Superhero Rp

Zia wakes up groggily from his half asleep state as he reaches out for his store phone seeing he woke up at his normal time and opened the shop and dosed at the counter only really responding to the bell of someone entering or in this case his phone going off. "Hello this is Zia's Music and book store. Zia Tama Heino speaking." He says in a business air as he rubs his eyes and stifles the yawn. He waves to Jacob who walks in and waves back seeing his boss is on the phone.

The rain falls in dispassionate drisel, like the creaking facet of and old, dead house, as the cab slows down. The thin young man gets out, handing the cabby a $50. Adjusting his glasses, he takes in the sights around him.
"New York, New York..." he sighs.
"Best place in the whole damn world" grins the cabby.
Markus nods and scratches his chin. the cabby holds out the change.
"Keep it." The cabby had been good company on the road.
"Thanks!" cheers the cabby, rolling out. Then pauses, the car jilting slightly like a straining horse. "Wait, you from Chicago?"
"Ya," replies Markus.
The cabby nods.
"The Cubs suck."
Sucking on his toothpick, Markus shrugs and walks into precinct. Muscling into traffic, the cabby adjusts the mirror and grins. That damn Windy will do alright...

Markus mounts the stairs like a cowboy after breakfast, slow and gingerly. As he nears the top of the stairs, he see men pouring out in riot gear. He jogs alongside one.
"What's going on?" he pants, trying to keep up with the armored men. He felt out of shape... again.
"Riot call. Some bums are going nuts!" snaps a leiutenant.
"Ah..." mused Markus. He looked around at the base of the stairs and spots it. A construction sign. He nabs it, jogs to the poice wagon, and tosses himself, his bag, and the sign in. The SWAT team give him odd looks.
"What are you..."
"I'm coming along," blurted Markus, sitting on the rolling floor. Cars and couriers skidded out of the way. Markus unpacked two candles, a vial of mercury, a vial of blood (from a animal humanely slaughtered... he wasn't a monster) and peice of yellow chalk.
"What you' doin?" says one of the men, his helmet between his feet.
"Hopefully, getting us some help." Markus worked feverishly, snapping the chalk in half and stuffing one piece in his mouth. Chewing, he spits it upon the back of the sign.
"Doin what? Making us a charm bracelet?" Guffaws all around.
"No," Markus then took his wand, dipped it in the vials, and drew like a madman a complex series of circles and sigils, "I'm making a charm bomb."
The wagon bounced under leering gargoyles vomiting water and sad angels as it rounded the corner. The frothing stragglers were still present, attacking the police lines.
Squealling and smoking like a hammer against a gearbox, the truck jolted to a stop, the doors opening to tumble out men. Markus followed with his mad scrawl.
The frothing stragglers were being corralled by the riot police, raging like cannonball waves in a kiddie pool. Into this, the officers fought, and into this, came Markus spinning.
"Denizens of the netherworld I BANISH thee!"
The sign made a dazzleing FOOMP then crashed to the left of the rioters.
A few seconds passed.
While Markus drew his gun, a officer turns to him.
"Was that supposed to do anything?"
Markus shrugs, and spins the revolvers chambers.
"Well, I got more .32 magic missles if it doesn't..."
Above, the sad stone angels look on, mildly crosseyed and unimpressed.

Despite everything that had happened the night before Jasmine is up early. She stares at the ceiling as she thinks bout everything that has happened.
"What am I gonna do." shes says to Mouse as she hold out her hand that is finally returned to normal. She gets up and looks out the window. It was still dark out but as she looked she could tell that the sun would rise soon. She puts her boots on and goes out into the kitchen.
As she pass the living room she slows and makes her foot falls a light as Mouse and sneaks past so as not to wake up Izen. She makes breakfast and leaves enough for the others to eat. She and Mouse then head out and over to central park. She gets there just as the sun begins to rise.
"Zia is super his powers is healing. That doesn't inconvenience his life and he doesn't have ta work to hide or control it. Vlads alive so hes a healing powers as well. The only one that has a power that need to be hidden and controlled is that freaky plant guy, the jerk...... Mom could if shed look at me." she stops and climbs up a tree and watches the sun rise and then looks over at the area were her father is setting up for his clean up.
"Then there's Dad.................. Looks like its Dad I get ta talk to bout this." she says as she climbs down and makes her way over to the starting area and waits as she watches more people start to show up for the clean up of central park.

"Aaah, Bobert," spoke a voice from behind a very broken and battered hobo. "I think I'm finally back to my good ol' self~" spoke the voice again, revealing its owner to be a platypus dressed in grundgie and tattered clothes. "Maah... Mah nem's--" wheezed and coughed the crumpled tramp before being cut off. "I know, I know. You're name's BOB. That's why I like you Bobert. Always defiant. No matter how foolish," he added with a devious smirk as he kicked the poor man hard.

