❛♚ øʙʟιvιøи

[Escaflowdra]

[Escaflowdra]

• 
  　
  　　supermarket
  　　child
  　　►
  　
  　Hiding in plain sight. If one looks too isolated they become a suspicious figure. If they become popular they have more hands that can actively stab them in the back. All of them struggle to walk the fence without falling into the pit of carnivorous dogs on either side... blood on their teeth and a glow in their eyes like they're following some man's delusion to happily commit murder. The hunt. How many enemies had they made by deciding that the Gifted didn't belong? How would they be punished for playing the role of God? Despite karma... they would regret making her an enemy. She wasn't about to wait on something as unreliable as fate and destiny determine the proper punishment. Just as they had barred their fangs, they had awakened her inner beast. The only advantage they had over her was their ability to act in public. Her identity was the only thing keeping her off the kill-on-site list. Someday, the bodies tangled in her mind would unwind and she could lay them to rest.
  
  　On this day, she moved with ease down the sidewalk. Her long black hair drifted softly behind her, those crimson eyes taking in the sight of a lively day. It was such a disgusting atmosphere. People happily chatting and bumping into each other as Dogs soldiers were posted through-out the city. It was a constant reminder that if it didn't affect them directly, they'd turn away from it with ignorance. So many people... grown comfortable in a place that so quickly turned its back on so many that made this city great. Like her father once had.
  "Ash!" The voice of a young woman called out as she turned around to spot the younger girl. She was nineteen, bright and cheerful. "I can't believe I bumped into you on this side of town! How are you today?" she said as Ashlynn gave a soft smile.
  "I'm fine. Nice to see you Eliza. ..I'm just out to grab a few supplies today. What about yourself?" she said. It was almost like she spoke from a script as she looked at the young woman who adorned bright orange hair and large blue eyes.
  "Ahh so you're shopping! I hope it goes well~ As for myself well... I have a date that I'm supposed to be meeting soon!" She smiled with a light blush on her cheeks. Ashlynn didn't have much of a response but gave a polite nod.
  "Just be careful," was all she could really say.
  "Oh, don't worry, I'm in good hands! He works in the private sector as a new recruit in the DOGS. He's been doing a lot of talk about all his training and what not. A bit of a show off if you ask me. Maybe he just likes me that much he has to bring out the big guns," she laughed softly at her joke. The DOGS Corp wasn't just seen for their stance on the Gifted. They were the Police themselves, with the exception that most recruits were trained on how to combat the Gifted as it's number one priority.
  
  　"You know, if you happen to be interested in a double date, you should let me know!" Ashlynn didn't see much of a point in going. She knew most of what new recruits were taught, and gathering intel from such a low standing position would do nothing but waste time.
  "Mmm.. I'm afraid I don't really have the time for something like that..." she said as Eliza pouted.
  "Whaaat? I never get to hang out with you... and besides, aren't you seeing anybody?" Eliza asked as she nudged Ashlynn, who was deeply uninterested in the topic at hand. "Ah! You know what, I bet I could spice things up. The place he's taking me to is in the private sector. His dad is a captain, so cool right?"
  
  '... is that right? I wonder which one.'
  
  "I bet I could pitch it to him and get some spoils! The people in the private sector have literally the BEST places to eat. I want to do some investigating and see just how different it is! You could bring a friend if you don't find a date but you should seriously reconsider. Pleeeease?~" Eliza put her hands together and begged. This had now become an opportunity to get closer to a captain higher up in the ranks, though she would need to talk to Vincent first.
  "... That does sound like fun actually. If you come up with a date, text it to me." Eliza's eyes lit up in excitement as Ashlynn gave the nicest smile she could, only thinking that she'd be using this opportunity for the personal satisfaction of making progress and nothing more. It didn't bother her that she was using a coworker. It's not like she had just said that her hunky new DOGS Corp boyfriend could protect her. How ironic that she was unknowingly inviting a fox into the chicken's den.
  "Yesss! Alright, I will! Better bring a hottie next time we meet!" she teased. After watching the girl move off in another direction, Ashlynn made her way into the supermarket and grabbed a few things. The thought of who to bring was going to take some time. She had a few ideas of people that would be more than willing to go, and in that thought she let out an exasperated sigh. That would be counter-productive. She would have to invite somebody that actually had interest in this information. Too many people around her thought more with their body than their brain.
  
