Skai

Commencement: A Pacific Royal Collegiate & University RP

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H A V E N
H A V E N

_{Location: The Beach - PRCU}

Welcome Home #1.031: Freebird

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_{Interaction(s): Lorcán @Lord Wraith, Aurora @Melissa, Rory @webboysurf, Banjo @Hound55, Others-Indirectly}

Previously: Unexpected Turbulence

Just when Haven thought she was safe from any more embarrassing shows of emotion, she just happened to catch Mei's approach to Rory when she heard the dark haired woman tap his shoulder. “Hey Rory! So..uhh.. Would you like to go to the dance with me?”

Haven's heart sputtered out like an engine that just hit a family of geese. She sighed through her nose, and proceeded to chug the rest of her seltzer before Rory could reply. The can was soon empty, just before she could hear Rory say...

"I'm sorry, Webs... I'm not really in the mood for jokes right now."

Haven's gaze immediately moved over to Rory. Instead of feeling relief from his answer, her heart sputtered back to life and twisted. The way Rory hung his head as he walked away from a potential, real date to the dance... He seemed pretty upset.

“Sky Betty, dude, I don't drink and surf.”

"Oh, you're right. My bad." She said as she tore her gaze away from Rory, giving Lorcán a small nod. She was wise not to drink too much if she expected to fly, either. Although there were plenty of nights that she'd had a bit too much, and was forced to stumble home or convince Banjo or Katja to give her a piggy-back to the dorms. For the record, that happened rarely.

Haven would have to check in on Rory later.

“Can someone tell me what just happened?” Haven heard Aurora's voice to her side.

Haven turned to Aurora to give her own explanation, as Calliope and Gil, or Gil copy, handled the boys. When she saw the state Aurora was in, sympathy filled her eyes. Her poor friend's face was almost as red as her hair. Although Haven had heard Aurora's rambling, she hadn't expected her to look this flustered either. She kept her voice low, so that neither Rory nor Lorcán would hear her answer.

"I'm not really sure myself." Haven replied as she shrugged and gestured towards Rory. "I thought Rory asked you out, too, and that's why I, uh..." She sighed softly. "Anyways, he just told Gil he didn't mean it like that."

Aurora shook her head with a small laugh before taking another sip of her seltzer. "If that's the case, Rory needs to practice thinking before speaking. I know he means well, but man, sometimes I wonder what goes through his mind." The redhead sighed, turning to Haven "What I'm also wondering is why you didn't tell me that you were into him sooner... you know I hang around him and Lorcán all the time, I could've done some stealth work if I knew you were interested."

Haven blinked, processing Aurora's words for a moment before a small grin spread across her lips. "Was it really that obvious, just now?" She held up the empty can of seltzer to her chin as she glanced over Rory's way once more. "I wouldn't have been mad if you said yes, by the way. Though I would have been jealous." Her grin grew wider as she looked back.

“I put two and two together,” Aurora shrugged, “I heard you choke on your drink.” She smirked at Haven before taking her hand reassuringly, her playful demeanor dissolving into sincerity. “I would have hated myself if I made you feel that way, I could never do that to you.”

Haven squeezed Aurora's hand. "I feel the same way. I'm not saying I'd be a good wingwoman," She paused to shake her head at the irony of that statement, "but I'll try my best if there's anyone you have in mind for yourself."

“Oh, uh- I don’t know if I need any assistance in that department right now.” The redhead felt her cheeks grow warm again. “I meant what I said before, I don’t know if I want to go with anyone. Kind of scares me if I’m being honest…”

Aurora let go of Haven’s hand and tucked a strand of her copper locks behind her ear. “Let’s just focus on getting you to the dance with Rory. I’ll ask Lorcán later if he knows anything.”

Haven pressed her lips together, glancing over at Mei where she stood. There was no doubt Mei was going to ask Rory again. Especially after he confused her question with a joke. "It's not the dance I'm worried about... It seems like Mei has feelings for him too," she murmured softly. She leaned down to grab a cider and Aurora's drink of choice out of the cooler, and shrugged as she turned back towards Aurora with a smile. "We can't let this perfect day go to waste, so either drink up or let's get in the water."

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Haven's sneakered feet touched down on the sand for the second time today. This time freshly showered, wearing a brown tracksuit with a white tank underneath. Half of her hair was held back by a hairband to make sure the night breeze wouldn't blow it in her face. She looked over at the group, all sitting by the fire looking cozy. A bit behind them sat Rory, looking just as solemn as earlier in the day. She moved towards him, hoping she could get him out of his slump.

"Hey, Rory." Haven murmured from Rory's right as she sat crisscrossed beside him. She gave him a small smile as she looked his way. Into those sky blue eyes. In the growing darkness, it seemed like his eyes held storm clouds within them.

"How're you doing?" Her tone was casual, although her eyes showed her concern for him. She turned her head to watch the group mill about, stretching her wings out behind her as she rested her elbows on her knees. "The first day back is always so busy, catching up with everyone."

Rory had chosen a spot a little farther back from the fire, resting in the sand with one knee raised. He leaned forward, one elbow on the raised knee as he ran a thumb over a broken seashell resting in the sand. He seemed a bit startled as Haven approached him, but flashed a faint smile in acknowledgement. Despite the cold chill of the night, he felt sweat beginning to gather on his palms. But that feeling subsided, replaced instead by a modicum of comfort. He leaned back slightly, resting his free hand behind himself so he could turn and face Haven. He was silent for a moment, taking in the view of her illuminated in fire light as he thought for a moment. "I think I'll be ok... I'm just getting sick and tired of messing everything up all the time." He paused, turning his gaze away from Haven to look towards Lorcán by the fire. "It's like I'm playing a different game than everyone else most of the time. Or... maybe like everyone else knows the rules but me. And I just keep drawing fouls over and over, but the rules keep changing. So every play is the wrong play, y'know?

Haven chuckled softly, turning her head towards him once more. Her smile faltered a moment as she noticed where his attention had gone to, but she decided not to bring it up directly. "I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who feels that way."

Rory tilted his head, yet again confused as he looked back towards Haven. "I don't follow. You always seem so..." Rory paused, staring into her eyes as he searched for understanding, "Free. And you don't seem to fumble things up the way I do, from what I've seen." Rory turned his gaze away from Haven instinctively, looking at the ground a moment as he weakly tossed the shell away from them.

Haven reached over to pick up the shell, admiring it for a moment before she set it down between them. "It's taken a lot of mistakes to get to where I am now. I've learned it's best to be patient with myself. There are still plenty of new feelings and experiences," she looked into his eyes, because she knew that Rory was at the center of those feelings now, "that are just as exciting as they are scary." She didn't want to make this about herself, so she decided to breach the topic that made him so upset in the first place.

"We all know you meant well, earlier." She leant towards him and spoke softer now, so that the rest of the group wouldn't hear her. "That's all that matters. You've always been hard on yourself, and it shows how much you really care. I hope you can give yourself the same patience as I do with myself."

Rory chuckled softly as he looked to Haven. "I thought I was the psych major." He looked towards the others around the campfire, shaking his head. "You're right. It's something to work on." Rory climbed up to his feet, and held a hand out to Haven to help her up. "We should join back with the others before we get too sappy."

Haven beamed up at him, already glad to see that he was feeling better. "Sounds good, Rory." She took his hand, feeling it's warmth around her own. That warmth spread throughout her as she let him pull her to her feet. "Wanna sit next to me?"

Rory nodded, pulling Haven up with relative ease. His hand held on to hers tightly for a moment, before he just quickly let go and moved a free hand to rub the back of his neck. He was hoping she didn't see his cheeks grow a shade darker in the dim light, and simply nodded towards the fire. "Lead the way, freebird."

Haven giggled at the nickname, and headed to join the group. She stuffed her hands in her jacket's pockets to keep herself from reaching for his hand again. The little squeeze and the flush in his cheeks hadn't gone unnoticed, but she didn't want to push him when Mei's invitation to the dance still lingered in the back of her mind. Pushing that thought to the very back of her conscious, she aimed for a spot between Banjo and Gil that looked big enough for her wings and for Rory to sit next to her.

"I'm hoping to volunteer for the U.S. Forest Service this summer, before I start my career." Haven responded to Lorcán as she sat on the sand next to Banjo. She dapped the blondie on the shoulder as a greeting, and looked at the rest of the group. "It depends on how friendly they are with hypes, but there has to be at least one Ranger out there that will accept me." She shrugged as if the comment wasn't as heavy as it seemed. "If I go, feel free to visit me in the states, Lorcán. The American National Parks are gorgeous."

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Commencement: A Pacific Royal Collegiate & University RP

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H A V E N
H A V E N

_{Location: The Beach - PRCU}

Welcome Home #1.026: Unexpected Turbulence

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_{Interaction(s): Rory @webboysurf, Pallyx @Bartimaeus, Calliope @PatientBean, Gil @Roman, Lorcán @Lord Wraith}

Previously: A Shorebird for a Day

Haven couldn't deny the way her heart fluttered as Rory came to stand next to her. His blue eyes were like a wide open sky. The way she had to tilt her head back a bit to see them when he stood this close gave her the same sensation as the freeing moment when her feet first lift off the ground. It was a feeling she hadn't felt towards a person before.