"But enough of that. I've been watching the news, Bobert. Strange thing for me, I know. But the picture box says them there hobos're riotin'! Sounds good for a few laughs. Come along Toothy!" he commanded as he tugged at the rusty choke chain around Bob's neck, prompting him to hack and wheeze. "If you're good I just might take off the leash. Now GET UP!" barked the platypus as he yanked hard enough to get the hobo to his knees and the poor man wobbled on them before collapsing onto all fours. "Even I get bored of cartoons and I'm not gonna letcha ruin this little break for me~"

And with that he began dragging Bob along only to stop a little ways ahead and heave a mocking sigh. "Alright fine. If you want to stay here you can. But first Daddy has to make sure you don't hurt yourself. That's MY job~" said the platypus with a sneer as he fixed the chain to a dumpster and then pressed his foot to the man's forearm. "Now it's time for your shot~" "N-n-n-... n-n-n--..." stammered Bob as his eyes widened and pupils dilated. "Oh yes~" teased his captor as he flexed a toe, stabbing it into the man's arm and prompting a howl of pain as he writhed on the alley floor. "Have fun now!" yelled the platypus before running off towards the riots, finding them to be long since over.

"Well, damn. Now what am I going to do?" he thought aloud as he rubbed his chin and stuck to the shadows.

Lance woke up panting heavily and his eyes actually wide with fear. "The...fuck...Wrath, you better not be planning to kill me..." "<What? Just because you have a nightmare you think I'm trying to kill you? I NEED you for my host Lance.>" Lance growls and holds his head. "I know I know...the fact I had my own parasite trying to kill me in my dream does make one panic a bit." He said softly with a heavy sigh before getting up and putting on some old cloths of his and turns on the television in the room to watch the news which he watches with a bit of a smirk. "They won't find out who I am. I am making sure of that..heh.." He heads out into the front room and looks over at Cleo. "Are you ok?"

( Enter inside Arthur's Limo. Arthur is sitting across from Frank as they discuss the coming event at the Park. There is a small breakfast in front of them which they are consuming as they talk)

" What is my itinerary today Frank?" Arthur asks.
" Well after we arrive you are going to organize the clean-up with other civic leaders, then the clean- up of the park will go on for three hours then a small lunch for the volunteers and then another three hours of clean- up. We will be finishing at five. After that there will most likely be a get together. That will be a good chance for you to continue fixing your image with the big wigs eh boss?" Frank asks with a raised eyebrow.
" Yes it would... but we shall see. Has my daughter arrived at the park yet? "
" Yup... I spoke to one of your agents and he passed on that she arrived shortly after they did and watched the set up from a tree. I thought she would stay up there but a few moments ago she climbed down and joined the gathering crowd. what do you think that means boss?"
" What do I think Frank? I think that my daughter is a bold young woman. Jassie never liked to back down from anything. You know she beat up a ten year old would be bully when she was six and was out weighed by practically double. The child tried to take her lunch and well you remember how Jassie was about her food. The poor child never had a chance. The interesting part was that when they returned to the play group and the day care worker asked them what happened the boy answered that he had fallen and that Jassie had helped him up. Even then she knew how to deal with rough situations... always head on for that girl. Anyway it is why I knew that this little endeavor would draw her." Arthur smiled a soft smile when he said this.
Frank cocks his head at Arthur and says.
" Doesn't hurt that it is a great little public relations boon for you though huh boss."
Arthur seems to think about this for a second as he takes a bite of toast.
" Well I must admit that that is a quite fortuitous circumstance that of course we will look to take advantage of. Waste not want not is that not the phrase?"
" Yeah boss that's the one fer sure. Anyway all the men have reported that the area is safe for the moment and the psychics have not picked up on anything bad. Everyone will of course stay on alert throughout. It looks like we are pulling up to the park now boss. You ready for this?"
" Yes, I believe I am. This should prove to be quite an eventful day one way or another. Open the door Frank let us meet with the people and see what they think. Keep an eye out for my daughter. If she approaches let her do so at her own pace. If she does not then pretend she is not there. I do not want to give her any reason to run."
" Right you are boss. Here we go."
And with that Frank opens the door and steps out of the car. He is followed by Arthur who steps out and is immediately surrounded by the media. He thanks them for coming and asks them to get there shots now and then to put down their cameras and notepads and to help out with the clean-up effort. He then walks over to the event organizers greeting them warmly. He then removes his suit jacket and he and the organizers begin to set people up into different jobs for the clean- up. Out of the corner of his eye he spots Jas on the edge of the crowd. He smiles to himself but gives no obvious sign of his notice and continues to work with the volunteers to get started.

Ed rubs the spot where Vlad had punched him last night, a bruise forming on the spots he hit with more frequency, “hey Zia it’s Edward. I need to call in a favor from you, something is killing the plants that make up my club and I need to find out what is doing it before the entire building starts to wither and collapse. I’m guessing what is killing the plants is coming from underground where they feed so if you are in could you gather some stuff you would need to go into the sewers? I will see if I can dig up a map of the underground sewer routes so we don’t get totally lost while we are down there.” He couldn’t help but smirk, how was that for a way to start your morning, delving through the city’s underground piping.


