreen on all of her exposed skin that had the scent of something faintly beachy, she grabbed her own sneakers to slip on.

"I'll be following your lead so lead the way, Benjamin," she said with a grin. Popping a wireless earbud in one ear and a black sweatband around her other wrist, she looked prepped. Coupled with her faded pink baseball cap and her long hair pulled into a braided ponytail, she looked ready to challenge whatever run he was going to take them on.

Benjamin just finished trying his shoes when he rose upright, catching sight of her. Surprise sparked in his eyes as he looked her over. He never recalled her looking so... appealing before. His heart rate quickened briefly before he shook away the thoughts. Coughing a bit, he cleared his throat enough to speak clearly.

"Right—I'll take us past the house so you should brace yourself. I want to make sure it's completely abandoned."

Athena nodded.

Gesturing for her to follow him, he took them downstairs and out the back door. They encountered Emma searching for lunch. She pulled out of the fridge and spotted them. Flashing the escaping pair a smile, she asked a question at their retreating backs.

"Before you two leave, how's chicken and avocado wraps and a side of fruit salad sound for lunch?"

Benjamin stopped then turned around.

"That sounds good to me, what about you Athena?"

Athena nodded with another smile at Emma. "Sounds fantastic." Moving to the fridge, she grabbed a water bottle and grabbed another to throw it in Benjamin's direction.

His arms raised, not expecting it. His fingertips managed to catch it and spare his foot a bit of pain. A brief look of annoyance had been spared in at Athena.

Closing the fridge behind her, she moved to Emma to give her a quick hug. Her eyes glinted with amusement when she caught Benjamin's look of annoyance. He'll live. "Morning and we'll see you later!"

And then quickly moved to Benjamin to follow after him.

Emma chuckled as she smiled, preparing the chicken for the meal. “Don’t be late coming home.”