After a tense few moments of attempting to regain his composure, Jason Graves turned around and headed back towards the abandoned theater. Hopefully his mother had heard his plea and the boy could get some rest. He slipped inside the building and headed over to the stage where the child seemed to have fallen asleep on top of Tank. Grabbing his discarded hoodie from the floor, Jason handed it to the large man, whispering to him as he tried to listen in to the current conversation. "Take this for him. I'm figuring out something slightly more permanent until we can sort this Umbra shit out."
He stepped closer to the crowd around Ditch, letting out a slow breath as he started to allow himself to get angry at the mention of mind control. Something about that rubbed him very much the wrong way. What rubbed him even worse though, was Wraith's comment about the boy. "Some kid? You mean the child who is, thus far the only person we know of who's escaped Umbra? The boy who was found alone, sick, and injured in the shittiest part of this city? Yeah, let's ignore him. Toss him back out on the street, why don't we? Do you have any idea what the homeless epidemic in this city looks like? How many people, how many families, how many children are alone out there? How many of them have to sleep on benches and beg for pennies?" He had walked closer now, his prosthetic hand clenched at his side. "I am not tossing that poor, innocent child back out into that godforsaken shithole we call home. You're right about one thing though, we do need a plan. If we go up against a mind controler without one, we're going to literally die." Jason was addressing the group now, though his eyes were still focused on Wraith. "And you're right about one other thing, we can't plan very well while we have to worry about the boy. That's why we need to find a place for him to go before anything else. I have a place, I'm willing to offer my home to him. It's not the Hilton or other fancy fucking hotel, but it's safe and warm and he'll have food and someone to watch over him. If anyone else has any ideas, I'm glad to hear them. But I think we have to take care of him first, and then deal with Shithead McMindcontrol." He turned away and focused his attention on Ditch, interested in what she had to say, but adding under his breath quietly; "Somehow I'm the one out us two with some goddamn human empathy, how the fuck does that happen..."
Jason paused at the completely adverse reaction from the child, mentally cursing Reaper. He may not have had full control of his powers, and his display may have scared the boy, but his powers at least weren't reminiscent of the person Jason suspected had tortured the child. His suspicions were confirmed a moment later as Ditch ran up and began comforting the child, crushing the bracelet beneath her boot. Jason studied the fragments for a moment, perking up when he heard the word "Umbra ."
Jason stepped forward again, kneeling down and shifting the food and drink to his left arm, where his hoodie already was. Now at the boy's level, Jason put on a comforting smile and reached out slowly, offering the boy his real hand. "Omega's right. You're safe with us. And you're very brave if you dealt with Umbra, little man." He said quietly. "And now you've found us. We can help you. We've fought his people before, and we've saved people from him. We can keep you safe."
The boy stared at Jason's outstretched hand, swallowing as one more tear rolled down his already wet cheek. "You .. you saved someone from him?" He choked out, sniffing and wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Jason nodded, keeping what he hoped was comforting eye contact with the boy. "A lady named Scarlett. She was being chased by his people. She was hurt. We saved her, and she's getting better now. And a man called Wall Walker. We warned him they were after him, and he got away from them." Jason stopped his story before the mention that Walker was later captured by MCPD. "We helped them. And we'll help you. Food and water, shelter and warmth. And we'll keep you safe."
The boy sniffed again, blue eyes staring into Jason's. "And you're gonna... you're gonna help me too?" His lip curled. "I don't want to go back, don't make me go back." He looked down at the floor, sniveling. Jason nodded again, setting his hand gently on the boy's shoulder. "We're going to help you. You'll be safe. He's not going to get you, you don't have to go back." Jason's mind ran through the possibilities, where they could put the boy, where he would be safe. Emma, he thought, could care for him. He didn't want to bring her into this, but she could deal with people better than himself, and loved kids. Nobody would think to look for him there either. "Can you tell us your name, little man?"
He flinched as Jason laid a hand on his shoulder, but not making many move to run away, though he did seem antsy. His gaze traveled past Jason, looking behind him. "..your mom says she misses you." He mumbled. Jason's breath hitched in his throat as he pulled his hand away from the boy. Of anything he had expected, that wasn't even on the list. "My... What? What did you say?" His voice began to waver as he felt a lump rise in his throat, the mention of his mother had taken him off guard.
"..your mom." His gaze fell on Ditch. "And your dad. They won't.. leave me alone 'till I tell you." He rubbed his eyes. "Why do you all have so many ghosts?" "I..." Jason was at a loss for words as he looked around the base for any signs of a trick. With all that had happened, the crazy things they had seen, this shouldn't shock him... But it did. "I'm sorry buddy... We didn't know we had... Ghosts. Thank you though, for sharing that message." He set down the hoodie and food in front of the child and turned to Ditch. "I need to go for a second. I'll be back."
Ditch swallowed, watching Jason freeze up. She looked like she wanted to stop him, but only nodded meekly in response when he said he needed a second. "Yeah.. don't.." She croaked, looking down. "Don't go too long."
"I swear, I'll be just a minute." Jason muttered as he backed away and ran out the door into the rain. He kept running until he was down the street, far enough away that he thought anyone watching wouldn't connect him to the others. He kicked a light post and cried out, though out of fear, frustration, or pain even he didn't quite know. He dropped to his knees and pounded the sidewalk with his fists, his eyes stinging with tears. He didn't know why the mention of his mother had affected him so much, but it had, and there was no other way to deal with it now.
A moment later, his frustration vented, Jason got to his feet shakily, his breathing heavy and erratic. He looked up at the dreary sky and wiped away the tears mixing with the raindrops. "... Momma?" He asked quietly, clenching his fists. "I... I know it's been awhile since I talked to you... I didn't think you could hear me... But maybe you can. I love you, Momma. I miss you every day. I think about you all the time. And if that was you... Thank you for finding a way to talk to me. But Momma, I need to ask you for something. That little boy is so scared. He's even more scared than I was after... After what happened to you. I want to talk to you Momma. But that boy needs peace first... I don't even know if you can hear me, but if you can... Be a Momma to him right now. Ask the others, if there are any, not to bother him for now. They can all say what they want to after we help him. Because that's what we're gonna do." Sniffling a little, Jason steeled himself and said goodbye, turning back to the warehouse and making the trek back.