The cleanup in the park starts off well enough, though as people started to clean up the area by the lake they noticed an increasing amount of the black oil which had been appearing, was now clinging to the bottom and sides of the lake in patches. It wasn’t until people started to dig deeper that and start wading in to try and clean out the lake more thoroughly that they noticed there was something heavy at the bottom of the lake when they tried pulling back the large special rakes they had. Calling over some more volunteers to help pull up whatever this thing was, the people cried out in surprise and horror as the thing which surfaced was a homeless man who was covered head to toe in the black oil. Whether the oil had creep up and over his dead body or whether he had drowned from it was unknown from what the people could tell, they were preoccupied with the horror at seeing a dead body being dragged up from the lake.


When Markus got back to the police station after the roundups had been finished, he was given some scant greetings but he could tell just from a first look that things were different than Chicago’s police stations. For one it looked like the entire police station was geared for war, in the back offices some mechanics were tinkering with the newest creations needed for the fight against the villains due to the lack of heroes in the city. There was a board set up at the back of the station with pictures and short power bios of dozens of villains who had been released. Some had a big red X through them but it was clear there was a long ways to go.

The receptionist looked up at Markus when he entered the station, “badge and registration information.” He saw in one of the back offices a gruff looking officer with short stubble who was smoking a cigarette and looking at a folder.


When Lance or Cleo went outside of the house they saw on their front door the same symbol that had been on the door of Zia's shop, a wide open, white eye.


Scattered throughout the city, yet there had been no sign of someone actually putting up the ads, were posters titled “Coming soon, the Dark Carnival!” Scattered about on the poster were the words, “games, prizes, shows, rides, it is a once in a lifetime experience.” As for what exactly would be featured was not emphasized on, leaving the reader to guess at what it is would be seen or experienced at the carnival.

"Dammit, again?!" Alastor shut his CD player off. "I don't understand. If they like my music so much, why don't they just take it? It's not like I can't buy another one," Alastor huffed as he adjusted his glasses. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the bookmark and picked it up. "What the hell is this?" "Not sure", said Thanatos. "But something tells me it might be important. You should hold on to it." "Yes. Of course." Alastor pocketed the bookmark and went to his classroom. Alastor walked up to the board at the front of the room. "Alright, we're continuing our lecture from the other day. Please open your books and turn to page-" When Alastor turned around, he noticed a couple of girls crying, their friends doing their best to comfort them. "Uh... Is something wrong, ladies?" One of the girls wiped her eyes and looked at him. "That girl that was raped and killed yesterday... It was Sally," she said between loud sobs. Alastor's face turned into a mask of shock and sadness. "No..."

Sally was probably one of Alastor's best students. He could remember her smiling face from the day before, and now she was gone forever. Alastor clenched his teeth together and he balled his hand into a fist. "DAMN YOU, Wrath! I will hunt you down and destroy you, if I have to tear this city apart brick by brick!" "Doctor White? Are you okay?" A student asked him. "Y-Yes, I'm just a little shaken up by this news. But Sally wouldn't want us to get swept up in our grief. Now... Turn to page 478, ladies and gentlemen."

As Jasmine watched she suddenly has a volunteer handing her a bag and a tool to pick up garbage. Jasmine and Mouse go about helping clean as she wrestles with how to approach her Dad and talk to him about her problem. She slow works her way towards her Dad and uncle Frank. As she gets closer there is suddenly scream and she looks in the direction it came from. She sees the news crews rushing forward as the screaming keeps up. Soon the cause of the screaming spreads and everyone now knows a dead body has been found in the lake. The press of the body rushing towards the scene and those rushing away from it remind Jasmine of salmon swimming up stream. People can be so morbid. Someones dead body is found and there are more people rushing forward to see than there are people running away so as not to see it., she thinks as she slowly make her way towards her fathers limo. As she makes her way there she looks around and seems to make it past all of her dads security with out being stopped or spotted. As she opens the door and Mouse jumps in before Jasmin slides in after her.
"That was way to easy Mouse." Jasmine says as she sits in the limo petting Mouse and waiting for her dad.

The receptionist looks up and asks the bedragled man before her who he is.
"Markus. Specialist... In a bit of pain."
The receptionist looked Markus up and down, returning to her typing.
"Medicine's in the back" she says offhandedly.
Markus walked, gingerly, across the floor and took it all in. Every which way ran one or another carrier, waving papers or hauling along a perp. This wasn't good.
He ducked into an office, with a ciggerette smoking man. His nose was deep in the folders strewn across his desk.
"Sir?" asked Markus.
The man looked up.
"Private Investigator Markus Kilain reporting for duty, Sir!"