  　While shopping near the dry food section, her eye caught onto a young girl who was standing in the isle alone. She had to be no more than the age of four. A small, dark-haired girl who was clutching to her own dress and looking cautiously up and down the isle. She was clearly lost. She sighed, standing up straight after putting another item in her shopping basket and reached out her hand to the child.
  "Are you lost?" she asked the kid nodded and softly replied.
  "I-I can't find my daddy..." she said with a soft whimper. Ashlynn didn't have the same feelings towards children as she did adults. They were the embodiment of innocence, before all chaos. She knelt down by the young child as she pursed her lips. Putting genuine feeling into a moment was rare... when it wasn't towards somebody who she held some form of resentment.
  "It's okay... don't worry. Let's look together, okay?"
  'I won't leave you alone.'
  The girl was rather receptive as she walked around with the small girl before she decided to take her up towards the front desk. If they couldn't find her parents by walking around, maybe they could at least announce it over the intercom. Ashlynn and the young child made it up to the front as she could tell that the young girl was getting upset. "Hold on... I'm going to get the people here to use some magic to help your dad find us." It was... corny, but it calmed the girl down enough that Ashlynn told the woman at the counter. "I've found a lost girl in Aisle 2. Could you ask for her father to come to the desk?" The woman nodded before she looked at the child and asked for the name. The girl was rather shy, and didn't want to speak up...
  
  And that was when she started to cry. What in that moment triggered a child to cry was beyond Ashlynn. Children cried at the drop of a hat, causing her to frown and hold the child gently on the shoulders. "She's upset. Could you just make the announcement without the na--" Ashlynn said before suddenly she and the glass around the small enclosure of the woman with the microphone were blasted by a sonic boom. It wasn't so destructive that it killed anybody, but it broke some ceiling panels, shattered glass and startled everyone. 's**t--' Ashlynn swallowed hard as she sat up, not expecting something like this to transpire.
  "A-A gifted? We need to call somebody!"
  "She's just a child!"
  "But--" another sonic shock as Ashlynn covered her sensitive ears, the woman crying out and calling the DOGS as bystanders started to take out their phones.
  
  　　　
  　
  
  "talking"
  'thinking'
  
  "Eliza"
  "Child"
  "Pathetic"
  
  
  
  

[Minoshiya]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ⊱⊱ █▐ ◇ I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN THE ONLY ROAD I'VE EVER BEEN DOWN --

❝ a n d xx i ' m xxxx a xx m i l l i o n xx d i f f e r e n t xx p e o p l e xx f r o m xx o n e xx d a y xx t o xx t h e xx n e x t ❞ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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The choice is [not] yours

The dream always began the same way: it would start with him opening his eyes. The sky, so vast, would welcome him to its vast size as it hung above him. There was no question as to why he was staring up at it or the need to ask for a reason. The first feeling that came would be the happiness in staring up at the heavens, the sensation that you needed nothing more than this peace. No more did the concerns of what once ailed your mind linger in your mind; the issues you faced in the world were swept away in the blue colour and it was enough. White doves that dared to reached the sky circled above him, much like a blessing or invitation. His body felt weightless as he heard the sound of the ocean around him. Had he been floating in the sea? Did it matter if he was? No, none of that mattered anymore. He wanted to give everything he had for the sake of this sky. And from that came one small wish: the desire to fly. The upsetting part is not the deep yearning, the ache that comes from the bottom of your soul to soar through the air without a single tie to anything. The exhilarating feel of wind whipping through his hair, floating weightless across air currents that would carry him in any direction on a whim, and the freedom to move in a boundless, borderless environment subject to nothing but the sun and miles and miles of deep blue sky. The heartbreak came from knowledge, knowing that he can never, ever fly. The white clouds, so large and peaceful, would remain still still and unmoving. It would be then that he would realize the flaws in this, once, perfect dream. The sky was unmoving, always out of reach, and the world inside this dream was not spinning, but only stayed still. The clouds, seemingly painted on a fake canvas of blue, looked more shallow and empty than before. And then came the small objects that fluttered across inbetween that space of him and the sky: the birds changed.

The once peaceful doves that flew together had become violent. The dove is a symbol of peace. It's not born with the sharp beak or claws that can inflict a fatal attack, so they say if these two birds were pitted against each other it would undoubtedly be a long, gruesome battle. His sky became littered with such a sight and he found himself staring as the horror was settling in. Red drops fell. They rained down from the sky as the birds did not relent or showed any sign of stopping. Unable and unwilling, he forced his head to fight against whatever force was keeping him to watch this and looked to the side to notice the sea that he was in was bloodred in color. "I don't want this..." He rejected the world and the fake promises of peace it offered. His soul denied it from ever coming close to him. And it was with that single fact that came from him that caused the world to reject him in reaction. A sudden pressure came down upon his chest, the gravity increased, and it caused him to sink underneath the water's surface. The limbs he possessed failed him as they would not move to help him resurface, but rather conspired against him, like the world.

Deeper....and deeper.

The crimson water had flowed into his body, stealing from him whatever air was left in his lungs and giving him no respite. The sky, now crimson underneath the water's surface, became a distant figment the deeper he sank into the abyss.
Eventually, even the sky was too far for his eyes to see anymore.
The distance between heartbeats grew longer.





And longer.



















And longer.


"Final stop!" The driver said over the intercom.