Then he was complimenting her, in his own bashful way. Her smile widened as he did so. When it came to compliments, Haven didn't blush and shy away. Instead, the rush of heat that would have gone to her cheeks spread from her shoulders to her the tips of her wings and toes as he gestured to all of her. Wings. The nickname he gave her years ago had once been an insult to her long before her time at PRCU. When he said it now, it made her proud to have it.

Rory had turned his attention away from her, which gave Haven's skin a chance to cool as she turned to smile at Aurora. In her peripherals she could see that Rory was wiping sweat off his forehead. An implication that he had also experienced the same heat wave that she had. The thought made her wish that Rory hadn't given up the effort so quickly.

Unfortunately, she also noticed the subtle way that Rory's face fell when Aurora asked about his brother. She glanced over at him, before Aurora turned to her now. Haven nodded. "I could be out there all day if I wanted." She responded before Aurora, as Haven expected, turned her undivided attention onto Lorcán. She glanced between the two, a knowing smile growing on her lips before she decided to give them their space.

She turned to Pallyx, who was already sipping on the cider Rory had handed over. "I don't know why I grabbed this." She held up her seltzer. "Cider is way better." Pallyx's eyes were on the other three at the coolers, undoubtedly thinking what everyone else thought when Lorcán and Aurora were speaking to each other. She could even hear Calliope and Banjo discussing it where they sat. Haven simply shrugged, and decided to down half of the seltzer just to finish the drink quicker.

She lifted the drink to her lips, the coolness of it refreshing. Her head turned as she continued to chug, to watch as Rory approached the two shy lovebirds. For a moment she wondered why he hadn't thought to join her and Pallyx. Although it seemed like he had an idea, and was set on accomplishing it before something distracted him.

"Hey Red, Hot Shot over here just reminded me... there's this senior dance after the Homecoming Trials. You want to go?"

Haven nearly choked on her drink. Her wings flared behind her as she tried her best to swallow what she had left. She lowered the can away from her, her left hand coming up to wipe away the bit of seltzer that dripped from her lips. Then she gave Pallyx a thumbs up, in case her sudden reaction caught her friends attention. In the distance she could hear Banjo's cackle, and Calli's mention that Rory was at least trying. Trying to what, though?

“Bro, _{I don’t know what you think you’re doing}-,” Haven could hear every word Lorcán was saying as she quietly coughed to clear her throat, “-_{But I’m pretty sure you’re doing it wrong.}”

She recovered from her shock just in time to hear Lorcán's words to Aurora. What did Aurora think of this? _{She won't say yes, right?} ... She has every right to say yes if she wanted to. Suck it up. There was no reason for her to get jealous like this. Pallyx sucked in a breath beside her, and Haven glanced towards the trio in time to see why her friend had cringed.

As someone who has always had to pick herself up, Haven thought that Lorcán didn't need to know that she also witnessed his fall. She could already hear Calliope and Gil on the way to help him, whether he wanted it or not. So Haven turned her eyes away from the scene. Almost desperate to hide her own reaction to Rory's question, anyways. Why had he asked Aurora?

Why am I letting this get to me? She thought. These feelings for him hadn't even taken flight until last year, and he wasn't the only one on her mind these days either. The reason she hadn't been with anyone in Blackjack before was because they were her friends before anything else. So if Rory wanted to take someone else, then she was happy for him. She could handle it, like she had handled many disappointments before.

The hardest part of having enhanced hearing was that even though Haven was trying to mind her business, she could hear everything Calliope was saying to Lorcán as she helped him to his feet. "You and I both know he meant well. You're smart, you're attractive, and you are one of the sweetest guys I know. Whether or not Aurora sees through this thinly veiled attempt to get the two of you together, she likes you too. It's a girl thing, trust me." Suddenly her heart felt much lighter. She breathed a soft sigh, and finally moved her eyes back over to Rory. He hadn't said "with me" when he asked Aurora. He would have said them, right?

"What would we do without 'er, huh?" Pallyx chimed in beside her, having caught onto the situation as well. Haven's returning smile expressed her own relief. She turned towards Calli, Gil, and Lorcán and decided to adopt Pallyx's cheerful disposition. "Thanks, mom and dad." She teased Calli and Gil. "Maybe get a water for Lorcán, too. He might have had enough drinks for the day." Hopefully joking that Lorcán was drunk would save him from explaining why he fell over to begin with. Maybe her jokes would hide the fact that she'd been as upset as the fire bender as well.

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Commencement: A Pacific Royal Collegiate & University RP

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H A V E N
H A V E N

_{Location: The Beach - PRCU}

Welcome Home #1.014: A Shorebird for a Day

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_{Interaction(s): Lorcán @Lord Wraith, Rory @webboysurf, Pallyx @Bartimaeus, Casual Wave towards Others}

Previously: N/A

A few yards from the Blackjack reunion laid an unfolded PRCU towel. A pair of tan sandals and denim shorts laid on top to keep the sea breeze from blowing it away. It's owner had been missing for a while, lost to the sun and waves on such a beautiful day. If one peered out over the horizon for long enough, they might catch a glimpse of the owner. If they didn't know her, they'd see a large seabird with legs.

Haven soared over the rolling waves, pure bliss written across her face since she left the shore. Her wings beat powerful strokes against the cool air coming from the north, the muscles in her back doing all of the work for her. The high sun above warmed her feathers and skin, which had become tanned and lightly freckled over her summer vacation. Her hair was a wild whip of golden-brown behind her. A pocket of thermal air rose up beneath her and she simply coasted for a few moments. The weightlessness that came with these moments was a feeling that she wished she could bottle.

Her coasting brought her up a few meters or so, and she found herself gliding alongside some seagulls. She looked over at them, noticing their curiosity in the way their feathers dipped on their left side to fly a little closer to her. They lingered for a moment, before turning away towards the shore as they undoubtedly decided that they had seen enough for the day. Haven chuckled to herself before the last of the warm air left the tips of her feathers. She leaned her head back, arching her body and her wings to somersault and dive towards the water below.

Her wings stretched out beside her as she leveled herself out again, the muscles in her back going taut as she caught herself a few meters above the water. From this view the water seemed to glisten in the sunlight. The ripples appearing like blades of grass at her speed. She leaned her body left, and her wings tipped to turn her towards the shoreline.

Ahead of her was the boat Haven had seen Banjo and his butler and babysitter fishing from earlier. She took herself up into the air, flying just high enough to miss the fishing lines and the upper level. "The fish are to your left!" She called out to the Butler below as she passed him overhead. If he hadn't seen her coming, her voice would have been carried along the wind and her shadow passing overhead the only indication that she'd been by. Lilting laughter also might have been heard fading away as she headed inland.

Even this far out, Haven could see the beach had come alive since she left it. She scanned the crowd, searching for her things and any familiar faces. In a happy coincidence, she spotted her things just a few yards from her favorite teammates. The boys were gathering around the cluster of girls, and poor Lorcan had just gotten a face-full of leather. Her wings beat faster now, eager to join her friends on land.

She was a flurry of feathers, her hands tucked in at her sides to ease the friction of air against her. She coasted the air coming off of a wave, angling herself up and over it's crest just as it began to reach the shallows. While she focused on slowing herself down, she looked for a clear space to land and fortunately found one close to the group.

Haven soon lowered herself onto the sand, her wings beating downwards to make her landing as light as a feather. The sand was warm under her bare feet. Another feeling Haven wished she could bottle up for a rainy day. She dug her toes into the sand for a moment, before looking towards the gathered members of Blackjack. A grin spread across her face as she tucked her wings in and headed towards them.

Rory and Lorcan stood closest to her. She pushed her hair back from her face as she approached them, trying to keep her eyes from lingering on Rory's exposed muscles for too long. "Hey, boys." She called in greeting as she approached them in a lime green swim short combo. "You alright, Lorcan? I saw you eat leather from a mile away." Haven teased him with a little grin. She noticed Pallyx standing by the cooler and waved at her with a bright smile. Then she simply sent a salute towards the others gathered around the umbrellas as her legs carried her over to the cooler. She smiled towards Rory as she pulled out a Claw and cracked it open. Her eyes crinkled around the edges. "Thanks for bringing the drinks, Rory."