Lance watches Cleo with a curious look for a moment then shrugs. "Sure why not. I'm going to head to a small store on the corner to pick up some meds and stuff for your pain. Won't be gone but a few minutes." He waves idly to hear before heading out of the house, he pauses when he sees the symbol on the door. "What is this....? Hmm...Ill worry about it later." He mumbles to himself and heads to a small corner store just a 2 minute walk from his house and goes in picking up pain medicine and bandages for Cleo before leaving, he again pauses when he sees the Dark Carnival poster. "Meh." He shrugs it off and goes back to his house and knocks before entering. "I'm back, and there is a odd symbol on the door." He calls to Cleo and puts the stuff on the couch.

Zia lisens and smiles slightly, " yeah i'll be right over to help you with that, I'll be over soon." As he says this he clicks it to off while keeping the ear piece to his ear as he adds to the busy tone to dispel any questions about what he is going to be doing , " i'll bring that book of rare exotic plants over for you. It's nice to do business with you." He hangs up the phone and rubs his head as he slips out from behind the counter and marks down he took an energy drink from the refrigeration area and pops it open, " Jacob you think you can take over while i run a errand for a costumer."
"Sure Z. Its not like any thing interesting happens out of the ordinary." He watches Zia down the drink as he notes the fatgue of His boss, " You sure your up for it cause man you look like your half dead."

Zia smiles and chuckles, " yeah im good to go, i might be out for a while so your the manager till some manager gets here. " Zia leaves as he heads up to his room to pack up a backpack of possible useful items. He puts in a heavy duty flash light, a lighter, a bottle of Ax, one of the many bottles of strong alcohol he never touches, and a few empty jars before he heads back down to the garage. He quickly fills the jars with paint thinner and gasoline before capping them and making sure they are sealed before packing, locking the door and putting his spare armor on that has no symbols on it indicating who he might be as he pulls an athletic shirt with a duster over it to hide the Police swat chest and arm armor. As he heads to his helmet he straps his covered hammer and the single pistol he has left after the Acid incident as well as pausing for a moment to grab some plant shears, securing them to his belt. He grabs the generic helmet he uses as he places it on and opens the door, walking the bike out before securing the door so only he can enter that way. He starts his bike up and takes off for Ed's. He knocks on the door and waits for Ed to answer after stashing his bike in an ally way with the home made defensive systems on.

Inside the limo Mouse just feels off and that there is danger nearby, like there is a hidden axe looming overhead that will come down on them. While Jasmine doesn’t see it, Mouse’s vision blurs a little and she sees a thick black oil oozing out from the various cracks and corners inside the car. The oil vanished when someone opened the door to come into the car or until the windows were blackened and the oil started to fall onto and cover them. Jasmine was completely unaware of this aside from feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end for some unknown reason.


Markus could see a map of the city on the wall behind Blake that had various spots pinned with assorted colored pins. There were a handful of black pins scattered about, several green ones, and a few red ones that were on the same spots as where the riots had taken place. Blake looked up at Markus with an expressionless face and set down the folder, taking a deep drag from his cigarette before setting it aside on the ash tray, “you are a long way from home, officer. From your file I see you are a sort of mercenary information gatherer, fairly decent one too from your record.” His gravelly voice took on a harder tone, “yet your ‘talent’ aside, know that if at any moment you lose control of your lycanthropy or more of your kind show up in this city, none of the officers here will hesitate to hunt you down, is that understood?” Going back to its normal tone, “what is your reason for leaving Chicago to come to New York?”


Zia sees a “closed for repairs,” sign up on the front of Edward’s bar and when he knocks he sees Ed come out to look at him with what would be furrowed eyebrows. “Over-prepared much? Come inside.” He stepped aside so Zia could get in and then closed the door, the plants wrapping around the handles from the inside to lock it. Zia could see that Ed was covered in a kind of bark armor fused to his skin yet over that was a rubber biohazard suit, “all we are doing is going into the sewers, what’s the worst that we will find. Giant rats or those crocodiles that people are supposed to have flushed down their toilets and now it has become some monster?”

He picks up a large flashlight, the helmet to his suit, a bucket with cleaning supplies, and a map which was on his bar counter before turning back to Zia to spread it out on a table, “alright, the problem should be an easy fix, probably just some toxins got into the waterways and we will just have to find it and clean it up. That is what I am going for since the plants have not been as talkative as of late, must be the slowdown from the poisons. Anyways,” he points on the map and trails his finger along, “the bar is here and if there is a problem with the flow of things it would have to take place upstream at one of these points,” he trailed his finger up the sewer pipe outline to four points, “anywhere beyond that and we would be hitting the river and people have been drinking from that cess pit and not died so that is doubtful. Also if it was toxic the plants surrounding the river would all be dead by now.” He waited to see if Zia had anything to ask or add.