The dream came to an abrupt stop for the male as his eyes fluttered open. With his head pressed against the glass window of the bus, Emil found himself staring back at his own reflection for a few moments before his eyes adjusted to the sight beyond and the bus loop that the vehicle was approaching. "How long was I out...?" The male asked himself as he straightened himself out on his seat and ran a hand against his numbed forehead where the cool glass had been pressed upon. Long enough for the entire bus ride, it seemed, as his seat in the back of the bus let him see that the majority of students that were once filling the bus were completely gone, except for maybe two and some older people. A frown had formed upon his face as he missed his stop a long time ago, which meant that he would need to wait for a new ride after this at the bus loop, and that meant that he was that much further from home. Who would have guessed that lack of sleep would result in naps being taken in a bus of all places? Emill felt embarrassed, but luckily there was nobody there to tease him about it. Instead, he just felt frustration and watched as the bus came to a halt, the doors sliding open. Stepping outside of the bus and inhaling the fresh air of the outside had been revitalizing for him, as his dream was anything but relaxing.

The student stood tall as he stepped outside of the bus, his height of 6 feet having only been complimented by the uniform he wore. The leaf green colored clothes had made him look as though he was wearing a suit, as they went so far as to even demand ties to be worn, and that did not bother Emil in the slightest. His black hair moved with the wind as it was long enough to reach the end of his neck, but never went beyond his shoulders or reached it. His fingernail ended up tracing the line where he saw the bus schedule posted up on a board, only to tap at the time that the next ride would come. His blue eyes could only glare as the next was said to arrive in an hour, which was nothing more than an annoyance. His chest rose and fell with the sigh that escaped his frame. Should he have considered walking, he wondered. Considering that he was in the heart of the city of all places, it would have taken him about an hour to get back home from the spot he currently was, so there was little difference in him waiting or going ahead. Having looked up only to feel the beaming rays of sunlight end up blinding him so much that he used his hand to shield himself, Wmil ended up making the decision to walk as it was a clear enough day for it. Repositioning the strap for the bag he had from school a bit higher upon his shoulder, the male said out from the bus loop from the heart of the city and began to go along the sidewalk once he crossed the street.

How strange...

Now that he had time to linger upon it, Emil did find himself strangely drawn to the city. It was new to him, as he never once lived here in his life, but it was his mother's birthplace so maybe that's why he felt some strange form of nostalgia for it. As he walked down the street, his eyes never once stopped looking straight ahead while he thought. The people that passed were merely figments to him. They were entities that he did not know and would likely never know in his life. Yet, at the same time, in his heart he felt like something was strange ever since he came to this town. If he had to compare it, it would be like that dream of his, that would be the closest to what he was experiencing now. Stopping at a crosswalk, the male took a glance around him and noticed a couple beside him in hopes of getting rid of that feeling that plagued his mind right there and then. The guy, wearing a black vest and sunglasses, had his arm around his blond-haired girlfriend as they were talking to each other about something Emil could barely hear. "I'm telling you, babe. It'll be fun. We can go do karaoke afterwards with all our friends." Emil saw her laugh a bit as she turned her head away from her man, towards the side only to take notice of student that was watching them. For a brief moment when their eyes met, Emil inadvertently realized he was caught staring, and quickly turned his gaze away. Now he truly felt like an idiot. Worse was when the girl had reached up her arm and made her boyfriend's arm, that was upon her shoulder, squeeze her more firmly as the lights changed and they began walking ahead. Well, Emil thought, if his luck with women was that bad then maybe he did deserve to drown in the sea. It was a cryptic joke, but it was enough to make him at least smile and shrug off the awkward moment as he crossed the street. But with them gone, the sensation that something was wrong came back to him with full force and he hated it. How could he explain it? It was like when you knew something was wrong while you're staring at it, but you just did not know what it was. And that feeling was bothering him ever since he arrived in the city so many years ago. It was downright maddening at times, so much so that Emil forced himself to bury it away. If only he could get the answer that he was looking for...

"...another incident occurring."

Somewhere between his thoughts and the street, he came across a store that had been selling plasma tv's, with one of them broadcasting the local news. His legs stopped, if for a moment, for him to listen about the fact there was another incident. As of late, the police seemed rather helpless these days, as they kept to secrecy and wouldn't divulge much to the people. For a boy that was hoping to head into being a lawyer of sorts, this sort of thing bothered him the most, as it meant something was being hidden. "The time is out of joint.." The nagging feeling of flaws began to peck at his nerves again, becoming an ever present pain, until he could have sworn that there was someone behind him. It was the feeling of being watched...of something getting closer...!

He turned around and it only caused a group of pigeons to fly away. Emil was breathing heavily now, panting even, as he shook his head. "Am..I going insane?" Emil asked himself, wondering if he was just tired from overexertion. He put his hand back on the strap of his bag and tried to walk faster down the sidewalk, more troubled now than ever before. And then all of the sudden there was a sudden sound that rang, a tune to a phone, that was awfully closer than it needed to be which made Emil whip around to see that there was nobody around him and yet it always rang behind him. He looked over his shoulder to the source of the ring, his backpack that he had moved in front of him and then unzipped one of the side pockets to find a old phone in it. He opened it up to look down to see that beside the missed call from an unknown phone number, there was also a text message:


From: ♚
I know you are Gifted.
Don't react.
Just Listen.