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Commencement: A Pacific Royal Collegiate & University RP

H A V E N
H A V E N

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_{^{"Watch the feathers."}}

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C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y _________________________________________________________ Haven Barnes _________________________________________________________ June 3rd, 2007 | 21 | Caucasian/Italian _________________________________________________________ Single | Female | Heterosexual _________________________________________________________ Copper Harbor | Michigan | USA _________________________________________________________ Strigidae | Team 21 - Blackjack C H A R A C T E R S T A T S C H A R A C T E R S T A T S _________________________________________________________ ◼ B U I L D || Mesomorph ◼ H A I R C O L O U R || Golden Brown ◼ E Y E C O L O U R || Hazel ◼ H E I G H T || 5'7" ◼ W E I G H T || 140 lbs ◼ S C A R S || Faded Scars ◼ T A T T O O S || None ◼ P I E R C I N G S || None ◼ O T H E R || N/A

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T ________________________________________________________________________________________ Haven's earliest memories involve her mother. She remembers sleeping in a car or motels, eating grilled cheese for most meals, and many days in the back of a salon playing with the toys in the lost and found box. She was six when she was taken away by CPS. From then on, Haven remembers the smell of cigarettes and old carpets. The sound of loud TV's and arguments. Every now and then she'd be placed with other kids, but she'd never stay long enough to get to know them. Not until her last placement. Haven's final foster placement was in a home for lost girls. While the rules were strict, Haven quickly found a way around them. She even found a friend, who felt more like a sister to her. They made the most of their little lives at the home. When the two began to mature, Haven was inflicted by Virumosis. Her friend became a young woman, but Haven suddenly became something strange and unknown. Her wings sprouted slowly, growing much like a young bird's would. When they grew to a size that she couldn't hide Haven decided that it was time to leave the home. The other girls bullied her. Even the faculty looked at her with disgust. Her found sister was the only one who wanted her there. Before Haven could find out what the home would do with a hyperhuman orphan, Haven dipped. She took off into the mountains, away from any unwanted attention. She adapted to life as a scavenger through trial and error. Some nights she'd sleep in the trees, and some nights she'd break into vacant vacation homes or cabins for a warm bed. Her wings grew stronger, and soon she decided to use them for their natural purpose. Learning to fly was also a trial and error process. Most of the scars on her arms and legs are from those efforts. When the weather began to dip below comfortable temps, Haven headed south. After a few years of living this way, Haven had an unfortunate run in with the law. She was turned over to H.E.L.P. soon after that, and remained at a temporary home for hyperhuman children until she was given the chance to apply to PRCU. It took some effort, and her entrance test results were below average, but she had an agent advocate for her. Freshman year at PRCU was a rough transition period. On top of adjusting to a social life after years of being on her own, Haven also had to worry about Hyperion's attacks while managing good grades. Somehow she managed to overcome all three. Haven bloomed at PRCU. She found people who accepted her, and a team that stuck together through the roughest parts. Now entering into her final year, Haven is working hard to decide what her next steps will be. D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E & A E S T H E T I C D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E & A E S T H E T I C ________________________________________________________________________________________ Haven has an athletic, yet slim build with broad shoulders to support her wings and strong legs for takeoff. The virumosis made her naturally toned, but she keeps active to maintain the muscles that support her wings and to get stronger every day. Her back muscles are the strongest part of her body. She has medium length hair with a natural wave, which normally has a mind of it's own. She's always pushing it out of her face or sticking it up in a ponytail so she won't have to deal with it. Baby hairs surround her face, which is still in the process of maturing. Since freshman year her face has grown sharper, yet a bit of baby fat still shows in her cheeks when she smiles. Her eyes are sharp and observant, seeming to peer through to a person's core. Her expression is flat, appearing like a RBF to those who don't know her well enough. That changes quickly if she is talking to someone she cares for, transforming into a warm smile. Haven's wings span eleven feet across when stretched to their full length. They sprout between her shoulder blades, with a small patch of feather tissue connecting them of about two inches. This patch is the same tawny color as the top of her wings. If you were to compare her wings to an actual bird, they are most similar to a tawny eagle. Her wings begin a tawny brown, which then turns darker shades of brown as her feathers reach down to the tips. The underside of her wings repeat the same pattern, albeit ending in a lighter shade of brown than the tops. In her freshman year, all of Haven's clothes were hand-me-downs, lost and found pieces, or donations from the Salvation Army. As the years went on, she's collected her own brand new clothes. Her style outside of the classroom involves a lot of neutral clothing with small pops of naturally found colors. All of her tops have hand-sewn slits in them to adapt to her wings. She dresses like she could fly off into the mountains at any point and stay comfortable with layers, jeans or cargo pants, and a flannel or jacket on top of a tank top. For shoes she wears boots or sneakers she's able to run in. M A N N E R I S M S & P E R S O N A L I T Y M A N N E R I S M S & P E R S O N A L I T Y ________________________________________________________________________________________ Once a reserved and rather snappy freshman, Haven has relaxed into her true nature. She's an open book, confident in her feelings and decisions. She's blunt with her words, and might overstep boundaries on occasion, but she is quick to learn from it and adjust. She's generally a go-with-the-flow type of person. She loves freely, and is fiercely protective of the people she cares about. She's not afraid to start a fight. Haven isn't the brightest on the team, but her observant nature makes up for it. She's capable of piecing clues together. She also isn't the one to go to for advice, mostly because she's not sure what to do either. Instead, she is the one to go to when it's time to let loose. To truly just enjoy being alive. When it comes to the other gender, Haven has never committed to a serious relationship. It might come from the fear of rejection, or it might be because she is afraid of being tied down to anything. Still, she's sure that one day someone will be capable of grounding her.

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A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S ________________________________________________________________________________________ H Y P E R H U M A N A B I L I T Y || A V I A N P H Y S I O L O G Y __PRIMARY CLASSIFICATION || Esoteric __SECONDARY CLASSIFICATION || Somatic __POWER SCALE || 2 __THREAT CLASSIFICATION || Σ Haven's physiology was affected through Virumosis to adapt avian qualities. The Virumosis altered her lungs, vision, hearing, muscles, and more importantly granted her feathers and bone on her back. The HZE ions that she internalizes are stored in her muscles and provide the strength that is needed to operate her wings and other avian abilities. To be specific... Haven's HZE ions enhance her lung capacity. Her lungs process O2 more efficiently than a normal human, meaning she is able to withstand low O2 zones and hold her breath for extended periods of time. Haven's muscles also burn through HZE ions to allow her the heightened strength, stamina, and make her body capable of adjusting to different altitudes and atmospheric conditions that come with high altitudes during flight. This can come in handy in colder or hotter conditions on ground. Akin to a bird's vision and hearing, Haven is capable of seeing and hearing over greater distances, seeing sharper images, the ultraviolet spectrum, and has a wider field of perception around her. Haven is capable of flying up to 57 kmh (36mph) given excellent physical and atmospheric conditions. When performing a dive, Haven is capable of doubling her speed. Finally, to adapt to minimal spaces (and hiding from the general population), Haven has trained her wings to be capable of tucking tightly to her backside. This is unaffected by HZE ions and is merely due to her own strength. L I M I T A T I O N S || C L E A R E D F O R T A K E O F F ? Haven's greatest limitation would be considered spatial difficulty. If she decides to take flight, she must ensure there is enough space around her to expand her wings to at least 2/3rds her wingspan. Haven's sense of taste and smell are also diminished similar to any avian. Finally, Haven isn't capable of adjusting to extremely unsafe environments such as the center of a volcano, the arctic's, or space without normal human attire/supplies/equipment. W E A K N E S S E S || F U E L Haven's weaknesses boil down to two simple necessities: Physical durability and the HZE ions in her body. In addition to relying on HZE ions to power her muscles, Haven must provide her body with nourishment and rest to be able to withstand her abilities. She must also keep her body trained to support her wings. In the event an Electron Beam Irradiation is used against her, the HZE ions that power her strength and muscles falter. She will feel weaker, and will rely solely on the muscles she has trained herself to carry the weight of her wings. Additionally, Haven's enhanced hearing leaves her sensitive to loud noises. For example, she's easily disoriented by the firing of a gun at close range. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) ________________________________________________________________________________________ Haven is working towards a world that won't shun her for her hyperhuman physiology. She hopes to be there for others who are struggling to fit in, and to help them accept and adapt to their new identity.

S K I L L S & T A L E N T S S K I L L S & T A L E N T S _________________________________________________________ S K I L L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ S E W I N G || Haven learned to sew on her own in order to adapt her clothes to her wings. She can also apply this medically, having sewn up cuts from rough landings while she was rogue. ◼ L O C K P I C K || Haven learned quickly that it was better to open locked doors than to smash windows. ◼ F I R E S T A R T E R || Haven's capable of starting a fire with naturally found tools. T A L E N T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ A E R I A L M O V E S || Haven has observed the way different avians coast on updrafts, turn at sharp angles, and even communicate by using their wings. She'll teach you their language if you ask. C H A R A C T E R A R S E N A L C H A R A C T E R A R S E N A L _________________________________________________________ A T T I R E ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ H A I R B A N D || Haven always keeps a hair band on her wrist. She has plenty more in her dorm room. I T E M ( S ) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ M E D K I T || Haven keeps a simple med kit in her bag at all times. T O O L ( S ) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ H I K E R ' S K N I F E || Haven's lucky, lightweight folding knife that reaches 7" long when extended. It has a pocket clip, excellent grip, and serrations at it's base capable of sawing small tree limbs. A D D I T I O N A L N O T E S A D D I T I O N A L N O T E S _________________________________________________________ [+] - M I S C E L L A N E O U S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Haven has a completely rational fear of HZErs. Her wings are a part of her soul, and if the device is used on her it would be like losing a part of herself. No matter how temporary it might be, the loss of her flight terrifies her. She is fiercely protective of her wings. It's rare that she has allowed another person to touch them. - P O S T C A T A L O G P O S T C A T A L O G _________________________________________________________ [+] - P O S T C A T A L O G ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ -

P E R S O N A L P R O M P T S
P E R S O N A L P R O M P T S

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_{E N T E R I N G I N T O Y O U R F I N A L Y E A R, W H A T A D V I C E D O Y O U H A V E T O A N E W S T U D E N T?}

"I'd tell them to open themself up to the experience. It took me a bit, but once I put myself out there I realized this was the best place for me. Hopefully they'll find their way here, too."