Zia lifts the visor of his helmet and sighs as he looks over the map, " Well i hope there is nothing more down there but well better to have fire power then be left up shit creek...no pun intended. But lately hasn't exactly been safe with ...villains about." Zia shifts slightly and adds sheepishly, " And i Have no hazard suit. This is the best i can do right now." He slips off the duster and leaves it on the bar with the cloth he was using to hide his hammer and restraps it to his back and grips his flash light. Ed can see the plant shears hanging awkwardly from his belt as he shifts about, now that his duster is off. They aren't very large but compared to his hammer a lot easier to wield in close quarters like the sewers if a fight broke out or if Ed was to make him fertilizer he has at least a small chance to get away.

After a short while of looking about and rubbing his "chin" the platypus spoke "Well Toon, it looks like no one else's around..." And with a shrug he ventured into the light and looked about. Lifting up a broken bottle to his face and whistling he muttered "Quite a party I missed out on... Come to think of it, didn't the news say something about...?" As he trailed off Toon began to grin and rummaged around the various glass shards and other trash littering the area. "Huh. Musta cleaned up the area real good. No blood or so called "gunk" lying about--" At that moment the vagrant's tail brushed against a trash pale through his shabby coat and knocked it over. "Oop. Clumsy me--HELLo," he said with a grin as he saw it, the black oil the clean up crew must have missed.

"Hmm," he muttered as he stooped over to inspect the stuff. "Doesn't look so special. Lesee," he continued to think aloud as he brushed his finger along it and lifted it up to his bill for a sniff. "Doesn't smell special. Feels icky though," he muttered as he rolled the goo between his fingers. "Still all around disappointing... Unless~" uttered Toon with a sly grin as he took out some matches, lit one on his bill, and dropped it on the puddle to see... nothing happen. Grunting in disappointment Toon turned back to the alleyways, planning to blow off some steam on good ol' Toothless Bob.

Jasmine flexed her finger and then balled them into fists. She repeated the hand work out as Mouse paced around Jasmine meowing and looking like a caged animal.
"I can't believe I'm this tense about seeing Dad. I guess I'm a bit on edge but this much?" she thinks as she tries to relax. As Mouse circles round she stop every now and then and hisses and claws the air.
As Jasmine is waiting in the car Arthur is working to gain control of the clean- up event. He is talking to the police and helping to restore order after the find of the unfortunate in the lake. He also has been made aware that Jasmine is in the car but will have to wait a little bit until he can calm the crowd. But when his psychics relay that there is something fishy going on near the limo he sends in Frank.
" Frank go check out the limo and let my daughter know what is going on. I will be there as soon as I am able. Also keep an eye out for anything fishy... I was just made aware there might be something aiming at the car."
" OK boss I'm on it."
Frank heads to the car making the rest of the team aware of his movements as well as to make sure they focus on protecting Arthur. When he reaches the car he knocks on the door as to not startle Jas too much.
Jasmine can't keep from jumping a little at the knock then breaths deeply as she moves to the door and opens it.
"Oh, hey Uncle Frank." Jasmine says as she gets out of the dark limo happily stepping into the open air and sun light. Mouse happily follows and jumps onto her shoulder but faces the darker intro of the limo and flattens her hers and ever know and then lets out a low hiss. Jasmine leans against the out side of the limo as she feels the the hair on the back of her neck ease up and the uneasy feeling lift.
"Crazy huh. One dead boy and ya got a quarter of the people freaking and the rest wanting to see it and probably poke it. How morbid can people get." she says pus her hands in her pockets.
" Yeah it sure is a shame about the kid. Your dad is doing the best he can to salvage the event but I'm afraid the people's interest in the clean up is pretty much gone. It's too bad too things were going quite well. Heh... actually your dad is already trying to figure out some other ways to help the city. I swear the man never rests. Anyway he'll be here soon and he's really looking forward to talking to ya."
Jasmine hangs her head and looks at her feet as she kicks the dirt.
"Yeah hes a real saint." she says as she looks at the people milling about. She looks up at the sun. "Wow, its bout lunch time already. Guess this is gonna wrap up before lunch cause of the dead homeless person they found." she says as she tries to make idle chat to cover up the fact that inwardly she is freaking out. Mouse head butts Jasmine in comfort but does not stop her watchful gaze of the limo.
"I don't know bout you but I'm hungry. If Dad's gonna be stuck here fer a few more hours I should leave him to his work."
At that moment Arthur steps up to the car.
" You do not have to leave on my account Jassie. Everything is wrapped up for today and I am at your service. As for lunch I believe that can be arranged for. Is Chinese still your favorite?"
Jasmine nodes and glares at her Dad for the use of that hated nickname and soon they are back in the limo with Mouse on edge but not as much as before since the lights are on in the back as Jasmine looks over a old Chinese restaurant menu and Uncle Frank calls and places the order for pick up. After Frank finishes placing the order the silence in the limo seems deafening as Jasmine tries to figure out how to talk to her Dad.