For Emil, the world around him suddenly became vague - different - as reality refused to let him be part of the realm around him. His heart sank, eyes dilating to the point that there was a faint glow, and suddenly every bird within the street block flew up all at once as if sensing something unnatural. With their view, they looked around their surroundings, trying to find something that would stick out from the crowd or buildings but it was an impossible feat. It left Emil with no answers and a constant question of how he got in this situation in the first place.

Was it on the bus? Yes, that was the only chance someone would have been able to slip something into his bag.
How did they notice? He didn't use his powers while in it or at school. That meant he had been watched for a long time.
When? Not enough answers. There were no clues and whenever he did use his powers, it was nearly impossible to bring it back to him so...

How...how? How! HOW?! howhowhowhowhowhowhowhowhowhowhowhowhow-----

A car alarm in the distance made Emil's head whip to the side as someone had been trying to get their keys into the door, looking frustrating at themselves as they did their best to turn it off. Emil's eyes closed halfway, troubled, as he swallowed the heavy feeling down his dry throat and then looked back down at the cell phone. Whoever this was clearly wasn't part of the cops, or if they were then was this just a test of his powers? If they had proof then would it not make more sense to grab him and not do this cat and mouse game? This meant that it must have been someone else, but who? Before he could answer that, Emil felt the phone ring again as another message came from whoever was using a crown as their caller id.


From: ♚
Head someplace with a lot of people.
Don't stand on the street.


Emil's eyes narrowed, while the birds high above the buildings had circled the surrounding area, having realized that whoever this was had been watching him from somewhere closeby. Well, they must have been here, because there was no way they could have planned for him to have fallen asleep and head here in this side of the city in time to make cameras. Another swallow, this time Emil felt a less scared since he knew that if he could be in a crowd then he could possibly shake whoever his captor was. But what was the point? Run away and then head where when they knew he had powers. Nowhere. There was nowhere he could go to other than to move out of town as quickly as he could, and even then that would take time. Time he just did not have.

For now, he decided to be obedient. He looked around and saw a nearby sign for a supermarket, having zipped up his bag and then walked casually as he could across the street and then into the building. Once inside, he pretended to be looking at some magazines and displays near the front of the store. Looking around at people that passed by him or came close with suspicion just made him realize just how different he was again. He had done his best to fit in, to mix with these people, as desperately as he could and right now he was so paranoid of everyone that it made it clear to him how different he was. Emilo felt like being around a crowd didn't help him deal with how claustrophobic he was starting to feel as his chest was becoming tight and it was becoming harder for him to breathe. He almost wished that it would just be over and done with, but then what were they going to do to him? Make him a terrorist like the others on tv? Have him perform illegal and hurtful things to people, or worse...kill someone. Just as those thoughts were becoming too much, a sudden sound made Emil crouch and cover his head, while yelling, "Please, don't!" As the crowds around him and the rest of the supermarket began to disperse and grow loud when the alarm went off. People were yelling, pointing not at Emil, but rather at the front entrance where the booth had gone off after some sort of attack. Emil looked towards it's direction, trying to make sense of it, but only seeing the source of it being some small child that had been crying her lungs out as loudly as she could have been before causing another crater to hit the ceiling of the market. It didn't take long for Emil to register the fact that the child was a Gifted, but seemingly did not know about it. And suddenly another vibration,


From: ♚
Save the child.
Don't worry about the cameras.


Was this text actually serious!? They must have been if they were actually telling him to expose himself out in the open like this. Another swallow, this time Emil's throat was wet from fear, as his fight or flight response was telling him to definitely book it while it was good. But something about seeing a child like that and knowing what would happen to it if the DOG'S actually showed up to take it to some prison.... "Why me...Why me...Let someone else do it.." He tried to look around, knowing that even if there was any other Gifted around that they wouldn't bother with something like this because it'd reveal them. Besides, only Emil knew that the cameras wouldn't work, so that meant the only issue had been people around them and if he could use the birds then nobody would be none the wiser...maybe..? Damn it, was he really about to be doing this!? Emil took a deep breath and stood up on trembling legs and then, exhaled as he started to focus and then focused on the sound of his heart. The distance between heartbeats grew longer.





And longer.

And then, it came out in a thunderous applause throughout the market. The crowd outside having screamed even louder as a wave of black birds suddenly flew through the streets, into the supermarket, and across the ceiling. The flapping of a hundred wings in unison and crows almost too much for some people as they were quick to cover their ears, while others hid as best as they could, and the police that were brave enough to try to fight back having been quickly overrun by the familiars. This scene was definitely more of a larger focus than some crying kid that set off an alarm. Emil having then decided to try his hardest at keeping brave as he decided to just bite the bullet and just run up to the crying child and then just pick her up. Having looked over towards the girl that had been beside her and wondering who she was before just deciding to run, I did it! I'm saving her.... I just need to-...I just need to... Oh god, what do I do with this kid? I'm kidnapping her right now!" As the rest of the crowd was dispersing and crying out due to the large group of birds flocking the scene, Emil ran out onto the street and tried to make his way away from the crowd in hopes of either receiving a new text, or just getting somewhere where he could possibly talk with the girl.