_{W H A T W E R E Y O U R A S P I R A T I O N S W H E N Y O U S T A R T E D H E R E? W H A T C H A N G E D, W H A T S T A Y E D T H E S A M E?}

"Well, I really just wanted to figure life out while getting educated. I wanted to be around people who accepted me... and I found them."

Subject shifts uncomfortably.

"What's changed? My grades have definitely improved. I'm not top of the class or anything, but I'm not at the bottom anymore. I'm still figuring out life, though."

_{I F Y O U C O U L D M A K E O N E C H A N G E T O Y O U R T I M E A T P . R . C . U ., W H A T W O U L D I T B E?}

"I definitely could have studied more."

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R E L A T I O N S H I P S H E E T
R E L A T I O N S H I P S H E E T

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_{☯ NEUTRAL ☯ || ☮ FRIENDS ☮ || ♫ BEST FRIENDS ♫ || § TENSE § || ♥ CRUSH ♥ || ☠ ENEMIES ☠}

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☮ Baxter, Harper ☮ "I've looked up to Harper since I met her. She has a great eye, literally and figuratively. If I have a problem I can't solve, she's my go to." ☮ Galahad, Gil ♥ "He's a charmer. I watched Crestwood Hollow just to see what all the hype around him was about. I get it now." ☮ Mitchell, Aurora ☮ "We understand each other, the same way all foster kids do. She's stronger than you think." ☮ Roth, Lorcán ☮ "I think he'd make a great travel buddy. I could show him some spots in the US National Parks that would blow his mind." ______________________________________	☯ Cahors, Amma ☯ "I respect her for her strength. All I really know about her is that she's a transfer from the Foundation. I'm looking forward to the day she opens up to us." ☮ Hisamatsu, Mei ☮ "Mei's great! I seek her out at parties and for study groups. Did you know she has a pilot license? I'd love to fly next to her someday." ▅ ☮ Olyphant, Banjo ☮ "He's like the brother I never had, in the way he's as annoying as he is caring." ▅ ♥ Tyler, Rory ♥ "He's endearing, and it's easy to open up to him." ______________________________________	☮ de Leon, Calliope ☮ "She's one of the smartest people I know. I think she's warmed up to me since freshman year, but I know better than to push my luck." ☮ Kruger, Katja ☮ "She's just as outgoing and socially clueless as I am, which makes us the perfect team at a party." ☮ Penada, Pallyx ☮ "She's always down for a late night adventure. We've gotten each other through tons of math tests, too." ______________________________________ ______________________________________

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Ju-V

H A V E N B A R N E S

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Haven's nose was still wrinkled in memory of the plane as she heard the door to the girl's ward open. The expression quickly vanished, her eyes moving towards the door. Down the hallway, the guard stopped after a few paces, knocked, announced dinner, and began to repeat the action every few seconds.

Haven pushed herself up onto her knees, her wings slowly tucking behind her. The muscles in her back groaned at the movement, and yet she didn't have to force them to move. The moment of rest had been appreciated, however small a moment it had been.

"They're coming to get us for dinner now." Haven murmured as she moved to swing her legs off of the bed. By the time her boots touched the ground, the guard had reached their door and repeated her command.

Haven could hear the others filing into the hallway now. Despite being able to collect herself in the peace of her and Zee's room, she could feel herself growing anxious about returning to another potentially chaotic mix of people. Her first instinct was to reach for her jacket, and yet she didn't make the move. Yeah, she could keep them safe underneath it. Away from any wandering eyes or anxious hands. (She hoped that Fritz would have a private dinner tonight. No ill will towards him, but she wasn't sure she wanted him near her again today. ) Yet putting the jacket on felt a lot like hiding. Wasn't the point of coming here, to surround herself with people like her, that she didn't have to hide?

Haven pressed her lips together, the thought giving her the strength to rejoin Ju-V's little society with determination. She left her backpack sitting at the end of the bed and moved towards the door. She hadn't gone a moment without it in so long that it felt odd.

"Do you want to sit with me?" She asked Zelda as she reached for the handle. She pushed down on it, opening their quiet space up to the shuffle of others outside.

Before her determination was lost, Haven moved into the hallway. She slipped into an open spot in the line, careful not to get too close to anyone, and followed the group through Ju-V's facility, Zelda hopefully in tow behind her.

It wasn't long before they reached a set of two open doors, leading into what looked like a school cafeteria she'd seen in movies before. It wasn't as colorful or filled with banners and posters as the movies had, but it was close enough. What really caught her attention was that the tables seemed glued to the floor. Their matching -backless, thank the heavens- seats were also cemented into the floor as well. No one was throwing a chair or tossing a table at anyone in here.

The boys were entering from the opposite side, and moving towards the same food line as they were. Haven searched the faces, seeing the new Ju-Vies mixed in with the ones they met in the recreation room earlier. She didn't get to find Wes or Fritz before she found the line in front of her had stopped to let the first in line grab their dinner.

She turned her head forward, peering around the girl in front of her to try to get a glimpse at what was on the menu tonight. She'd eaten an absolutely delicious breakfast sandwich at the airport before her flight. The type of sandwich with the croissant bread that Haven hadn't had in years.

Usually with her metabolism she would have been hungry again by midday, but her stomach hadn't made a single complaint. Not until she laid her eyes on the food being served on plastic trays. She moved her hand to her stomach, now counting down the moment that she could get a bite of it. She was used to canned food, or processed fast food paid by stolen wallets, so she didn't really care what it tasted like. Even if food hadn't tasted the same since she hit puberty. The stress of the day must have kept the hunger at bay, but now it came back in full force.

"Looks like we're having some kind of frozen TV dinner, but maybe a little better made," Haven said to who she assumed was Zee behind her. She turned her head behind her to look, but quickly realized it wasn't Zee at all.

Commencement: A Pacific Royal Collegiate & University RP

H A V E N
H A V E N

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_{^{"Watch the feathers."}}

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C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y _________________________________________________________ Haven Barnes _________________________________________________________ June 3rd, 2007 | 21 | Caucasian/Italian _________________________________________________________ Single | Female | Heterosexual _________________________________________________________ Copper Harbor | Michigan | USA _________________________________________________________ Strigidae | Team 21 - Blackjack C H A R A C T E R S T A T S C H A R A C T E R S T A T S _________________________________________________________ ◼ B U I L D || Mesomorph ◼ H A I R C O L O U R || Golden Brown ◼ E Y E C O L O U R || Hazel ◼ H E I G H T || 5'7" ◼ W E I G H T || 140 lbs ◼ S C A R S || Faded Scars ◼ T A T T O O S || None ◼ P I E R C I N G S || None ◼ O T H E R || N/A

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T ________________________________________________________________________________________ Haven's earliest memories involve her mother. She remembers sleeping in a car or motels, eating grilled cheese for most meals, and many days in the back of a salon playing with the toys in the lost and found box. She was six when she was taken away by CPS. From then on, Haven remembers the smell of cigarettes and old carpets. The sound of loud TV's and arguments. Every now and then she'd be placed with other kids, but she'd never stay long enough to get to know them. Not until her last placement. Haven's final foster placement was in a home for lost girls. While the rules were strict, Haven quickly found a way around them. She even found a friend, who felt more like a sister to her. They made the most of their little lives at the home. When the two began to mature, Haven was inflicted by Virumosis. Her friend became a young woman, but Haven suddenly became something strange and unknown. Her wings sprouted slowly, growing much like a young bird's would. When they grew to a size that she couldn't hide Haven decided that it was time to leave the home. The other girls bullied her. Even the faculty looked at her with disgust. Her found sister was the only one who wanted her there. Before Haven could find out what the home would do with a hyperhuman orphan, Haven dipped. She took off into the mountains, away from any unwanted attention. She adapted to life as a scavenger through trial and error. Some nights she'd sleep in the trees, and some nights she'd break into vacant vacation homes or cabins for a warm bed. Her wings grew stronger, and soon she decided to use them for their natural purpose. Learning to fly was also a trial and error process. Most of the scars on her arms and legs are from those efforts. When the weather began to dip below comfortable temps, Haven headed south. After a few years of living this way, Haven had an unfortunate run in with the law. She was turned over to H.E.L.P. soon after that, and remained at a temporary home for hyperhuman children until she was given the chance to apply to PRCU. It took some effort, and her entrance test results were below average, but she had an agent advocate for her. Freshman year at PRCU was a rough transition period. On top of adjusting to a social life after years of being on her own, Haven also had to worry about Hyperion's attacks while managing good grades. Somehow she managed to overcome all three. Haven bloomed at PRCU. She found people who accepted her, and a team that stuck together through the roughest parts. Now entering into her final year, Haven is working hard to decide what her next steps will be. D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E & A E S T H E T I C D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E & A E S T H E T I C ________________________________________________________________________________________ Haven has an athletic, yet slim build with broad shoulders to support her wings and strong legs for takeoff. The virumosis made her naturally toned, but she keeps active to maintain the muscles that support her wings and to get stronger every day. Her back muscles are the strongest part of her body. She has medium length hair with a natural wave, which normally has a mind of it's own. She's always pushing it out of her face or sticking it up in a ponytail so she won't have to deal with it. Baby hairs surround her face, which is still in the process of maturing. Since freshman year her face has grown sharper, yet a bit of baby fat still shows in her cheeks when she smiles. Her eyes are sharp and observant, seeming to peer through to a person's core. Her expression is flat, appearing like a RBF to those who don't know her well enough. That changes quickly if she is talking to someone she cares for, transforming into a warm smile. Haven's wings span eleven feet across when stretched to their full length. They sprout between her shoulder blades, with a small patch of feather tissue connecting them of about two inches. This patch is the same tawny color as the top of her wings. If you were to compare her wings to an actual bird, they are most similar to a tawny eagle. Her wings begin a tawny brown, which then turns darker shades of brown as her feathers reach down to the tips. The underside of her wings repeat the same pattern, albeit ending in a lighter shade of brown than the tops. In her freshman year, all of Haven's clothes were hand-me-downs, lost and found pieces, or donations from the Salvation Army. As the years went on, she's collected her own brand new clothes. Her style outside of the classroom involves a lot of neutral clothing with small pops of naturally found colors. All of her tops have hand-sewn slits in them to adapt to her wings. She dresses like she could fly off into the mountains at any point and stay comfortable with layers, jeans or cargo pants, and a flannel or jacket on top of a tank top. For shoes she wears boots or sneakers she's able to run in. M A N N E R I S M S & P E R S O N A L I T Y M A N N E R I S M S & P E R S O N A L I T Y ________________________________________________________________________________________ Once a reserved and rather snappy freshman, Haven has relaxed into her true nature. She's an open book, confident in her feelings and decisions. She's blunt with her words, and might overstep boundaries on occasion, but she is quick to learn from it and adjust. She's generally a go-with-the-flow type of person. She loves freely, and is fiercely protective of the people she cares about. She's not afraid to start a fight. Haven isn't the brightest on the team, but her observant nature makes up for it. She's capable of piecing clues together. She also isn't the one to go to for advice, mostly because she's not sure what to do either. Instead, she is the one to go to when it's time to let loose. To truly just enjoy being alive. When it comes to the other gender, Haven has never committed to a serious relationship. It might come from the fear of rejection, or it might be because she is afraid of being tied down to anything. Still, she's sure that one day someone will be capable of grounding her.