Markus thinks a minute, then nods.
"Well, I must say that the honesty of New York is, I guess, an admirable trait but..." he shuffled through his papers, "I was hired by your boss to help solve this case." Markus held up the contract gingerly, with all the stamps. "This copy is for you, to file along with your other..." he waived about the room "trophies.'
Blake's stare stayed as flat and cold as a silver bullet, his only movement being the sway of his cigarettes' whispy smoke.
"As a private investigator, I understand that territory is very important to the police. One has to protect one's... den."
Blake took a long drag from his cig and tossed it into a bin.
"Are you implying you have some objections?"
"No, just filling paperwork and fulfiling my contractual duty." Markus let the folder fall with a flop, its hollow whap blowing a few ashes in the air.
"But I did make myself useful," he pulled out the vial of sludge, careful to keep it sealed in its baggy "This was the pick-em-up the hoboes had practically squirtin' out of them. I got some for your lab."
"Am I suppoed to be impressed?" sighed Blake, lighting another cigarette.
"Not really, but I have one other thing." Markus leaned across the desk, his narrow legs kicking softly to get him purchase across the desk. "There is a night club that seems to be the center of a few of your yarns, so I thought I'd make a house call. Wondering if their was any objections." He shimmied off of Blake's desk. Blake's arm moved back above the desk drawers.
"Besides..." mused Markus, "Full moon tonight. Might as well prowl around the woods."
Markus quickly ducked out before the ashtray could follow...

"Stupid girl...she shouldn't be up and about with her injuries." Lance grumbles as he finishes his breakfast and sits on the couch in thought. "<What's on the agenda for today Lance? Go back down into the sewers without the girl? So I can be out and in control?>" Lance shakes his head and turns on the tv. "We need to think of a back up plan in case something happens. If the police really are working to figure out who we really are, we need to be ready if they do find out." Wrath scoffs at this and cackles. <That is just lies to keep the public calm Lance, you shouldn't worry.>" Lance grumbles again and stands up and walks over to a window. "None the less, just in case, we need a plan...the girl could be useful, but she seems foolish...hmm..." He says to himself before going back to sit on the couch and think.

Ed folded up the map once Zia was done looking at it and tucked it into a pocket inside his hazard suit before heading to a door behind the bar. Waiting for Zia to get into the store room filled with assorted alcohols and supplies you would find in a bar, he closed the door behind them and a set of vines grew over the door to lock it again. Walking up to a patch of the wall to the right of the rack of alcohol he reached into it to bend a few plants, causing a section of the wall to swing inward and revealing a set of rough stairs that looked like tree roots.

Though Ed felt uneasy about letting anyone see this back room he knew it was out of necessity. As they walked down Zia could see that the plants which had grown on the walls here were almost all dead, a few sickly plants still hung on to life but they were clearly on their way out. At the base of the stairs Zia could see a workroom with a single desktop computer and a few laptops around it along with papers stacked on the floor. Ed stopped to zip down his suit and pull out an arm to stick it into the wall to the left of the bottom of the stairs, grimacing as he felt the corruption and started to feel sickened, the bark armor starting to take on a rotting look. A small opening formed, sending the ever potent smell of the sewers into the room. Zipping himself back up, “let’s head in and get this cleaned up.” When they got into the sewers they saw the walls were covered in the black oil.


When Toon got back to where he had Bob kept he found him curled up yet when he tried to uncurl him Bob’s guts spilled out onto the ground. The wounds looked fairly recent but most striking was that the eyelids, lips, and cheek flesh covering where the teeth would be had been cut off. If he looked closer he could see a cut down the center of the body and it looked like the vocal area of the throat had been all but torn out as well as diced up.


Blake didn’t throw the ashtray after Markus but instead pulled out another folder and turned back to the map to see if he could find something that would aid them in their case with the oil. There already was a team in the sewers seeking out where the stuff was coming from, the reports he had gotten were rather ominous. Bones of bodies, half digested bodies, strange oil-skinned creatures that were practically skeletons, and the reports of the feeling that they felt there. Though that aside there was also the reports of these symbols that had been making the odd appearance every now and then. Taking a drag from his cigarette he leaned back in his chair, who knows though, maybe the werewolf could help when he wasn’t out mauling or hounding women.

Before Markus got out of the station he was stopped by a younger officer, “you must be Markus, welcome to New York, glad to see you made it out of Blake’s session in one piece. But more to the point here,” he handed Markus a folder. “This is your first case to check up on, the address is listed and the apartment is near downtown, good luck.” The officer headed off to look up his next report and when Markus looked at the folder he saw details of the report. Apparently someone had been tied to a chair in the middle of a room and had their eyelids, lips and cheek flesh over their teeth cut out. Also the person's vocal cords and that entire area of the throat had been cut out, where the pieces were and why they were taken was unknown. Though odder still was that covering the walls of the room were drawings of small, single, wide open eyes with a blank center. Agents were already at the scene and waiting for him to arrive.