Turn Back didn't even pay attention to the conversation going on with Ditch, preoccupied as he was by the child. He was pleased to note that he could indeed lower a fever this way, however as he started preparing to check the boy's wounds the child woke up, scrambling away and crying out in fear. "No no, it's okay buddy!" Turn Back cried, pulling his bandana away from his face. This was becoming a habit now... "We're not going to hurt you okay, we're here to help!" He reached down and grabbed some things off the stage, never breaking eye contact with this unnerving boy.
Holding out a water bottle, one of Tank's burgers, and his own warm hoodie, Jason smiled at the kid. "Our friend found you out there, she brought you here to be taken care of. You're safe here, buddy. My name is Jason, would you mind if I asked for your name?" He set the offering down and pushed them towards the boy. On a whim he pulled one of the nuts out of his pocket and charged it with a tiny bit of power, his own eyes flashing purple as he did so, and the metal bursting with a small amount of fire that quickly went out. "We're all like you... We can keep you safe."
Turn Back had been hanging out by the stage, kicking a piece of rubble around as the group waited for Ditch. He'd experimented with his newfound power over the past few days, holding his hand above a candle, then above the range on the stove, on the way here he had even dunked his arm into a fire barrel, freaking out the homeless people using it for warmth. Other than some singed hair though, it all seemed to be working. He had a new power, the ability to absorb heat. It wasn't fire, as he'd originally thought, but the heat itself, taking that into him and using it to power his attacks. beyond that too, he'd discovered it gave him another benefit. He was tougher when holding onto that heat energy. His hand had slipped making dinner one night after experimenting, and the knife had just bounced off his skin instead of sending him to the hospital. The more heat he held, the tougher he was. Very useful for attacks he didn't see coming... It would take some getting used to, holding onto energy longer than he liked, but perhaps it was worth it.
His thoughts turned to the events of earlier that week, specifically what had happened after he'd left his fight with Reaper. He had gone back to Scarlett's house and gathered the money still lying around, as well as the clip Reaper had been so concerned about. In all, it was about three thousand dollars, and she just didn't care. He sighed and let his thoughts move on, having found Reaper again and getting the name of the doctor she was recommending...
Three days ago...
Jason Graves walked uncomfortably through the hallways of the doctors office, having gotten the address from a very tense conversation with Reaper. He finally arrived at the right door, balancing the tributes he'd brought for Scarlett. He opened the door and cleared his throat as he looked inside to the hospital style bed. "Scarlett? I, uh... Well, you've got a visitor, I guess."
Scarlett sat up in the bed, head turned towards the window. The bags under her eyes and her pale skin made her look sickly, but her posture and yearning look betrayed the fact. Her arm was wrapped heavily in bandaging as well as a sling. Upon Jason's arrival, her head turned sharply, looking the vigilante over, eyes narrowed. "..It sure looks that way." She muttered, voice hoarse. "What do you want?"
Jason took a deep breath and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He waved his prosthetic arm, hoping she's recognize him from that. He didn't like explaining that bit. "I came to apologize actually." He said, extending a box of chocolates towards her. "For my part in what landed you here. I panicked and didn't realize you weren't trying to hurt me."
Scarlett's gaze followed Jason's prosthetic, saying nothing but clearly remembering what had transpired. "..I appreciate the gesture, but chocolate upsets my stomach." Scarlett mumbled. "It's alright, I suppose. An understandable reaction. Giant tigers are life threatening after all."
Jason paused awkardly before putting the chocolates away, clearing his throat. "Well in that case, maybe I can get you something else..." He said, producing the biggest jar of catnip he'd been able to find. "There were better ways to handle the situation. I am sorry."
Scarlett blinked, staring at the jar for a moment before bursting out laughing. It wasn't a long laugh, but it was genuine. "I could've handled the situation better too," She said with a weak smile. "I can't control my powers very well, as you might've seen."
Jason chuckled, setting the jar down on her bedside table and crossing his arms. He was glad the tension had broken, and he showed the feral woman his fake arm again. "Neither can I sometimes, that's how I got this. It's a learning curve I suppose, figuring out how you do what you do and why. And when your powers are connected to emotions, it gets harder."
"You lost your arm because of your powers?" Scarlett whispered. "..damn." Her free hand traveled to her bandaged shoulder, fingertips touching the bandaging lightly. "I would very much like to keep my arm. Doc says there's hope... It would've been handy to know their was a doctor that treated supers, by the way." She snorted. "Not going to get a lot of places with these eyes, huh?"
Jason chuckled at that, looking around at the room. "It really would have been nice to know about this. I'm not sure how Reaper knows about this place, but... Well, let's just say I got really lucky when I lost my arm. Almost didn't make it, nobody in this city treats supers. Except this doctor, it seems. I'm glad we had Reaper with us, she knew where to get you. Actually..." Jason cleared his throat, changing the topic a bit. "I'd like to ask, i you don't mind... Do you have any idea why Umbra would be after you? It's just that after you passed out, some of his goons showed up..."
Scarlett bit her lip in thought. "Umbra, huh?" She said, a small smile creeping up on her face yet again. "There's a number of reasons he could want me." She said slowly. "Hasn't he.. Been kidnapping Heroes, though? I don't quite fit the theme." Scarlett chuckled. "For my powers, I guess? For my history, for my family.. No one knows what he wants."
"Well regardless;" Jason said, pulling a bottle of rum out of his backpack and setting it on Scarlett's bedside table, "They didn't get you. And you're on the mend now. We'll figure out what he wants, and how to stop him."
Scarlett grinned. "Well, look at you." She joked. "Chocolates, catnip, and rum. What else ya got there? Maybe a puppy or two?" Scarlett leaned back on the pillows proposed against the headboard. "You've got a team going, huh? Against Umbra?"
Jason laughed again, pulling up a chair and sitting beside the bed. "I've got like, Mary Poppin's backpack here, you never know what'll come out of it." His expression became more serious as the conversation shifted to Umbra. "We're... Trying. We have someone who seems to know a lot about him, and we're working together. Trying to, at least. None of us have ever really done the 'hero' thing before. But we're making it work. Right now it's a matter of damage control until we can pull a plan together. Saving people, staying ahead of him. I think you could do it too, if you wanted. I know you're not really the hero type, but most of us aren't either."
"I don't think I'd fit in well with your group." Scarlett said, almost wistfully. "I'm not a hero, nor a vigilante. I think you know my rep. I'm not one to save the day." She brushed a piece of bright-red hair behind her ear. There was truly no way it was her natural hair color. "S'alright. I'm better at working alone anyway."