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A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S ________________________________________________________________________________________ H Y P E R H U M A N A B I L I T Y || A V I A N P H Y S I O L O G Y __PRIMARY CLASSIFICATION || Esoteric __SECONDARY CLASSIFICATION || Somatic __POWER SCALE || TBD __THREAT CLASSIFICATION || TBD Haven's physiology was affected through Virumosis to adapt avian qualities. The Virumosis altered her lungs, vision, hearing, muscles, and more importantly granted her feathers and bone on her back. The HZE ions that she internalizes are stored in her muscles and provide the strength that is needed to operate her wings and other avian abilities. To be specific... Haven's HZE ions enhance her lung capacity. Her lungs process O2 more efficiently than a normal human, meaning she is able to withstand low O2 zones and hold her breath for extended periods of time. Haven's muscles also burn through HZE ions to allow her the heightened strength, stamina, and make her body capable of adjusting to different altitudes and atmospheric conditions that come with high altitudes during flight. This can come in handy in colder or hotter conditions on ground. Akin to a bird's vision and hearing, Haven is capable of seeing and hearing over greater distances, seeing sharper images, the ultraviolet spectrum, and has a wider field of perception around her. Haven is capable of flying up to 57 kmh (36mph) given excellent physical and atmospheric conditions. When performing a dive, Haven is capable of doubling her speed. Finally, to adapt to minimal spaces (and hiding from the general population), Haven has trained her wings to be capable of tucking tightly to her backside. This is unaffected by HZE ions and is merely due to her own strength. L I M I T A T I O N S || C L E A R E D F O R T A K E O F F ? Haven's greatest limitation would be considered spatial difficulty. If she decides to take flight, she must ensure there is enough space around her to expand her wings to at least 2/3rds her wingspan. Haven's sense of taste and smell are also diminished similar to any avian. Finally, Haven isn't capable of adjusting to extremely unsafe environments such as the center of a volcano, the arctic's, or space without normal human attire/supplies/equipment. W E A K N E S S E S || F U E L Haven's weaknesses boil down to two simple necessities: Physical durability and the HZE ions in her body. In addition to relying on HZE ions to power her muscles, Haven must provide her body with nourishment and rest to be able to withstand her abilities. She must also keep her body trained to support her wings. In the event an Electron Beam Irradiation is used againster her, the HZE ions that power her strength and muscles falter. She will feel weaker, and will rely solely on the muscles she has trained herself to carry the weight of her wings. Additionally, Haven's enhanced hearing leaves her sensitive to loud noises. For example, she's easily disoriented by the firing of a gun at close range. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) ________________________________________________________________________________________ Haven is working towards a world that won't shun her for her hyperhuman physiology. She hopes to be there for others who are struggling to fit in, and to help them accept and adapt to their new identity.

S K I L L S & T A L E N T S S K I L L S & T A L E N T S _________________________________________________________ S K I L L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ S E W I N G || Haven learned to sew on her own in order to adapt her clothes to her wings. She can also apply this medically, having sewn up cuts from rough landings while she was rogue. ◼ L O C K P I C K || Haven learned quickly that it was better to open locked doors than to smash windows. ◼ F I R E S T A R T E R || Haven's capable of starting a fire with naturally found tools. T A L E N T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ A E R I A L M O V E S || Haven has observed the way different avians coast on updrafts, turn at sharp angles, and even communicate by using their wings. She'll teach you their language if you ask. C H A R A C T E R A R S E N A L C H A R A C T E R A R S E N A L _________________________________________________________ A T T I R E ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ H A I R B A N D || Haven always keeps a hair band on her wrist. She has plenty more in her dorm room. I T E M ( S ) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ M E D K I T || Haven keeps a simple med kit in her bag at all times. T O O L ( S ) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ H I K E R ' S K N I F E || Haven's lucky, lightweight folding knife that reaches 7" long when extended. It has a pocket clip, excellent grip, and serrations at it's base capable of sawing small tree limbs. A D D I T I O N A L N O T E S A D D I T I O N A L N O T E S _________________________________________________________ [+] - M I S C E L L A N E O U S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Haven has a completely rational fear of HZErs. Her wings are a part of her soul, and if the device is used on her it would be like losing a part of herself. No matter how temporary it might be, the loss of her flight terrifies her. She is fiercely protective of her wings. It's rare that she has allowed another person to touch them. - P O S T C A T A L O G P O S T C A T A L O G _________________________________________________________ [+] - P O S T C A T A L O G ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ -

P E R S O N A L P R O M P T S
P E R S O N A L P R O M P T S

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_{E N T E R I N G I N T O Y O U R F I N A L Y E A R, W H A T A D V I C E D O Y O U H A V E T O A N E W S T U D E N T?}

"I'd tell them to open themself up to the experience. It took me a bit, but once I put myself out there I realized this was the best place for me. Hopefully they'll find their way here, too."

_{W H A T W E R E Y O U R A S P I R A T I O N S W H E N Y O U S T A R T E D H E R E? W H A T C H A N G E D, W H A T S T A Y E D T H E S A M E?}

"Well, I really just wanted to figure life out while getting educated. I wanted to be around people who accepted me... and I found them."

Subject shifts uncomfortably.

"What's changed? My grades have definitely improved. I'm not top of the class or anything, but I'm not at the bottom anymore. I'm still figuring out life, though."

_{I F Y O U C O U L D M A K E O N E C H A N G E T O Y O U R T I M E A T P . R . C . U ., W H A T W O U L D I T B E?}

"I definitely could have studied more."

^{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

Commencement: A Pacific Royal Collegiate & University RP

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

A Necromancer, a Butterfly Witch, and a Ringbearer Walk Into a Bar

Interaction/s: @Punished GN, @Skai

Location/s: PRA Raid Ground > Kari Wilson’s Place of Rest

---

One week ago...

Handsome coughed awkwardly when he looked Lyss's way, but he didn't shrug her off. Lyss would have smiled at him if she wasn't cuffed and kneeling in front of him. Although, when she thought about it for a little too long, she realized it wasn't that bad of a position in front of him. It was a good day to wear a v-neck shirt.

Unfortunately for her dry throat, his attention was soon pulled elsewhere. She watched him float through the air towards Agent Meife-Liao, whose name she heard from the woman cradling Luca in her arms. What's with these feds? Her now decaying arms. It seemed like handsome had quite an abstraction. Who is this guy? What did Agent Mommy mean when she said you-know-what? Agent Liao had said that the PRA ran St. Portwell, so what else was happening in this city that she should be aware of?

She listened to handsome speak, noting that he was a special agent. Just my luck to lust after PRA's top dog. Especially someone that said "clout" unironically. She let that slide easily, as it seemed the two agents' arguments got through to their leader. When she heard the words "uncuff them" out of Agent Liao's mouth, Lyss silently thanked the Hound under her breath.

As obedient as the rest of the PRA, handsome was soon coming towards her. Lyss slowly got to her feet and turned her back towards him so he could get the damned cuffs off of her. "Thanks for the water, by the way." Goosebumps rose on her skin when his fingers brushed her wrist, and soon her hands were free. She pulled her arms forward and began to rub her wrists.