As Izen wakes up from his slumber noticing that no one is home he decides to go out and wonder about the streets.walking down the stairs he slips and nearly catches himself.."phew that was close". Izen walks outside and feels the breeze on his face..."this is what it feels like to be alive".Izen feels a person approaching and asks"do you by any chance no werethe nearest liquor store is?". The man smirks and says "yeah man ill guide you there".After walking and following the man listening to his footsteps the man suddenly stops and says" your here". Izen brushes his hand hoping to touch a door and feels upon a brick wall feeling un easy he asks" and were is it?" the man takes withdraws a knife and says" hand your money over,or ill take it". Izen backs up and tilts his head down as if he is looking at the floor"yet death will come for you swiftly...you can try to take it yet i do not encourage you...i might be blind but dont take that as a weakness...ill kill you 5 times before you have the chance to take a step forward". The assailant takes a step back and realizes that Izen cannot attack what he dosent hear..."hmph blind..deaf..but not dumb.. my friend". Izen leans against the wall and puts both hands behind his back grabbing the pistols.the man suddenly bursts onto Izen at the same time Izen withdraws his pistols and fires at the man several shots that could be heard around the neighboorhood killing the man instantly. Izen quickly hides his guns and walks back out towards the street, and from a distance sirens could be heard getting closer and closer.

Alastor only had to teach a couple of classes today, so he decided to head home and do some more research on Wrath, among other things. When he reached his car, he saw that someone had put a flyer for something called the Dark Carnival on his windshield. "Now, what do we have here?" Alastor pulled the flyer out from under his wiper, and took a closer look at it. "No clue. It could have something to do with that bookmark." "Perhaps..."

Later, in the clock tower, Alastor went over all the leads he had on Wrath right now as he drank his coffee. Deciding to take a break from that, he looked at a sample of the black sludge he had acquired last night under a microscope. "Looks like... I don't know. Some kind of odd mix of cells and other things I haven't seen before. Maybe it's some kind of living organism." "Or a virus. If that's the case, then be careful you don't get any on you." "Hmm... I wonder what would happen if..." With that, Alastor produced a box of matches from a nearby drawer, and lit one before pressing it against the sludge to see what would happen.