He really didn't know what he was doing at all.

[Escaflowdra]

• 
  　
  　　city streets > heading to adams building
  　　child / emil
  　　►
  
  　This moment was fight or flight. The situation was getting more dangerous by the second as this child – who never asked for these powers, who was unknowingly abandoned – was screaming her lungs out to the world for help. Nobody wanted to. The woman at the counter had called the death toll and the soldiers would come marching down the street in a cadence where the death of a child would be glorified… and the legacy of the DOGS would continue to stay cemented in the minds of all these brainwashed citizens around her. The world was so ugly. If only she could act out in public with her powers without the feat of being tracked down and murdered by everybody around her. If only she could show everybody around her how she truly felt… if that was the only way. This girl was so young, she couldn’t comprehend what kind of situation that world was around her – a world of war. People stood idly by waiting for a soldier to come save them from a child it only made them look more pathetic. Did nobody have maternal instincts? Did nobody have empathy? How much cruelty ruled in people’s hearts? That… and society’s laws had made it illegal to act even if they wanted. So… if she was going to save her own skin, was she truly better than those around her who weren’t going to act at all?
  　
  　"DADDY! U-UWAAAAH!!" the cracking voice of a frightened child rang out with another blast. It was hurting Ash's ears with her heightened draconic senses... but she played off the pain as to not stand out more than anybody else suffering -- not that many people were paying attention. If she were to run and grab the child, she was sure to be followed. She needed a distraction... because seeing a child being cut down by a DOGS Corps officer was going to bring out the beast in her. This was a goddamn child, and everybody was scared, not even considering how the little girl felt. She was without a parent, crying out for her dad. Where was that a*****e anyway? She was beginning to believe that he abandoned her. She was too much trouble so losing her in public would be the best. Nobody would know how to tie her back to him. Was that the truth? 'Somebody better hide that kind of fact from me...' she growled as she slowly gathered to her feet. Just as she was about to take off and risk it for this kid, a massive flock of birds came. The storm of feathers that fell from the air from the maddened birds above came down like rainfall. So many... all at once... somebody was here!
  
  　Then she met eyes with a young man in a school uniform picking up the girl in all this commotion, his blue eye catching a glance at her before he went taking off. She blinked in surprise. Did he know that girl? Or was he...?! 's**t!' Ashlynn growled harshly and then took off in a sprint, letting go of the basket that was holding her groceries. While the birds distracted everybody else in the building, and people outside didn't seem to understand why a young woman like herself was running in the street, Ashlynn slowed down. She didn't see the kid or the guy anywhere in plain sight. Her blood started to boil as she thought of what this meant for the child, and possibly who that guy was... 'Think... where could he have crawled away to...' She stood still for a moment and pulled out her phone like she was checking a message. She needed to text Vance later, but now wasn’t the time. She was staring at her screen until she looked on her shoulder and saw a black feather… giving her an idea. Looking on the ground was pointless.
  
  　She moved over to the alleyway, pocketing her phone and then looking for a fire escape. Seeing the dumpster nearby and checking the alley to making sure nobody was around, she jumped off the top of the bin and grabbed the railing with both hands, kicking open the entrance on the bottom and landed on her feet with a backflip. Quickly she climbed up the fire escape until she made it to the rooftop, swallowing gently as she hid in the shadows. The scales of a dragon started to emerge over her appearance, coating her entirely before she was completely blended into the dark.
  
  ’Now…’
  
  　She moved as the dust flew out from behind her and she took flight—completely invisible. Her dragon’s skin was a useful tool that kept her alive when she was being chased—which she never was truly running away. After all, it wouldn’t make sense for people who had chased her to never report her. Just as the beat of her wings took her higher she saw the boy she was looking for with the small child who seemed to be scared but distracted from the sudden kidnapping. She circled around and started to move down towards the other side, descending as softly as possible with the small sound of steps no doubt. Her wings disintegrated as she turned the corner and caught him by the arm, pulling him away from the girl as he stood up and slamming her leg into his back so he smacked his head against the wall. After the step back he’d take with trying to move away she would sweep his legs and get him on his back, one hand stuck underneath him while his other was pinned down. She revealed herself as she glared down at him with her glowing crimson eyes. A storm brewed in them as she gazed at the young man, and her slits became narrowed.
  
  　"Who the hell are you." A greeting like no other as she saw she had knocked his cell phone out of his hands. Quickly she grabbed it and looked at the message that read:
  
  From: ♚
  Job well done, Ash.
  