"Hell, I'm no hero either." Jason said, leaning back in his chair. "I'm a pretty bad vigilante, if I'm being honest. I ain't out there to save people, I'm out there to hurt the ones who think they can take advantage. But maybe we can be better than that..." He coughed and smiled at Scarlett. "Don't listen to me, I'm no idealist. Just some guy hoping for the best. If you don't think you're a good fit, that's fine. It's not my place to try and give you advice, to be honest."
"Heh." Scarlett muttered at Jason's ramblings. "Maybe some other time. I'm not fit to be doing anything right now anyway." She smiled back at him. "I, uh. Never got your name." She paused. "I mean.. I.. Well.. I might've forgotten it." She mumbled. "Sorry."
"Oh, it's fine." Jason said with a small smile. "We only officially met the once, when you came into my office. I'm Jason Graves. Don't go spreading that around though, I need to keep the superpower thing a secret."
"Oh, don't worry, Jason. I can keep a secret." Scarlet said with a smirk. "The media picked an ironic name for me, seeing as my name's actually Scarlett n' all." She laughed. "But, uh.. Thanks. For taking me here, and saving me from Umbra, and uh, helping me with my taxes."
"That's what we're here for, Scarlett, I suppose. We're going to stop him. We're going to save the people he's kidnapped. We're going to make this city safe again. Well, as safe as it's ever been, I suppose." He said with a smirk. "But I think there's going to come a day soon here, when we'll be fighting. The biggest fight of our lives, against a very powerful enemy. And I don't want to push you or pressure you Scarlett, but... It'd be nice if we had someone backing us up if we need it. If you're ready."
Scarlett stared at Jason, heavily considering, before letting out a little sigh. "The bastard needs to go down anyway. You can call me if you need me." She proceeded to grab a piece of paper from the bedside table and write down her number with her good hand. "I can't guarantee I can be there, but if I can't I'll try to send some friends your way." She nodded. "Take care, Jason. And try not to die."
Jason took the paper gratefully before writing his own number on another one and giving it to her. "Thank you Scarlett. Just being willing to be there means a lot to me. To all of us. That's my number there, if you ever need anything... Well, I can't offer too much financially, but if you find yourself in trouble I'll do anything I can to help you. Thank you Scarlett."
Now...
Reaper's movement and the banging at the door shook Turn Back out of his revire however, and he turned his attention to what was going on there, his eyes widening as Ditch came through the door holding a young boy, soaked to the bone. Turn Back sprang to action immediately, hopping up onto the stage where Reaper set her hoodie and pulling his off as well, reaching out to wrap the child in the warm, heavy material. He gave pause as Raven Tale tried to use her healing magic, sighing as it seemed to fall flat. He turned around and grabbed his backpack, digging through it and pulling out a bottle of water and several granola bars, laying them on the stage he was kneeling on for the child. "Reaper's right," He said, though the words pained him a bit. He was still angry with her for what had happened the other night. "he needs to be warmed and he'll need food and water. Slowly though, not too much at once or he'll make himself sick. Raven, it's alright. You did what you could, and that's all anyone can ask."
Turn Back reached out and put the back of his hand on the child's forehead, pulling at away almost immediately. "He's burning up, he has a fever. Probably caught something out in those godforsaken streets. We need to bring his temperature down a little." Turn Back laid a hand on the child's forehead again, focusing his power to see if he could absorb just a little bit of the heat from the boy. "We still need to keep him warm though, it's a balancing act at this point. I'll try to stabilize his fever, somebody else should check his cuts, see if there's an obvious infections."
Turn Back gratefully took the kick from Tank and turned around, ready to go after the Pyro. Before he could get far though, he was interrupted by yelling and the flashing of teleportation. He growled in frustration and charged his staff again, swinging it at part of the ruined street and creating another crater. He stood up straight and pulled off his ruined hoodie, pulling up his sleeves to inspect his burned arms. "I didn't see them with Reaper or Scarlett, we can only hope they got away..." He paused and stared at his arms, confused. He had been on fire for a little bit there, he should have had second or third degree burns at least. Instead...
Turn Back touched his left forearm, his brow furrowing further. It was tender, like a sunburn or steam exposure; and it was red. But it should have been much worse than this. He flexed his shoulders experimentally, knowing his back had been set on fire as well. There was the stinging again, but it wasn't really pain. Not like it should have been. "Um... In any case though... We should, uh... Get back to HQ, right?" He could feel a pressure building in his head, and itching in the fingers on his real hand. It felt like... Extra power, unused. The same feeling he had in the days leading up to his accident. He stepped away from the group again, muttering to himself.
"No no, I spent that power, I spent what Tank gave me... Where is this coming from?" He asked, fear beginning to show in his eyes as he gripped his staff tighter. He tried charging it again, but the purple energy didn't show. "Come on, not again... This can't be happening." He said, trying to stay calm. He waved the staff around again a few more times, trying to channel his power into it before it could start to decay.
"Damn it, damn it!" Turn Back cried out, feeling a lump form in his throat. He was afraid. This couldn't happen again, not now. He yelled in frustration and slammed his staff on the ground in desperation. An orange energy burst forth from his hands, traveling into the staff, much to Turn Back's shock. It filled the staff with an unnatural heat, the top of the staff bursting into white-hot flames. He stared in shock at the glow, completely uncertain about what had just happened.
Okay folks, sit down, strap in, and enjoy the FIRST CHAPTER OF THE FIRST EVER NEVER NORMAL FANFIC
DIVERGENCE
AKA Blazion and Korkoa wrote a fanfic before CloseEnough and Artifex could har har neener neener.
You know the city. You know the people. The faces are the same, but... In unexpected places. Divergent paths, some would say. Where two choices could be made, a universe is created for each one. You know the story of one of these universes. Umbra and Ditch, a team of Vigilantes fighting for their home. But what would happen if a few of those details were just... Slightly different?
THE TWILIGHT ZONE OR SOME KUMQUATS
Jason Graves adjusted his suit as he was escorted through the prison. The young man sighed as he was led through the depressing corridors, wishing not for the first time that he didn't have to make this trip in order to see the man that had saved his life. He had been patted down at the gatehouse, and at the entrance, and at every checkpoint in between. All in order to see a man who, at the heart of it, wasn't all that bad.
He was finally led to a stop in front of a small cell, gray and cold. Jason sighed again as he looked at the awful conditions, trying to figure out of there was anything he could do to help the man he was indebted to. The guard stepped forward and unlocked the cell door, ushering Jason inside and locking it behind him. Jason stood awkwardly for a moment before clearing his throat. "Doctor Kasimir?"