"I hope next time we meet isn't under these circumstances." She said as she turned to look at him, but stopped short when she realized he wasn't next to her. The bottle of water was set on the grass where he stood. When she looked around for him, he was holding back an enraged Linqian. Lyss frowned lightly, but shrugged and picked up the bottle. She stood facing the cat-fight, chugging half of the bottle's contents as she thought about how impressive his speed and strength was. Especially his durability. Linqian's hand had left a nasty mark on Lynn's face. How come he wasn't hurt by touching her?

Sloane had approached Agent Liao with her phone out like an offering. It looked like she was willing to work with the feds, even after this disastrous encounter with them. Lyss didn't mind the idea, as long as they stayed out of her business. Jack had left Auri with Agent Mommy, and she was soon being tended to by the PRA's nerdy healer. Lyss moved in their direction. It had been so long since she'd seen Auri, and she was just as worried about her current state as she was curious about how she'd gotten so hurt. Jack and the white haired girl had left before the raid started, and he returned with Auri instead. She'd get some answers after she made sure her old friend was alright.

Lyss slowly approached where Auri laid, and watched as they brought her back to consciousness. Fully healed, despite some dried blood where her injuries had been. Auri jerked upright, her head whipping around her.

"... Did we win?"

Lyss's brows furrowed, looking just as confused as the agents around her. "I can't tell." She said as she moved closer to Auri. "It looked like Jack had to port you out of a warzone." Lyss knelt down next to her and handed Auri the rest of her water, unable to resist a small smirk of amusement. "We have a lot of catching up to do, Auri."

Auri grasped her head as she looked around, “I… you can say that.” She continued to look around before she took in a deep sniff… And then she looked up at the burning church.

Yet, she could only smile.

She wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead and said, “... I’m so glad that wasn’t my store!”

Lyss smiled at her. ”It was smart of you to keep everyone out of there. Greyson is to blame for the fire, though.” WIth a sigh, she offered Auri a hand as she rose to her feet, which Auri took.

”Let’s get out of here before the feds change their mind.” She offered the nerdy healer a glance as she cleared her throat. ”Thanks for healing her, though.”

“Don’t mention it!” Trevor said with a toothy grin, before he turned to Adora before he hobbled over to her, knelt down and placed his forearm against Adora’s face. It wasn't long until his healing aura wrapped around her and her head injury was healed. Her eyes shot open, as she looked at Trevor… and he pulled back as she rubbed her head.

“Ugh! My head’s killin me!” Adora shouted.

Auri looked around, “… Alyssa… Lyss… what happened here? Where is Stormy, Britney and Jack?”

Lyss gestured towards where Jack was standing.

”Jack’s over there. He’s the one that got you here. I haven’t seen Britney or Stormy yet.” She glanced towards handsome and Agent Liao’s way. ”The feds raided us, thinking we murdered one of their own last night. It was, uh… Kali. I didn’t know he joined the PRA.” She frowned. ”They told us a wolf carving was found at the crime scene.”

“… K-Kali is dead?!” Auri shouted, “I… can’t believe it.”

Then Auri turned her head towards Jack and called to him, “Jack!”

After Trevor had dealt with his gunshot wound, Jack walked over to their now-awake leader. ”The next time I take you to a place outside the All-Verse, you’re wearing protection for your skull, and everything inside,” he said, jokingly.

Auri shook her head.

“… Where are the others?” Auri asked. “Are they okay?”

”They left, and went to seal the Void Heart at the Temple. It wasn’t a wasted effort, after all. Apparently, this happened just after we stepped out,” he said, waving in the church’s direction.

”They’re fortunate I let them walk away,” he whispered, quietly, so only they could hear it.

“… The Temple?” Auri raised an eyebrow as she whispered, “The Charming and Graceful whatevers?”

”The glorified cult that worships apparitions, yes. Honestly, I should’ve torn them limb from limb the moment they shot me. But Britney and Stormy accompanied them. Britney has the Noble Vow- I kept it all these years- So I’m sure there won’t be any trouble.”

Auri grasped her head, “I would have done so myself if they hadn’t taken me out of commission.”

Lyss crossed her arms where she stood, her brows furrowing. ”You really got yourself into trouble with that. How long has this cult been around? Do we need to watch our backs with them, too?”

“This is my first time hearing about them,” Auri turned to Jack for the answer.

”They were here when we were children. While we were saving the world, the Temple was bickering with, and fighting back against others in the background to take power for themselves. Leon’s family doesn’t typically attack people the way they attacked us, but I wasn’t exaggerating when I said they worship apparitions. One of them being the Void Heart.”

“So that’s why they attacked us? To protect Voidy? But why would they be sealing him if they worship him?” Auri asked a barrage of questions before another one popped into her head as something was missing.

“… And where’s my staff?!?!”

”Your staff is safe in the Void,” he assured her. ”Your concussion was more important, so I left it there. As for the sealing, they have a strange way of doing things. And we had him dead to rights by the time they arrived, so he surrendered.”

Auri sighed in relief, before she asked a question, “… And do you trust them?” She started, “Will Britney and Stormy be safe?”

”I don’t trust them to not make sudden moves when one of their holy ghosts is about to be sealed. But I trust Britney to use the sword to its fullest potential, and I trust Stormy to make them all powerless.” He would have preferred going there himself, and absolutely would have if they didn’t bring out guns and concussions.

“… Do you think the Temple will be a problem in the future?” Auri asked.

”It’s a possibility. But they expect me at Alizee’s funeral, and they won’t be stupid enough to think they can kill me quietly.”

”They won’t be a problem if I have anything to say about it.” Lyss muttered before giving Jack a nod. ”Let me know if they cause any more trouble.” She looked at Auri, a bit cautious with her next words. ”I was hoping to get caught up on what you know about these wolf carvings… before all of this. Do you feel well enough?”

Auri grimaced.

“I do… but I honestly don’t have a wealth of information on the wolf carvings.”

Lyss nodded. ”I guess it’s time to put myself to use, then.”

”It’s time to summon one of our fallen.”

“… I can’t believe ya’ll!” Adora shouted, feigning anger before she cracked a half-grin. “Having a top secret pow-wow without your girl Adora!”

She slapped her knee before turning towards Lyss. “… Why didn’t you tell me you were back in town?”

Then she thought about it.

“Actually, don’t answer that,” She said as she opened her arms and hugged Lyss.

Lyss blinked in shock, before her arms slowly rose to pat Adora on the back. Her voice was surprisingly soft when she spoke. ”Hey, Adora. I hope you’ve been well. I don’t have many phone numbers from the past.”

Adora was briefly silent.

“I’m hanging on,” She said. “So, I take it you’re after the same thing we are?”

Lyss nodded with a grim expression. ”I’m here to help. I was just about to ask for some help with a summoning.”

[color=6644ff]”What are we summoning? Or should I ask [i]who?”[/color]

“God damn it,” Adora started, “Don’t tell me you’re going to summon demons like that crazy-ass Britney used to do!”

Lyss shook her head, her eyes darting towards the departing PRA. ”I thought it would be best to summon the most recent victim. Which, unfortunately for our PRA friends and fortunately for us, would be Kali. He might know fed information, and could give us an ID on the killer.” She didn’t look thrilled, but it was obvious that she was confident in her decision.

”Mm. Where is his body now? A federal agent isn’t likely to be buried in a local cemetery, when he was paranormal in life.”

“… I was thinking we summon Ashley, Kari Wilson, or Lionel Hunter,” Auri said, then noted. “He’s likely in a federal morgue, and that is not one tree I want to bark up.” Auri chuckled, raising a finger.

”True. We can’t reach him, and unfortunately, there is no scarcity of victims. I don’t enjoy the idea of waking them from death, but we don’t have many options.”

Lyss looked between the two girls before nodding. ”We’ll summon all three if we need to.” She pursed her lips for a moment. ”Kari should be first. I think she would be the most willing to speak with us.”

Auri smiled at Lyss as Adora crossed her arms and then shrugged.

“So what? Can you do it right here, or do we have to dig up their body or something?” Adora asked. “… Because that’s just a LITTLE fucked up. Just a little.” She pinched her fingers.

”I can summon anywhere I need, but I’d prefer to do it at her grave and under the cover of darkness.”

The distant sound of sirens caught Lyss’s attention. She pulled her burner out of her back pocket and handed it to Adora. ”Give me your number. I’ll find where she’s buried and let you know when to meet me tonight. In the meantime…” She looked at Auri. ”I think you should get some rest. You deserve it.”

Adora quickly punched in her phone number, and said, “Alright, text me girl!” After returning the phone, Adora took off as if she intended to beat the sirens.

Auri nodded her head at Lyss, before she walked over to Jack, and calmly said,

“Could you open one of those little portals to the Void?” Auri asked, “I’d appreciate it if I had my staff back, but no rush.”

She smiled.

”Just a moment,” Jack reached up and literally punched a hole through the boundary between Shimmer and the Void, and reached around for something.

”Where did I put it… There.” He pulled his hand free, along with the staff and handed it to Auri as the hole closed.

“Thank you!” Auri said, “I presume you’re heading back to the Void? I’ll gladly help you clean up in there if you need any help.”

”Not now. I need to talk to Anya and Sloane about this… Disaster. I likely won’t be returning to the Void any time soon.”

Auri nodded. “Let me know if you need anything… you have my number, but otherwise this is where we part ways, yes?”