  　She stared at the phone in disbelief for a moment until she realized the symbol in the header. ’T-That…. Goddamn…. IDIOT!’ she growled as she slammed the phone against Emil’s chest and looked down at him, getting off and scoffing at him. "How do you know him? Was it you that summoned all those birds in the Supermarket?" she said as she started to feel like he must have been giving orders to a new recruit as some sort of a test or something. How did they know each other? How come he was instructed to save the girl when she was right there? Everything was simply agitating as she finally gave a glance to the child, seeing a confused expression. Sighing she glared at Emil for a moment before walking over and examining the child. "Are you okay?" she asked the child, though if Emil answered she’d be quick to reply that the question wasn’t exactly directed at him. She didn’t like the feeling of being useless in the presence of an event like that.
  
  　It wasn’t long at all before a text appeared on her phone with the set of instructions she did not want to see:
  
  From: ♚
  Bring them both to the residence. I’ll meet you there.
  
  
  　’Is he goddamn serious? I’m not a ******** maid. I don’t clean up your messes Vincent!’ she huffed with anger as she looked back at Emil. "Well I hope you don’t have anything important going on, and I don’t care if you do, but you’re coming with me. Don’t fight me on it." Simple instructions as she hoped the young man would listen to her and just follow her with compliance. It was clear to her that if she was taking him to the residence that he wasn’t fully affiliated with neither Vincent nor Vance. These two gave her a headache sometimes, but especially Vincent with how he liked to operate under the guise of never getting his own hands dirty. Of course not… because somebody like him would hate to work up a sweat and actually have to deal with his own s**t involving other Gifted. As she moved down the fire escape with the young child on her back and Emil following close behind, she looked over at him and gave a sigh.
  
  　"… What’s your name again?" She didn’t feel at all like the friendly type, but that was mostly due to the rough start she was having on a day where all she really needed to do before her next mission was buy some ******** groceries.
  
  　After making their way out of the alley and a handful of blocks away from the incident, she looked at Emil and moved over next to him. "Can you cover her up with your hoodie? She’s shaking and I don’t want people to see her face after what happened." Her expression softened slightly as she felt the girl resting against her back and starting to fall asleep. After the tantrum she just threw in public it was a relief they wouldn’t have to be worrying about subduing a constantly panicked and upset girl into sleep. She still couldn’t help but wonder who the father of the child was… but that would be something to discuss later. If Vincent was all-knowing about the matter, maybe he could fill her in. "I’m going to assume you’re pretty talented and not so careless with your powers if he’s texted you instructions today… so when we get to the Adams Building, don’t screw it up, okay? And if you have any secrets other than the obvious, I suggest you come clean before things get too complicated." It was clear she held very little trust in people as they walked through the city. It was only a few short blocks away.
  
  　　　
  　
  
  "talking"
  'thinking'
  
  "Child"
  
  
  
  

[Minoshiya]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ⊱⊱ █▐ ◇ I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN THE ONLY ROAD I'VE EVER BEEN DOWN --

❝ a n d xx i ' m xxxx a xx m i l l i o n xx d i f f e r e n t xx p e o p l e xx f r o m xx o n e xx d a y xx t o xx t h e xx n e x t ❞ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Carrying the child was like holding a bag filled with cats that were pissed at him all at once. She writhed and wriggled in his grasp, even more scared than before, which was reasonable, but he had no time to explain to her why he was doing this all. Panting, he made his way through an alleyway and hoped that from the running crowd that they would all disperse in different directions. At the same time, he didn't want to deal with the girl crying even further and possibly punching a car with her voice like she did in the market to draw even more attention to herself. So, he tried his best to soothe her as he ran, waiting until things were more quiet to make the decision to look down at her and then place her back onto her feet. "Okay, I know you're scared, but really I'm not a bad guy. I was trying to save you because you were in trouble and...Just trust me I won't hurt you, okay?" "But D-daddy isn't here.." Kids. Why did it have to be a kid? Emil wasn't even about to try to tell her about the possibility of her being ditched, so he didn't. "We'll find Daddy, okay? Just no more crying. Or screaming. Definitely no screaming." He said, not wanting to risk her suddenly raising her voice only to murder him when he wasn't looking. He didn't even know this girl's power, or if she knew how to control it, so he assumed the latter. Best to just keep her in control and worry about the rest later.

"Okay..." She said, wiping her face with her sleeve, which Emil helped to clean her up shortly after to make her look less miserable.

Now, the important thing was for him to get into contact with whoever it was that had been on his phone. Standing back up, he looked down at the phone and wondered what else he was supposed to do or if he needed to wait to be contacted. Wait, why was he suddenly so eager to help? Emil never wanted to be part of this. Saving kids and terrorizing civilians wasn't his routine. On a normal day, his only worry was whether he was gonna pass the next test or how to avoid getting bullied at school, not saving kids and bringing them back to their parent. But.... he had to admit that it did feel good. It felt nice doing something like saving a child from the DOG's that would probably put her in a jail cell and likely muzzle her mouth to keep her from using her powers. So, maybe there was an upside to all of this. Maybe he could try to be helpful if it meant saving people in need from being put in jail. Maybe...