The great man in front of Jason didn't even look up. He remained immobile from his position sitting on the small, grey bed, his steel grey eyes focused on the piece of ripped newspaper he held between two thick fingers and a deep frown etched onto his face.
"Kasimir," The guard barked from behind the bars, and finally he lifted his head with brows furrowed. Immediately they raised as he saw Jason, as though for the first time. It was as though a transformation took over him as Zaden Kasimir rose up, the bed creaking with the loss of the large man's weight. His mouth formed a small smile, it almost sad, the edges of his eyes crinkling with crows' feet.
"Jason! Welcome back to my humble abode, young man!" The piece of newspaper was slipped casually into part of the orange uniform before Zaden stepped forward and clapped Jason on the shoulders, almost looming with his height.
"Now what are you doing wasting another beautiful day visiting an old man? Shouldn't a young man like you have a date tonight?" The teasing in the doctor's tone was evident, almost affectionate as though Jason were his own son. Despite his appearance - black hair unkempt and no longer neatly trimmed, the starts of a beard, even the increase of wrinkles it seemed that Zaden continued to muster up the energy to give to Jason. Perhaps he owed it to him.
Jason laughed and pulled the former doctor into a hug, patting him on the back with his prosthetic left hand. "No dates for me tonight doctor, I just had some business to take care of. I had to cut a meeting off early actually, in order to get here before they closed visiting hours. Excuse me just a moment."
Jason turned to the guard standing watch outside the door and cleared his throat. "Adam, excuse me? I know it's your job to make sure I'm safe, but we both know Doctor Kasimir isn't going to hurt me. Can you give us a few moments alone please?"
The guard, Adam, grunted in response, and gave Zaden a quick glare, as if to say he'd be keeping a close eye on him before walking away to check on some other inmates. Jason Graves turned back to Doctor Kasimir, chuckling and runninf his fingers through his jet black hair. "Sorry about that sir." He said, unbuttoning his suit jacket. "I just wanted to ask, out of earshot, how are you doing? Are they treating you okay?"
"As well as someone in my position should be treated," Zaden responded, the cheerfulness in his voice ringing hollow. "It's nice to have someone visiting once in awhile however, though, with no offense to your conversational skills Mr. Graves, the absence of the one I wished was visiting as well is weighting on me..."
"Your daughter still hasn't visited?" Jason asked quietly. Zoey Kasimir, the only child of up-and-coming doctor Zaden Kasimir. Jason had known her a bit when they were children, they were only a year apart in age. He had seen more of her after the accident with his powers, when Doctor Kasimir would come by to check on his progress, but after he was healed and his baseball career began to take off, he'd seen her less and less. He remembered her being a good kid, though not somebody he thought he'd make very good friends with. After the... Unfortunate incident with her mother and Doctor Kasimir going to prison, she had never visited her father. A fact which upset the old man greatly, and Jason on his behalf.
"I'm sorry Doctor Kasimir." Jason said with a small sigh. "I assume she never responded to the letter you sent her either then. I know you don't like to ask for help Doctor, but... Do you want me to look for her? I could go back to the old neighborhood, ask around. Maybe she's still there, or keeps in touch with some of her friends."
"Would you do that for me, Jason, I would be in your debt," Zaden's smile widened just that extra touch, stretching from ear to ear. "I don't blame her for not visiting, I can only imagine what she must be thinking, but I worry about what she's been up to." A great laugh from from the large man's chest, barking and bitter.
"It's rather ironic, in fact, that I ended up here since I didn't want to lose her - and in doing so pushed her farther away than ever. Ah, but sometimes you hurt the ones you love the most..." Zaden's grin was wiped away in a moment, the former doctor straightening out to look down upon Jason with a serious look. "You have done so much for me already Jason, but I must ask one last thing... Do be patient with her. Zoey can be headstrong, and she must be hurting. You're a good man, I know you'll do your best."
"Sir, you saved my life." Jason said, lifting his prosthetic hand. "You helped me when everyone else refused. I would have died in the emergency room if you hadn't come along. I'll do anything I can to help you, and you're not in my debt." Jason lifted himself up a little straighter, looking Doctor Kasimir in the eyes. "I'll find her, and I'll let her know how you are. That you miss her. I'll make sure she's taken care of sir. Can I do anything else for you while I'm here?"
"You've done more than enough for me, Jason," Zaden stepped forward, rather gently clapping the younger man on the back despite the strength his frame held. "However, you can also pass my greetings on to your sister - you've both grown up so well."
Jason smiled and laughed at that, nodding his thanks to the larger man. "Of course sir, Emma will be glad to hear from you as well. I'm sorry to cut the visit short, but I actually have to go pick Emma up. I just thought since I was in the area, I'd come and visit quickly. I'll be back as soon as I have some information on Zoey for you." By this time Adam had returned, and Jason asked him to unlock the door, giving some final goodbyes to the former doctor before following the guard out.
"Be good, Jason! I'll see you next time - Adam, I'll see you next patrol!" Zaden laughed at what he could only presume was Adam no doubt rolling his eyes, but was soon drawing back into his cell. The bed once more creaked in protest as he sat on the thing mattress, retrieving the newspaper article that had him so enraptured. The pad of his thumb ran across the headline, brows furrowing once more with the motion.
'Research Facility Latest Target of Super-Villain Lightbringer!'
Zaden paused, thumb lingering just before the last word in the headline. Lightbringer. A deep sigh left his chest before his hands fell to rest on his legs. At his feet his shadow began to wisp before a delicate little tendril of darkness reached up to retrieve the clipping, sinking back in to disappear at his feet. Another to add to the collection.
Jason slid into the backseat of his limo, looking out at the bleak prison. He felt conflicted about the doctor locked up inside. The man had saved his life and shown him nothing but kindness. He obviously cared for his daughter and before this happened had a promising career as a doctor in front of him. And yet, he had a dark side as well, a temper when it came to protecting those he loved, strong enough that drove him to murder his own wife when she threatened to take Zoey away from him.
Jason sighed, for the umpteenth time that day. He couldn't not like the man, even with that glaring flaw. He was remorseful for what he'd done, and that combined with his other good traits led Jason to believe that he could be a good man.
The driver cleared his throat, bringing Jason back to reality. "Oh, sorry James." He said, rubbing his brow. "Uh, we need to go to the theater downtown where they're holding the Elizabeth Secret fashion show."