Jack nodded. ”For now. Don’t get yourself almost killed again, alright?”

“... No promises.” Auri deviously grinned.

Jack turned around and walked into the trees, and then teleported away. That was when Auri marched over to her car before Emergency Services arrived.

---

Lyss stood leaning against her sportster at the entrance to St. Portwell’s smallest cemetery hours later. With her head tilted down, the only sound that could be heard was the click of a lighter as she held a zippo to a cigarette. She took a deep pull and then leaned her head back to exhale as she surveyed the graveyard before her. She really wasn’t a smoker, but this event called for a vice. It seemed that this particular vice was becoming a regular habit for her lately. Drinking was out of the question when she needed to keep her wits about her at all times.

The cigarette was almost through by the time she heard an approaching vehicle. Lyss turned her head towards it, her free hand dropping to rest on her seat in perfect reaching distance for her aluminum slugger. She hadn’t seen any of the Sycamore’s cars yet, and she wasn’t about to take any chances with a stranger. Lyss continued to watch the car as it rolled to a stop. She took another drag of her cigarette and slowly exhaled as she waited to see who would step out.

A red Nissan Altima quickly sped in and came to a stop… the lights were off as Adora Prescott came in. Wearing a grey hoodie and sweatpants. She wore a medical facemask as she looked to the left and the right… and then pulled out her phone to call Lyss.

Lyss recognized her immediately, even with the mask. She threw the cig to the ground and pressed her foot into it before reaching for her buzzing phone. ”I’m at the entrance to the graveyard,” she said as soon as the phone was up to her ear. When Adora eventually looked her way, Lyss waved from where she stood. She stayed resting on her bike as she watched Adora make her way towards her. ”You think Auri will make it?” She asked once Adora was close by.

Adora shrugged.

“Beats me,” Adora started, “I can not get a read on that goofy ass girl for li-”

That was when Auri floated beside Lyss, two butterfly wings hanging off her back, holding the staff in her hands. She had a warming smile on her face as she wore black leggings, and a tan trench coat and some black dress shoes.

The corner of Lyss’s lips twitched as if she was going to smile, but she quickly regained composure to save Adora from any embarrassment. ”Alright, then. Let’s get to it.”

WIthout another word, Lyss led the girls into the graveyard with confidence. The look on her face was solemn, as if she knew the ethical crime she was about to commit. She could only hope Kari would forgive her for bringing her back.

Lyss stopped directly in front of Kari Wilson’s grave, positioned about five feet from the headstone. She looked over the marker once, before looking towards Adora and Auri. ”Ready?”

Adora crossed her arms.

“I’m ready if you are.”

“Is this going to be like the Sixth Sense?” Auri chuckled.

Lyss didn’t understand the reference, so she decided to explain it instead. ”Communicating with the dead can be done with and without a body. If I only summon her spirit, she will appear as a stereotypical ghost. If she has chosen to repress her murder in the afterlife, she will have a hard time recalling details that may be important to us.” Lyss took a deep breath and knelt to the ground, pressing her hand into the dirt before her. ”If I reanimate her body, and summon her spirit into it, it will seem like she is alive once more. She will not need to breathe, nor will she physically feel anything, but she will remember what it felt like to live again.” Lyss glanced towards the girls, as if she expected them to protest what she was about to do. ”It’s the only option we have if we want to know who murdered her or how it was done.”

“Lyss…” Adora trailed off, “Disturbing her rest is one thing, but…”

She looked off to the side before looking down and shaking her head.

“... Animating her body is too much. Just too much.” Adora shuddered.

“Summon her spirit,” Auri said. “That is the most respectful way to go about this.”

”I will only be able to hold her here for ten minutes, if she allows it. So we have to make this time count. If you have anything you want to say to her, it has to be done quickly.”

“I need to offer an apology, first and foremost,” Auri raised a finger.

“... I mean, I don't think we should be hanging around a graveyard anyway…” Adora started, “Let's get this over with.”

Lyss only nodded before she bowed her head. Instead of using the ground to summon Kari’s body from its grave, Lyss instead used it to spread her emotional-field into the area beneath her. Lyss was easily able to find Kari’s soul signature this close to her body. Her lips began to move, and if they listened closely, they would hear her praying to The Hound under her breath. She was asking for permission, and at the end, she asked for forgiveness. Once the prayer finished, Lyss opened her eyes toward the dark sky and began to call for Kari.

”Kari Wilson, will you answer my call?” Lyss murmured. ”We seek answers, and forgiveness. We wish to find justice for your death.”

There was a silence…

The sky went dark…

… Then her spirit appeared. She was standing above her grave with her hands behind her back, staring at them. Auri smiled as she took a step forward, being the first to speak,

“Kari!” Auri started, “It’s been a while… friend. I have to apologize to you, first and foremost, for not picking up on the signs sooner. That… was my fault, friend.”

Auri sighed.

“I know we are short on time, but do you have it in you to forgive me?” A tear ran down Auri’s face.

Kari tilted her head as her face contorted into one of confusion,

“... Who are you?” Kari’s spirit asked.

Auri’s face turned equally confused.

“... It’s your friend, Auri? We were in the Coven together? We fought the Stygian Snake. Your best friend, Elsa, was also in it…?” Auri tried to remind Kari.

“I’ve… never seen you before, nor do I know what you’re talking about.”

Adora spoke, jamming her thumb in her chest, “Does Adora Phoenix-Prescott ring a bell? What about Clementine and Vanessa Washington? We helped save your ass.”

Kari shook her head.

“... I don’t know you people.”

Lyss slowly stood, watching Kari carefully with a small frown.

”Do you remember anything from your time with the living, Kari?” She asked cautiously.

“Plenty,” Kari said. “But, I don’t know who you all are…”

Adora and Auri looked at each other as Adora asked Lyss, “... You sure this is the right Kari? You didn’t pull one from a different dimension or something?”

Lyss furrowed her brows for a moment, before shaking her head. ”I don’t think that’s possible.” She looked at Kari for a moment, before something in her demeanor changed and she abruptly asked her a question. ”Do you remember your death?”

“Sort of…” Kari tilted her head. “I was… at my computer at my house. Someone came in… and they slashed my throat.”

“Do you remember the details of who did it, Kari?” Auri asked.

Kari shook her head.

“... No, unfortunately,” Kari answered.

“... There’s something off here,” Adora turned her head towards Lyss. “Ain’t sure what.”

”This Kari… the body buried here isn’t our Kari.” Lyss murmured before looking towards her two friends. ”Whoever is behind this can hop realities.” She turned her head back towards the spirit quickly. ”Were the footsteps soft or heavy, Kari?” She asked, hoping to get some kind of information from the summoning.

“Heavy,” Kari answered.

Adora took a step back, raising an eyebrow as she asked, “Then which fuckin Kari is it, then? Why the fuck is it some other Kari? Where is our Kari?” She pointed a hand at Kari’s spirit.

Lyss frowned, but continued. ”Did you happen to catch a glimpse of them in your computer’s reflection?”

Kari shook her head. “I did not… I just resigned to my fate…” She took in a deep breath.

“Um, Lyss…” Auri took a step towards her. “This is going nowhere… let’s summon Ashley or Lionel.”

Lyss glanced Auri’s way with a look of disappointment in her eyes. She nodded once before taking a step towards Kari. ”I am sorry your life ended so soon. I hope you continue to find peace in the afterlife.”

“Thank you,” Kari nodded, before she disappeared.

Adora facepalmed.

“Okay… how in the world did we get a different Kari? Where in the nine hells is our Kari?]” Adora began. “None of this is making any sense.”

Auri rubbed her chin before she shrugged, “Summon Ashley or Lionel’s spirits… maybe we’re onto something here…”

Lyss sighed, pushing her hair back from her face. ”Okay.” Without a body to connect to, Lyss simply held out her hands before her. Same as before, she closed her eyes and recited the prayer as her emotional field spread out around her. Her ring began to glow a black aura, enhancing her emotional field so that she could summon without the need for the traces of soul. ”Ashley Stone… Lionel Hunter… Will you answer my call?”

Fading into existence was the spirit of Ashley Stone… who stood there wearing the same exact clothes she wore the day she died: a blue hoodie, some black leggings, and some Adidas slides. She still had her hair long, combed down one side, as she looked up at the group.

Auri awkwardly coughed as she stepped forward and said, “... Hello ol-”

“Fuck off,” Ashley said the literal second she laid eyes upon Auri.

Then Ashley disappeared.

Despite her previous confusion, Adora couldn’t help but break out laughing. She ran off to the nearest tombstone and was cracking up as she leaned against it and pounded her fist against it. “Oh my good lord…” Adora trailed off. “What the fuck did you do to that poor girl?!”

Auri’s mouth was still agape with shock.

Even Lyss’s solemn expression cracked, an awkward grin appearing before she cleared her throat. ”Adora, don’t hit the tombstone.”

Adora hopped up.

“Oh, sorry!”

Auri massaged her temples with her free hand and then sighed,

“... So I guess that leaves, Lionel,”

Lyss sent an appreciative nod Adora’s way before returning to the task at hand. Her ring began to glow once more. ”I’ll summon Ashley alone next time, Auri. Sorry.” She cleared her throat. ”Lionel Hunter? Will you speak with us?”