"I'm practically a hero." he suddenly thought. His heart swelled up, suddenly feeling a newfound sense of pride that he hadn't felt in a long time since he had been little. If he kept this up then-

Suddenly, he felt something grab his arm and his back pushed. Alarmed, he tried his best to turn around, but was easily dispatched by the opponent who took him by surprise and placed him onto his back. Now he was frantic as he looked up at the woman with red eyes and whimpered out of instinct, clearly too weak to even put up a fight as he put his hands up in a surrender. OhGodohgodohgodohgodimgonnadie!! He screamed into his head, suddenly picturing himself in striped clothes and being put in a cell for the rest of his life. "Be gentle, please! I didn't mean to!" he begged, knowing that his cell phone was now out of his hands as well and he couldn't rely on the stranger to save him. Without support, Emil knew he was vulnerable and weak compared to the society around him, and so he didn't even struggle.

But when the strange woman atop of him took his phone and looked at it, she seemed even more pissed than before. Her sudden slam against his chest made the air from his lungs escape from the force, causing him to cough a bit. "Y-yeah, I summoned them." He said, knowing there was no point in playing oblivious. And now that he got a better look at this...woman, he could tell she wasn't DOG's, so she must have either been a stranger or part of the other group. Could it have been her that had sent him the messages?! ....No, thinking about it, there was no way it could be her or otherwise she wouldn't be pretending that she didn't know him. She was just some bystander that got involved. "A-ah,... I'm okay, too." He wanted to add, despite her being more worried about the child that looked even more confused by what she just saw. Well, at least she wasn't about to start crying....

After a moment of them both trying to figure out the other, another message seemed to have come, and she looked even more annoyed. Well, why? She seemed to know who it came from... Weren't they friends or something? "O-okay, I'm coming..." He said, now feeling like he was a prisoner from the way she snarled out her orders. Whoever she was, she was pretty scary. Well, maybe all those good looks were paid by her nasty personality. He knew some girls in school that were similar, but saying that to her face when she beat the hell out of him just now seemed like a bad idea. Emil picked himself up off the ground, dusting himself to get rid of any dirt and picked up his schoolbag.

Emil didn't want to point out the obvious as he held his schoolbag over his shoulder and straightened up when she asked him about a name. "Emilio! But...you can call me, Emil..." He said, wondering if she was going to give out her name but he didn't think he'd be that lucky. Something about her screamed to him 'Bossy', so he just put up with her for now until he got a chance to leave.... if he got a chance to leave. Well, he wasn't going to leave the kid with her anyway until he knew she was safe either, so likely after that.

Having walked a while, Emil kept to himself and looked down at the phone that didn't get any new messages from anyone before overhearing her request about giving the girl his jacket. Well, no matter how they did this they were going to stick out, so he agreed and took it off while feeling a bit nervous that two people were just staring at him undressing. So, now there was a schoolkid, a woman in modern clothing, and a kid with a oversized hoody on herself. Yeah, they looked completely normal. The most dysfunctional family around, really. When she began to talk to him again, he turned his head to look at her as she berated him, but also seemed to talk about the person over the phone. So, she did know him.. "I just wanted a normal life, so why did he involve me in this?" He had asked her, but knew that she likely wouldn't answer him. All he could really do was listen and hope that he didn't end up dead from this. It frightened him to think of what he was getting involved with, but for now he would listen and follow her until they got to the building.

Emil looked the structure up and down, surprised that a group of terrorists were actually this functional or well connected to own a building. "Oh, you guys are...rich.." He said, feeling suddenly very underdressed about this all. It felt like an interview that hew as guaranteed to fail. Suddenly he wanted his hoody back so he could at least hide himself in it and hope that nobody would notice him. "So, you can take it from here. I helped you with the girl, but I'm getting second thoughts about getting involved..." Emil said, desperate in hopes of getting away from this formidable moment that just loomed over him. He was scared, but he had every right to be given that he was alone for all of his life and experienced what it was like to lose everything he cared about because of some ideal. He wasn't about to join some group and end up dead because of it for no reason. He only wanted a normal life!

[Escaflowdra]

• 
  　
  　　adams' building
  　　emil, vincent, child
  　　►
  　
  　She didn't feel very sorry for the young man who had gotten himself involved. Did he listen to every suspicious text he got? Or was he following the orders of Vincent because they knew each other? "I just wanted a normal life, so why did he involve me in this?" Emil asked as she looked to the ground ahead of the path they were walking. He wanted to stick in the shadows, a disinterest in getting involved due to the obvious dangers that threatened his very life but...
  "I can't speak for him or approve of the way that he went about this... but you clearly made the move. You can't avoid this forever. It's only prolonging the inevitable, in my opinion." There wasn't so much of a sour tone to her voice any longer. She respected the desire to live a normal life, but she wasn't about to encourage cowardice either. He needed to toughen up.. and if Vincent was thinking about letting somebody with no training into their ranks, she would instill the desire to learn to fight for survival in him. That was thinking ahead though. Maybe they could house him up in the Adams' building, assuming he didn't have a family, and make him work behind the scenes rather than on a battlefield. If he got caught or killed... that could jeopardize their group. Again: what the hell was Vincent thinking?
  