The limo began to move and Jason settled into his seat, picking up the days paper and flipping to the superhuman section. There, nestled in between an article on a drug which could possibly supress powers, and a headline about another research facility attacked was a blurry picture of a shillouete, and a very familiar one at that. "LOCAL VIGILANTE 'VAMPIRE' DEPOSITS HEAD OF MUGGING RING IN FRONT OF POLICE STATION" The headline proclaimed, but to Jason's amusement. He had earned the nickname with the descriptions his victims gave of his abilities, saying he 'sucked the energy right out of them'.
After that, Jason had modeled his nightlife around the persona, comissionning a custom suit made to remind people of Bram Stokers' vampire lord, with tall ears, a long cloak, and batlike wings that connected the arms of his costume to his body. Quite a far sight from his everyday attire, the pressed suits and thin ties.
The limo eventually rolled to a stop, and a few moments later the door opened, a beautiful sight stepping in. A figure in an elegant white dress, practically glowing in all the flash bulbs slipped into the limo with him, blowing a kiss to the gathered crowd before turning to him. Jason chuckled and poured a glass of champaigne, offering it to his sister. "So Emma, how did the show go?"
The model grinned at him and took the offered glass, nodding her thanks. "It was wonderful! Everything went off without a hitch, and all the outfits were fantastic! Oh, you should have seen it Jason, you never come to my shows!"
"Forgive me, but the idea of my baby sister prancing around in her underwear doesn't really appeal to me, Emma." Jason said with a smile as he poured himself his own glass. "Doctor Kasimir says hello by the way, he's sorry you couldn't come to see him."
Emma pouted at Jason and set her glass down, crossing her arms. "So you skipped out on one of the biggest shows of my career to go see some old locked up doctor?" She said, her tone making it clear she was teasing. "How is the old man?"
"He's lonely. His daughter still hasn't spoken to him. Tomorrow I think I'm going down to the old place, see if I can find any trace of her. Do you want to join me?"
"Ooh, that sounds like fun!" Emma said. "I can clear my schedule, maybe we can find some old friends!"
The two settled in as the limo drove them away, each telling each other about their day before they arrived home and went their seperate ways. It was easy to have time to yourself in the mansion Jason owned, it was large enough that it could easily house a dozen people, aside from servants; and Jason and Emma were the only ones that lived there. Soon enough the lights went down and the house fell into silence, signaling the end of the day...
"Notebooks. Cardboard. More plastic bottles. Batteries. Seriously, batteries?! That's so fucking awful, who throws away batteries anymore?! These things leak acid everywhere - assholes, I swear. More water bottles?! All these things do is go to the landfill. I swear I'm going to find whoever keeps throwing these away and fill their house with bottles. And stop laughing, Jasper!" An empty clang rang through the alley as one of the offending water bottles bounced off the brick wall of the tall buildings, just inches above a laughing blonde's head. Jasper merely shook her head, short bangs of her pixie cut falling into her gaze as she watched her friend's tirade.
"I'm not going to miss next time, jackass!" The redhead huffed, a glare tinting her sharp features. The threat of the gesture seemed to be lost on Jasper, considering that Zoey Kasimir was currently standing knee deep in an awful smelling metal green container.
"If the smell knocks me out first at least you'll have a stationary target."
"Oh har har, Miss Comedian, you didn't have to come."
"Someone has to stop you from murdering the poor people just trying to throw their garbage out." Zoey stuck her tongue out in response to Jasper, the motion barely seen beneath the green bandana wrapped over her nose and mouth. Nonetheless the redhead turned back to her task, her own gloved fingers picking through the mess, tossing the biggest pieces of recycling over the edge to an awaiting, properly colored, blue bin.
"I wouldn't murder them... Just beat some sense into them. Oh come ON! Look at this!" In one swift motion Zoey was jumping out of the bin, landing rather gracefully but thrusting the offending object into Jasper's face. "You know what these are?"
"... Soda rings."
"Soda rings! Uncut! These things are a death trap if you just toss them! Fish-"
"Get caught in them."
"Birds-"
"Get their heads in them."
"And turtles-"
"Shells get compressed. I know. You've told me."
"Now if only others would listen as well as you," Zoey huffed, tossing the offending piece of plastic over her shoulder. It landed solidly in the bin, the steaming redhead slamming the lid shut before beginning to roll the container out of the alley. Jasper pushed off the wall to follow after Zoey casually, hands in her pockets as she watched her friend work.
"Yeah, well if anyone had to listen to you drone about it every day..." The shorter woman teased, causing Zoey to roll her steel-blue eyes in return. She declined responding, instead finishing with her task of loading the recycling bins contents into the truck and returning the bin. Jasper waited patiently until Zoey returned to climb into the passenger's side of the work truck, listening to Zoey's grumbling under her breath.
"I swear, going to strangle someone with those rings..."
"Did you read the news yesterday?" That caught Zoey's attention, her eyes flickering briefly away from the road to Jasper. The fighter was looking out the window, arms crossed to clasp her bare arms, left uncovered by the tank top she wore.
"Of course I did," Zoey finally responded, returning her attention to driving. "They only saw Lightbringer, and they're still cataloguing what's missing - if you read between the lines."
"Mm. That security guard is in the hospital for fractured ribs." Zoey's grip around the steering wheel tightened, the redhead grimacing.
"He'll ... live." She finally muttered between her teeth, though there was a touch of emotion creeping into her voice. Guilt, almost.
The rest of the drive was in silence, Jasper of course getting out of the truck a block away from the recycling facility. Tag alongs weren't technically permitted, after all. It was short work after that for Zoey to finish her day off, soon backtracking on foot to meet up with Jasper - minus the work overalls in favor of some plain jeans and a threadworn white button up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Of course, Jasper made a point of theatrically leaning in to sniff Zoey the instant she arrived.
"Oh fuck off, you jerk," Zoey elbowed Jasper away, more play in her voice than irritation. Jasper merely laughed.
"Well, despite your lack of appreciation, you're at least lucky most of that smell clings to your uniform. Though, I suspect some is natural..."
"Asshole," The redhead flicked her ponytail in Jasper's face as she began walking, her older friend soon falling in step as they headed back home.
Meanwhile, after a day of searching through tennant records from the various apartment buildings he owned, Jason Graves found the information he was looking for. Zoey Kasimir, a tennant at the new Vale Street apartments. He breathed a sigh of relief, he'd thought he would have to go door to door looking for this girl, but she was renting a room from him! He didn't bother looking at the other name on the apartment, he had found the girl he was looking for. After giving Emma a quick call and telling her where to meet him, Jason hopped onto his motorcycle and took off, heading for the apartment building aross town.