As the limo pulls up and Uncle Frank gets out to go in and pick up the order Jasmine almost bolts out just so she not left alone in the car with her father. NO! I'm not gonna run! This should not be this difficult! she says in her mind and brings her clenched fist down on her thigh. She freeze then suddenly starts cursing as what sounds like two rocks wrapped in cloth is heard. Even though she has her gloves on and these jeans didn't have holes in them she could tell that she had let the tension get to her and she was once again living diamond.
"Fuuuuuuuu-" she hisses under her breath.
Arthur raises an eyebrow at this as he sees his daughter's body become flawless living diamond. He holds out his hand and a ball of flame forms on his palm lighting the interior of the limo.
" Well it appears that you have finally inherited. It is a beautiful form. Is it as durable as the diamond that it mimics?"
Jasmine looks up and watch as the fire forms in his palm. She was about to make a snide comment about the part of his speach about him not having any powers and it was all the suit. But before she could make it she looked confused as at the question of durability.
"As durable?" she says since she was unsure. Mouse who had been curled up in her lap, perks up and jumps to the other side of the limo.
Arthur smiles at her question.
" Well yes, the diamond is the hardest naturally forming substance on Earth so I am curious if your form was as hard and durable. It could come in handy especially if you have to deal with any unsavory situations while you are living with the hero."
"Hero. He has healing powers and all he dose is keep the streets with in his area safe from petty thugs. He has nothing to bother him.... Well other then that crazy girl." Jasmine says as she throws her self back and pulls her glove off and looks at the diamond hand, closing and opening her hand before looking at the flame in her fathers hand. "I wish i had never 'inherited' this. Fer crying out loud ya got fire and mom creates and controls ice. And I can't even control this." she says as she looks away from him and back at her hands.
"I'm just a freak that can't hide."
"Well control will come with practice. No one knows how to control their powers at first. I know that I had to test mine constantly to keep from lighting myself on fire every time I sneezed. In the meantime how would you like to try a little experiment? Try placing your hand into the flame on my palm to see how resistant it is. I can cut it out completely in an instant at your word but otherwise we can see what it can take and maybe get some clues as to how your powers manifest." he demonstrates his control by cutting the flame and reigniting it a few times.
Jasmines eyes go wide, "What!? Yer gonna set this thing on fire. Then again probably not if ya had that wired little fellow invent some fire proof materiel." Jasmine says as she remembers the little mad scientist fellow from when she had managed to sneak along in the back of her father car all those years ago.
"Sides isn't this place a bit small fer testing this." she says as her unease grows at the prospect of finding out how far this new form could take.
Why am I freaking!? Well it natural to be leery of fire. I don't have his power I'm not immune..... This was such a bad idea. I think I'm getting claustrophobic. Were the bloody hell is Uncle Frank?
Arthur sensing Jas's discomfort decides to change tact. He extinguishes the flame.
" OK, no testing yet. Do you have any thoughts as to what cause the transformation? I know that for me it is similar to tensing a muscle though it also can be triggered by stress."
Jasmine curls in one her self as a knock on the door lets them know Uncle Frank is back. Jasmine pulls her hood down low and stuffs her un-gloved hand into her pocket as the door opens briefly then closes and Frank gets in along with the food.
"Wasn't anything big... Just a fight." Jasmine says as the limo starts moving again and she looks up at her father.
Arthur looks at Frank smiles slightly and turns back to Jas.
" Well dear then perhaps that is a place to start. Stressful situations tend to make good triggers for powers would you not say so Frank?
" Yeah boss I've seen a couple a guys get their powers that way. Fights can bring out some crazy stuff in people." Frank smiles at Jas as he says this.
Arthur continues.
" So perhaps your trigger is your emotions and stress, tension, anger, ect... cause the change. That would mean that calming down and finding focus should cause you to change back."
Jasmine glares at her father then at her Uncle as the limo pulls into the garage complex to the apartment building were the three floors pent house was. As they get out Jasmines stress levels rocket as she hurry to the building and into the elevator and past the door man so she isn't seen. Though the door man still nods to her and greets her since he recognized her clothes even if he could not see her face. She glared from inside the elevator at her father and her uncle as they walk with no haste. She glares at them the entire ride up and even with Mouse rubbing up against her leg she doesn't calm down. But as the elevator doors open and they enter into the old home Jasmine can't help but feel safe. Things between her parents were on the rocks at best but this home still had many good memories and this was the first time in a year she had felt safe and at home. As she walked in a little more letting the good memories and the feeling of being home go through her mind she doesn't realize that she has returned to normal.
"Its been a little over year since I was home." she whispers.
Arthur nods with a private little smile as he notices the change. He looks over at Frank who has also noticed and gives him a look that Frank understands to mean not to say anything about the change for the moment.
" Yes, welcome home daughter. Your room is as you left it... a mess. If you would like to freshen up a bit before lunch please feel free. There is no rush."
Jasmine stops as she hears what her father says.
"Oh yeah, mom didn't get on my case since it was. my..... birthday. She wasn't gonna make me clean it till the next day." as the memory of the last days she had spent here after her sixteenth birthday then her mom shipping her off to that boarding school.
"Ya had ta get busted on my birthday. Mom had to go crazy and couldn't look at me since I reminded her of you. Then she shipped me off and every one I knew stopped talking to me." the fist at her side is shaking was still normal. AS she turns and faces him her cell that for a year had been silent rings. "AND ALL THESE GOOD FER NOTHING THAT I THOUGHT WERE FRIENDS BUT TURNED ON ME SUDDENLY WANT TO BE FRIENDS AGAIN!" she yells as she pulls out the phone and throws it on the floor. As she looks at her hand that has gone diamond again in her anger she then looks back up at her dad.
"What is wrong with me and how do I fix it? If I can't fix it then how do I control it?" she says as she tries to shove all her other question back and tries to focus on why she came to confront her father in the first place.
Arthur looks down at his feet seeming almost unsure how to move forward. It is the first time Jas has ever seen her father this way. He starts to say something then stops. takes a deep breath and removes his sun glasses and looks his daughter in the eye. Jas sees his eyes which are glowing a bright orange color but more startling than that they have begun to tear up.
" My dear sweet daughter I am so sorry for what you have had to go through this last year. I... miscalculated. In trying to protect you I placed you directly in the path of dealing with the aftermath of my actions. so to apologize to you I will tell you my whole story for you to judge." and Arthur proceeds to tell Jas his life story and how he became the man he has become.
AS Jasmine listens to the complete history of her father and more of her mother Jasmine is at a lose for what to say. She looks out the window and see the talk has taken them into the early evening.
"Grandpa killed grandpa. Then you killed him later........ What the hell. What the hell am I suppose to do with all this!" she says and shoves away from the table and looks utterly lost and confused. She tries to walk away but she can't seem to get up. Nothing in her life had prepared her for anything like this. Into the awkward silence Uncle Frank sets the food on the table but the only thing Jasmine could do was stare at her father as she tried to process everything she had just found out. Jasmine looks and feels utterly drained from her talk with her father and yet she had still not even gotten to talk about what it was she came for. As she leans her head back against the chair and closes her eyes to try and clear her head she ends up falling asleep from the emotional and surprisingly physical talk. Mouse meows at her then curls up in her lap and turns to look out the window at the darkening night.
Arthur sighs and takes the blanket Frank offers him and covers his daughter. He then bids Frank good night. Once the guard leaves Arthur steps out onto his private balcony lights his pipe and contemplates what is to come in the light of the full moon.