Adora crossed her arms as she said, “... Hopefully this one won’t tell us to fuck off,”

That was when Lionel Hunter’s spirit appeared… wearing a black trench coat, jeans, combat boots, and a black hat. Probably his detective attire.

Auri coughed as she took a step forward,

“Lionel… I am sorry I didn’t pick up on the signs sooner and do more to save you,” Auri apologized.

“There is no need to be sorry,” Lionel started, “I should have done more to save myself.”

He looked at the gathering before him before he asked,

“What can I help you all with?”

”You grew up too quickly, Lionel.” Lyss murmured. ”We’re here to ask about your murder. The killer is targeting our coven.”

“I know,” Lionel said, “I was investigating him… or her… However, I think he figured out I was on his trail and axed me.” He sighed, as he looked off to the side.

“Maybe I could have saved the others if I wasn’t so cocky…”

Lyss frowned. ”Tell us what you learned and you will have your retribution. I’m sure you were doing all you could.”

“I’ve… learned not a whole lot, I admit,” Lionel said and both Auri and Adora hung their heads. “The killer, he’s a crafty one. He disappears as quickly as he appears. But, before my death at his hand… I tracked him somewhere downtown. To one of the clubs. I just can’t remember where…” Lionel rubbed his chin.

”Is it three words that all start with the letter V?”

“... I can’t recall,” Lionel said.
“That club wasn’t downtown, Lyss,” Auri noted.

Lyss shrugged. ”Is there anything else that may be important, Lionel? Their description, their abstraction?” Even with this information, Lyss still felt like they were grasping at straws. ”I’m sorry to keep you for long, but you’re the best lead we have at the moment.”

Lionel laughed.

“I unfortunately don’t have any information myself,” He began, “However, Father Wolf… whoever he is, has to have some form of teleportation. Because how else could he appear and disappear at will?“

”What would you think if I told you they can hop between realities? We summoned Kari before you, and… she wasn’t from this reality. We’re not sure if our Kari has passed, really.”

“Hmmm… that would make sense, but...” Lionel hung his head, before he asked the golden question. “... Why would our Kari be different?”

Lyss sighed softly, looking towards Auri and Adora like they might have the answer - and they both shrugged. ”We may need more time before we can answer that question.”

Lyss suddenly cringed, her hand moving towards her head. ”We’re running out of time, as it is.” She murmured.

”May I summon you again, Lionel? Perhaps we can work together, even if our souls are separated by death.”

“Gladly,” Lionel said, as he faded away. “Death does get pretty boring…”

Adora crossed her arms, “... That was a good question, y’know?”

Lyss frowned, slowly regaining her composure. ”I’d like to believe her abstraction gave her an advantage… otherwise… she might be working with Father Wolf.” She shrugged. ”He could have planted this Kari,” Lyss gestured to the grave before her, ”so that we wouldn’t suspect her.”

“Kari was my friend, and I talked to her to this day…” Auri trailed off, “I don’t think she would be working with Father Wolf.”

“But, you gotta realize that people changed a lot in the last ten years,” Adora shook her head. “Maybe we should look into Kari, just in case.”
“Later,” Auri said, “We really should lay low all things considered....”

“I mean, I don’t think I’m getting tear gas out of that hoodie…” Adora shook her head. “I still can’t believe I got tear-gassed over some shit I had nothing to do with!” She chuckled.

”If we follow Lionel’s investigations, we might see something he missed. We’ll have to be careful about it. Father Wolf can’t know that we’re digging deeper, or else he’ll target one of us next. Neither can the PRA know. I don’t want to be on their radar either.”

”I need some rest, and then I’ll summon Ashley again. Maybe she’ll talk to me alone.”

Auri awkwardly laughed, “Maybe I should have noted we fell out. Hard.”

“Never liked Ashley… great to see that, ten years later, beyond the grave…” Adora trailed off, “... She’s still a damn child.”

”So I’ll make sure you aren’t with me either, Adora.” Lyss teased with a smirk. ”I’ll meet up with you afterwards, then. I should be able to summon her tomorrow morning.”

Adora yawned,

“You gonna be at the Halloween festival next week?” Adora asked.

Lyss raised an eyebrow as she began to walk with them out of the graveyard. ”I haven’t heard of it, yet. Are you going?”

“Well, I ain’t doing anything better with my evening… So yeah,” Adora answered. “Let’s match, sister. I’m going as a carhop!” She chuckled, putting her hands behind her head.

”I haven’t worn a costume in years.” Lyss said, chuckling. She thought for a few moments before looking towards Adora. ”What decade carhop? Can I wear black?”

Adora laughed as she waved her hand, “Don’t know the decade. All I know is that I got this cute little cyan dress. Use your discretion, sis!”

Lyss smiled. ”Alright. Text me what time it starts and where I need to be. I’ll come for the company and the drinks.”

The three girls stepped out of the graveyard, and Lyss turned to them as they reached her bike. ”Be safe, alright? We’ll meet up again tomorrow.”

They both nodded.

“Don’t be a stranger,” Adora put her hand on her hip and smiled.

Lyss straddled her sportster, kicking it to life. She gave Adora a smile as she reached for her helmet. ”Of course not. We’ve been strangers for far too long as it is.” She pulled on her helmet then, and soon was pulling off.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Interaction/s: PRA Agents

Location/s: Now Coven's Ex-Lair

---

Oh, FUCK, Edict, really?

It was all Lyss could think before she felt the heat of the ceiling fill the room. She tucked herself onto the floor, protecting her neck from any bits that might splinter off from the explosion. The room instantly erupted into chaos. She knew she had to get out of there quickly, but as she sat up again and looked with bleary eyes into the mix of tear gas and growing smoke she only saw the muscled agent on his way out with unconscious coven members in tow. Even though she was disappointed it wasn't her on his shoulder, she had to admit it was nice to watch him leave. That uniform fits so well-

“Evelynn, Lyss, help Jasper out."

Lyss snapped her attention towards Bianca, and she realized the woman was wearing a gas mask. She fucking knew. Her eyes narrowed at the woman before she begrudgingly stood to her feet. Jasper was already making his way out with Lynn. So, Lyss was left to save herself. She kept the black mask pressed to her mouth and used her free hand to feel her way out using the wall.

As she stepped out of the building into the light, she could see the whole operation coming to an end. Everyone was in the grass to the side, cuffed and ready for processing. For a quick moment, Lyss considered running. Then she laid eyes on Jasper and Lynn, both seizing from taser darts. No way in hell I'm letting them put me down like that. Lyss sighed in defeat before raising both arms into the air. She took a few deeps of precious, fresh air as she moved towards the grass. She didn't make it far before one of the PRA agents approached her. She gave them a glare before letting them twist her arms behind her back to cuff her.

The agent began to move her towards the grass. Her eyes searched for each coven member to make sure they were okay, before landing on Luca's prone from and the agents surrounding him. He was with Luca, and the nerdy looking agent next to him was about to put his hands on him. Lyss winced when his hands came away rotten and bleeding.

"Not a good idea to touch that one," she murmured to the agent holding her. The agent simply scoffed and put her on her knees in the grass near the decaying coven member. Near a certain agent Lyss couldn't keep her eyes off of. She looked up at the muscled agent through her lashes. He was busy dealing with the nerdy one's injury, but she couldn't resist the urge to watch him work.

Eventually, the sound of taser darts hitting new targets tore her eyes away. She looked at the other PRA agents, and how they acted around the woman with the taser glock. The woman who seemed to be the leader of this operation was speaking to the group. Lyss adjusted her knees in the grass. Might as well get comfy if they're going to be berated. Who knows how long the PRA planned to keep them detained.

She listened to the woman with a blank expression. She's making sense, unfortunately. Lyss frowned. Laying hands on an agent? When? Her brows furrowed as she tried to piece it together, until Mahendra's name was mentioned... and then added to the death list. Lyss sighed, her shoulders drooping as she looked at the grass beneath her. It was pretty shit that another one of them had been killed, but it was worse that it had been at the Dairy Queen. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Lyss clenched her hands into fists behind her. Why did it have to be at Dairy Queen?

She thought back to last night. The group of Coven members left shortly after she arrived. She didn't see Mahendra at the Dairy Queen when she left, either. Yet that makes me the last person at the Dairy Queen out of this bunch... and if they looked at the security footage... that makes me the first fucking suspect.

Lyss pressed her lips together and tried to keep her breathing even. If she showed any sign of suspicion now, she was fucked.

Luca was grieving nearby, and thankfully someone was talking to the head agent. Anya... well, she was doing her best to explain the Father Wolf situation. Linqian, as angry as she was, even made a point that would turn suspicion away. Hell, even Lila was making sense. Even though her location data comment made Lyss tense again. Thank the Hound for a burner phone. She was untraceable unless she'd made a call or sent a message at the Dairy Queen, which she hadn't.

Lyss would have jumped in to defend the Coven with the others, but she was suddenly aware of how raw her throat felt. She raised her head to look at the muscled agent again, and quietly cleared her throat. "Could I get some water, handsome?" She said up to him, her voice sounding huskier than she thought it would. Hopefully it worked in her favor. She knew her lipstick was still intact, and her mascara hadn't run, but she still wondered how red her eyes looked from the tear gas. Was she a hot mess, or just a mess? Either way, she needed to cool her throat before she got into it with handsome's boss.