Upon his arrival, Jason took a few minutes to examine the building. The outside was pristine, as per his request when buying it, and the inside was clean as well. He was overall pretty pleased by this, the building manager seemed to be doing a very good job. Though he'd have to ask Zoey about her rent as well, make sure that the manager wasn't skimming anything. He took the elevator up to the seventh floor and stepped off, looking down the hallway. A little dirty here, but it was a very high traffic area. He soon found the door he was looking for, and knocked on it, glad he hadn't worn his suit, but instead an oversized hoodie.
"Miss Kasimir? Are you at home?" Silence reigned for a few moments, any movement in the apartment unheard. If there was one thing about the building it's that it was well built, the walls thick enough to block voices - and people. However another heartbeat and the click of a lock being opened sounded. Then another. And one more.
"What do you want Wilson, we're paid up and I haven't been in the garbage all mo-" The redhead that answered the door paused, standing up straighter to look at the hooded man before her. Zoey's eyebrows furrowed, so much like her father, before her grimacing mouth twisted into a small, polite smile. "I'm sorry, I thought you were ... someone else. Can I help you?"
Jason smiled in a friendly way and offered his non-prosthetic hand out to her in a handshake. "Hi Zoey, you, uh... Probably don't remember me. I'm Jason Graves, we kind of grew up together... You got tall, I don't remember you being my height." Almost on reflex Zoey took Jason's hand to shake, though the puzzled expression remained fixed in place as she watched him.
"... There's no way you can be Jason. What would you be coming to see me for?"
Jason laughed and waved with his other hand, in his experience the prosthetic was enough ID for most people, as it was pretty recognizable. "What, a guy can't stop in on an old friend?" He asked, deciding to keep her father out of the conversation for as long as possible. She was likely still angry at him, and he couldn't blame her.
"Truth be told Zoey, I missed the old neighborhood. Call me crazy, but-- Well, I don't miss the PLACE, you understand, but the people who lived there. I kind of own this building, and I stumbled across your name. It was... A reminder, I guess. I wanted to stop in, see how you're doing. Ask if there was anything I could do for you."
"Not... really," Zoey tilted her head, rather like a puzzled dog as she continued to study Jason. Her eyes had briefly flickered to his prosthetic before returning his gaze once more, accompanied by a little, stiff shrug. "Not unless I can convince you to put solar panels on the roof, anyway."
"She's obsessed with solar panels, don't let her rope you into that conversation!" A voice called from further within the apartment. In a seemingly well rehearsed motion, as though she had done it thousands of times to the same voice, Zoey rolled her eyes.
Jason's gaze flickered through the partially open door for a moment, chuckling at the banter. "Your roommate, I suppose?" He asked with a grin. "See Zoey, the thing about that is, the roof of this building isn't large enough that solar panels would make much of an impact on the energy footprint of the building as a whole."
"But..." He continued as he saw a coldness settle into Zoey's face. "I have been doing some other research, and there's been a lot of work put into fully transparent panels for use in windows. I'm getting quotes now to see how much it would cost to put solar windows into every window pane the building has. That would be a lot more efficient than just covering the roof up, and let's face it, it looks nicer too. Does that help?"
Zoey's expression had changed. Something strange had settled in her eyes as he spoke, her lips pressing together to form a thin line. When she finally spoke, her voice was almost cautious.
"... You've heard of those panels too?" A moment of consideration more before her smile was a bit more genuine, a laugh in her throat. "If I didn't know better, Mr. Baseball star, I'd say you were trying to lure me in." Zoey shook her head but finally pushed away from the doorframe.
"You, uh, you want to come in? It's better than the hallway," Another uncaring shrug. "Unless you have more things to do in the building. I'm sure you're busy."
Jason stepped forward, accepting her invitation. "You know, I would like that. Even if not just to see an old friend, it'll be good to get an inside look at my apartments, making sure everything's okay here." He said with a wink. "Believe it or not, I do care about this place Zoey. I remember where I came from, who I am. I'm trying to make a better life for the people here, better than... Than what we had."
"Oh, and Emma's probably coming by in a bit too, I mentioned I was coming to see you today." Zoey seemed to react oddly to the last bit of news, having been nodding along with Jason's words to show she was listening. A streak of red quickly lit up over the bridge of her nose and she cleared her throat.
"Ah, well, you're both certainly welcome. You own the place, after all."
"Oh, but that doesn't mean I have a right to come into your home uninvited." Jason said with a grin as he entered the apartment. He stopped short as he entered the living room and saw a bright streak of blonde hair sitting on the couch. It was, of course, attached to a person, and an oddly familiar one at that. he felt his mouth go dry and his stomach tighten up as he cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "Um... Alice Jasper, is that you?" He asked with a genuine smile. "I didnt expect to see you here, though I really should have!"
"Well, Mr. Graves, surprise seeing you here," Jasper glanced up from where she was using her phone, the screen darkening as she turned it off before rising up. "Mostly that Zoey had the manners to invite you in."
"Oh, shut it Jasper," Zoey muttered behind them. Jasper merely let the smile play at her face as she offered her hand out to Jason, silently mindful that he wouldn't have to shake with his prosthetic.
"It's a pleasure seeing you again. I shouldn't be surprised, considering the care you give your buildings."
"Oh, I bribed Zoey with the promise of solar windows." Jason said with a sly wink, taking the offered hand and shaking it firmly. "And it was worth it, to see you again as well. Please, it's just Jason, only the reporters call me Mr. Graves these days." Jason stepped back and scanned the apartment, pleased to see that everything looked like it was in working order. "So, everything has been alright for you two? No problems, nothing that needs improvement?"
"Everything's working as intended, other than Zoey complaining that Wilson won't let her dumpster dive."
"It's called sorting, you heathen," Zoey huffed but moved passed the two towards the small connected kitchen to the very plain living room, nudging open the door. "You want a drink, Jason? We have water-"
"Not bottled though, Zoey has a thing about that."
"-orange juice," Said redhead continued in a louder voice, "Some peach schnapps, crown royale-"
"Basically if you like alcohol Zoey has it."
"Actually." Jason said, shrugging off his backpack and reaching inside. "I brought something a little special." He grinned and pulled out a ceramic bottle, setting it on the counter. "This is Viking's Blod mead, my favorite drink in the world. Only a couple stores in the city carry it, it's a mead based on a 600 year old recipe from the Viking era. I figured we could share some." Jasper whistled sharply, having followed to watch the theatrics and rile Zoey up some more. Zoey herself raised a brow and carefully picked up the ceramic bottle to study it.
"... I think this thing cost more than it did to have Jasper's arm fixed last week." Zoey finally muttered, setting it down once more as though afraid of breaking it. "We couldn't..."
"You're actually turning down alcohol?" Jasper drawled, leaning against the refrigerator. "Are you sure you're not sick?"
Jason laughed and took the bottle back, popping the cork out of it with practiced ease. "Don't feel bad about drinking it, this is actually not too bad in terms of price. About thirty bucks for this, which is a bit more than something decent, and way more than the shitty stuff yeah, but for what I consider to be top shelf mead? It's a fucking steal."
At that moment, there was another knock at the door, and a muffled voice. "Jason? Are you in there, asshole? Someone let me in!" Any further protests Zoey had quickly died, and Jasper snickered at the worried expression on her friend's face.
"That's your call, lover girl. Go answer the door," A quick shooing motion had Zoey glaring but leaving the small kitchen to go to the front door. Jasper just chuckled and leaned close to Jason, whispering to him, "Want to bet on how many shades of red Zoey can turn in a conversation?"
"Oh, that's right!" Jason whispered back. "Zoey had a crush on Emma... Well, she'll be in for a treat then. How many shades of red are there? Because I bet all of them." He said with a grin, deliberately not mentioning that he had always had a crush on Jasper.
"Darn, you took my bet," Jasper drawled lowly, with a low chuckle. "And that's without even seeing the pinups Zoey has..."
The subject of Jasper and Jason's whispered conversation seemed rather oblivious to it as she almost stalked to the front door, fingers nimbly unlocking the door with practiced ease.
"You got this, you're not some flustered kid anymore," The redhead whispered under her breath, before clearing her throat and standing straight as she opened the door to greet Emma, though the words died at the tip of her tongue.
"Hi! Zoey, it's Emma! Damn, you got tall hon, you look fantastic! Is Jason still here, I--"
SLAM.
Nope, Zoey in fact did not have this. Jasper stared incredulously from the kitchen.
"... Did she just... Well, she's definitely red."
"Uh... Hey Zoey? Can you let my sister in please?"
A shake of her head.
"You know, if you don't open that door she'll assume Jason isn't here and leave. Or think you hate her." A glare this time, since from Jasper's expression she was enjoying this way too much. Zoey took a deep, steeling breath this time and cautiously opened the door this time, trying to look everywhere but at Emma.
"Um... Hi Zoey... I think we got off on the wrong foot or something? Can, um... can I come in?" Zoey merely answered with a short nod and stepping aside, head tilted just slightly to look to the ceiling. Jasper shook her head at the sad sight, calling from the kitchen.
"Miss Graves! I have your brother in the kitchen. Care to join us for drinks?"
"Uh, sure!" Emma called, hanging her coat up at the door and walking into the apartment, her white heels clacking on the floor as her matching white dress flowed around her. She grinned when she saw Jason and Jasper, though her eyes still showed confusion. "Oh Alice, it's so nice to see you!" She said, running over and giving her a hug. "Why is Zoey acting so weird?" She whispered as soon as she though she was out of earshot.
"She's been working in the sun all day - plus, you saw how red she is, she's rather sick," Jasper whispered in return as she returned Emma's hug with one arm, strength rippling through the fighter's body as she did so. Of course, she didn't mention to Emma that it was mere lovesickness that Zoey suffered from. The redhead shuffled over, even her neck red beneath the white collar as she rubbed at her arm.
"Riiight..." Emma said, not quite believing the other blonde. Fortunately, Jason broke the awkward silence by picking up the bottle again.
"How about we get to that drink we were going to have? I'm glad we could stumble onto each other today you guys, it's... It's been really nice. I think we should make it a regular thing."
"You know, that doesn't sound half bad, rich boy," Jasper teased lightly, reaching passed him to the cupboard to retrieve some glasses. "Isn't that right Zoey?" A cleared throat and Zoey mustered up a small smile, even nodding.
"Yeah... Yeah that'd be nice to see you two again. Maybe not Jasper."
"Too bad you're stuck with me," Jasper responded cheerfully, setting four glasses down in front of Jason. "The honor is yours."
Jason poured the glasses full and raised his own high, waiting for the others to do the same. "To old friends. To new oportunities. To those people we've left behind, and those who can't be with us today." He said, keeping an eye on Zoey to see what her reaction might be.
Something shifted in the redhead's expression, something dark. Zoey's eyebrows furrowed, the eyes themselves narrowing and lips once more pressing together in a thin line. Even some of the red in her face from Emma's proximity seemed to fade. She brought her drink down once the toast was done, not even drinking from the glass as she studied Jason once more, like a puzzle. This time however her steel gaze flicked down to Jason's prosthetic hand, lingering briefly.
Jason tipped his glass back and took a drink, watching as Emma and Jasper did the same. It was pretty obvious that something had changed for Zoey. Jason set down his glass and looked over to the redhead, tapping the fingers of his prosthetic hand against the counter. "Are you okay Zoey? I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories, just... Well, I think we all have people we wish we could see again, right?"
"... Yeah, of course," Zoey finally responded, though her smile was almost pained with how insincere it was. "I'd love to be able to see my mother again, but I'm sure you can relate." She finally lifted the glass to drink from it, in one swift motion downing the entire thing before placing it none too gently against the counter.
Jason nodded as he took another sip from his glass. "I'm sorry. That must have been a pretty inconsiderate thing of me to bring up. We haven't seen each other in years, and practically the first thing I say is talking about our dead mothers. Let's just... Move on to something else, right? Happier topics?" Zaden would have to wait to see his message delivered, Zoey obviously wasn't ready to talk about that yet.
"... You're forgiven if you get those solar panels installed," Zoey finally muttered, causing Jasper to chuckle lowly at her side. The redhead shook her head but gestured back to the living room. "Why don't you two tells us what you've been up to? Aside from, you know, what we can read in the papers."
"And the magazines you're in of course, Emma," Jasper added on, none too subtly elbowing Zoey as she walked by. "Zoey just loves those."
Emma giggled and blushed a bit as she followed Zoey into the living room. "Oh, you've seen that, huh?" She said, catching Zoey's eyes. "Honestly it's more of a hobby for me at this point, what I really like to do is help local charities plan fundraisers and things. Underpriviledged kids, soup kitchens, park cleanups, things like that. Jason focuses on making better living conditions, while I try to clean up everything else."
"Yeah," Jason added, waiting by the kitchen for Jasper to head into the living room. "And as for me, since I got out of sports it's just been a lot of meetings, planning, investing, things like that. I have been starting to get into Superhuman Rights though, I think that's a topic that needs to be addressed. Have to be careful with that one though, I don;t want anyone getting suspicious that I'm 'Super' and have them take away my trophies." He said with a nervous laugh.
"I'd kind of want to see a league with just supers though," Jasper commented smoothly in return. "It's always a concern down at the pit, but we sometimes get this group of supers with masks on who ask to use it to let loose."
"Honestly, I think it could work." Jason said with a smile. "A league full of super strength, and speed, some of those other off the wall powers. Some people might try to call it segregation, but I don't think it is, it's just differently abled people doing what they do."
"I agree. It's a bit sad those guys down at the Pit have to wear masks - the owner's happy to let them though. Makes betting interesting." Jasper shrugged as she flopped onto the couch, crossing one leg over the other as she leaned back. "It's good of you to try and look out for them though - and your own efforts as well, Emma."
"Yeah, it's ... it's pretty amazing," Zoey added on, casting a small red-tinted grin to Emma. "That you guys haven't forgotten where you've come from. It was nice just getting a place like this to move into."
Jason chuckled and sat down in a neighboring armchair, mimicing Jasper's pose unconsciously. "We do remember where we came from, even if we got lucky. That's all it boils down to really, dumb luck. I won a little league game and caught the attention of a recruiter. Emma was seen in the stands at one of my games. It could have happened to anyone."
Emma interjected, sitting daintily on the couch next to Zoey and smiling warmly at her. "Not that's we're ungrateful it happened to us. It's given us the chance to give back to this place. When we had nothing everyone around here banded together to help. It's the least we can do." Zoey, of course, turned another shade of red but cleared her throat.
"You two are pretty amazing. When I take over the world I promise not to enslave you," The redhead added on, a grin playing at her face.
"With solar panels?" Jasper drawled in return.
"Recycling is important and I will not have you talk about it that way!"
"You talk enough about it for the both of us."
Jason chuckled as he settled in, nodding to the gathered group. "I appreciate the sentiment Zoey, and I promise if there's anything we can do to help either of you two out with anything, just ask."
The conversation went on for several more hours, going to topics such as old friends, interesting stories, and funny anecdotes. Eventually though, the day had to come to an end, and the Graves siblings left the small apartment behind, feeling quite happy with the day they'd shared.
Turn Back stood his ground ad the pavement in front of him erupted, taking the flying gravel wherever it hit. Small flashes of energy popped in the air as the gravel dropped, its energy drained. IT wasn't much, but at this point he needed everything he could get. Tank had run up to the iron-skinned girl, looked like she'd be a tough one to beat. The other one was yelling something about not wanted to fight, but fuck that. She and her cronies had started this. She was trying to attack Sparky now, but TB figured the small man could hold his own, the iron girl needed to be taken care of.
A flash from behind him attracted his attention however, and he turned just in time to see a blast of flame coming at the group from one of the guys they'd left behind. TB rolled off to the side, feeling the heat against his back. As he stood up he was alarmed to see that his now-ruined hoodie had caught fire, and he shrugged it off as fast as he could. The adrenaline was working for him right now, he didn't feel much pain from that, but those burns would probably need some attention later. The energy-absorbing vigilante sprinted towards Tank now, desperate to back up the big guy.
Turn BAck skidded to a stop behind Tank, dropping to his knees and charging his staff with power, thrusting it between Tank's legs, aiming to smack the girl in with a sneak attack. It probably wouldn't do much damage, but maybe he could distract her. "Tank!" He cried, scrambling to his feet. "Tag team, charge me up when you can!"
Turn Back sighed as things seemed to be settling down, grabbing his staff back up as he stood. He was a little upset that he'd ripped open his hoodie for no reason as Reaper apparently had a first aid kit for some reason. He sighed and shrugged the ruined garment back on, no sense in the fabric going to waste. It was then that he heard the commotion coming their way and felt his brain slow down a bit, as if he were fatigued.
Turn Back gripped his staff tighter as the group of four minions came into view. Reaper provided a distraction, which worked sufficiently well for distracting himself as well, as he grabbed a couple bills out of the air. Levi sprang into action and Turn Back prepared to do the same before he saw Tank's fist aiming for him out of the corner of his eye. He took the hit with a purple flash, yelling his thanks to the large man before stepping forward and digging in his pockets. He pulled out half a dozen small metal nuts, the type you fasten screws with, and smiled. Each of them suddenly began glowing with purple energy, containing a portion of the power Tank had lent him. Turn Back saved some of that before for himself as well, but threw the six bolts ahead of him, aiming at the cluster of villains.
Turn Back cried out as the floor crumbled, looking down below to catch a glimpse of the floor he was about to hit. Bracing himself, he took the impact, another purple flash enveloping his feet as he ducked and rolled away. Too slowly though, it seemed, as he felt himself caught by the hood.He struggled against the tiger, feeling her hot breath on his neck before being forcibly lifted and carried towards a doorway. He held his staff out in front of himself, bracing against the doorframe and trying to keep himself and Shifter from going through.
The staff! It clicked in his mind that he was still holding it, and he switched tactics, twisting the long stick around and trying to see behind himself. He could only catch glimpses of his attacker, but he remembered she was wounded... Turn Back cried out, twirling the staff above his head and jabbing it behind himself, infusing it with the power of Tank's punch and the impact with the floor, aiming for the bleeding spot he'd seen before...
Turn Back's eyes widened as he watched the transformation in front of him, seemingly in slow motion. He could practically feel the rushing of adrenaline as his hands tightened around his staff. The moment before the transformation was complete though, something clicked about her face. He reached up and tore the bandanna away from his face, pointing at the tiger and hoping she could still understand him. "Scarlett-With-Two-T's!" He cried out standing his ground. "You came to me for help last tax season! I saved your ass from getting nailed by the IRS! Let me help you again!"
Turn Back paused, feeling the energy from tank's punch pulse inside his body. This was a gamble, but maybe it could work. Better than trying nothing. "You're right, Ditch can't save the city! I can't, Reaper can't, you can't! But working together, maybe we could! We back each other up, cover each others weaknesses, we could do it!"