  　Once they had made way to the Adams building, Ashlynn heard the comment from Emil that they were a rich group. "The men you are referring to are the leaders of our coalition. The Adams brothers." They had different sectors they were secretly in control of, as well as relationships with the Dogs Corps by a series of warehousing. It wasn’t something they could just take over in a single night, or it would compromise the entirety of their business, seize all their assets and assure them all tickets to hell. No… everything was always carefully laid out and made sure to look separate from the actual company. Their security software, their intel and hackers, just a small promise that maybe they could make some headway on tackling this problem someday. Ashlynn always pushed for the bigger objectives that could do real damage, but was usually shot down for having impatience. That’s why she mostly took her leave and went on solo missions to get personally involved.
  "So, you can take it from here. I helped you with the girl, but I'm getting second thoughts about getting involved..." Uhm, what?
  "That’s not happening." She pulled her arm around his and began walking with him up to the building. As he seemed to give a tiny struggle she looked over. "If you move around too much, I promise I’ll burn you."
  
  　Well, that seemed to work. The access into the building was public. A few familiar faces of bodybuilder-looking bodyguards stared at the two in passing. It probably intimidated the young man as they didn’t have the friendliest faces on. Walking over to one of the steel-gray elevators, she hovered her hand over a panel that moved out of the way and presented buttons. She put in an access code that, if he was paying attention, was six clicks in a particular pattern. The elevator opened up as she let go of his arm and pushed the palm of her hand against his back. "Come on, let’s go." She moved against him to ensure he stayed inside the elevator as the doors shut behind them. It seemed he was not having the time of his life, giving her a tiny smirk as she looked over and decided to say something that maybe he needed to hear. "I don’t fault you for being a bit weak and wanting to stay out of the way to survive, wanting to mind your own business… but if you were found out for your power, you showed something not a lot of people have anymore: courage. It took guts to move out there and grab the child." Her face went a bit colder recalling the memory. "I witnessed the woman behind the counter, who probably has children of her own, calling on the DOGS so they could take this kid away. She’s not so naive, she must know that these kids are treated just like the rest of us… and are a kill-on-site target. There’s no rehabilitation program for us… or to have us use our powers for good." She exhaled for a moment as she looked at Emil. "Just watching it happen would have made you just as guilty."
  
  　Finally the elevator stopped and the doors slid open, showing a highly classy modern office with glossed wooden flooring. A black felt carpet was under the furniture, except for a marble white desk with cracks filled with black gloss. Ashlynn walked along the path as the elevator doors shut behind them, Vincent coming out from a door nearby with a glass in hand. His dark blue hair was met with equally blue eyes. He was thirty-four, the older brother but not the face of the company like his brother Vance.
  "Just as you asked, if you had asked…" Ashlynn remarked as Vincent gave a light smile and then took another drink of his dark liquor before moving over to his desk.
  "Always the mouth on you, Miss Hallowhart. Allow me to thank you for bringing them to me." Vincent looked over to Emil, putting down his drink and then walking over. He stood taller than the two of them, dressed in a collar-shirt with a silver tie, cuff links with sapphire embedded in them, and black slacks. "A pleasure to meet you in person. My name is Vincent Adams. I don't know how much she offered to tell you--"
  "Nothing."
  "Ah, unsurprising. Smart, however, I like to be the one to divulge certain information."
  
  　Ashlynn rolled her eyes a little as she moved so Vincent could see the kid that was resting against her back. Vincent moved over, "Where should I put her?"
  "Ah... a child with the Gift. ... No good look at the parents?"
  "Seemingly abandoned, with nobody listening to her. Seems a lot like me... you know... with nobody apparently hearing my first question."
  "All I hear is crying," Vincent smirked.
  "Hilarious. Show me where to put her please."
  "Of course." he replied as he turned and pointed to the door he came in from. Ashlynn gave him a scoff before walking that direction and then settling the child on a small couch in a waiting room. Meanwhile Vincent was still focused on Emil.
  "So... what was it that made you take action like that in the supermarket?"
  
  　　　
  　
  
  
  "talking"
  'thinking'
  
  "Eliza"
  "Child"
  
  
  
  

[Minoshiya]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ⊱⊱ █▐ ◇ I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN THE ONLY ROAD I'VE EVER BEEN DOWN --

❝ a n d xx i ' m xxxx a xx m i l l i o n xx d i f f e r e n t xx p e o p l e xx f r o m xx o n e xx d a y xx t o xx t h e xx n e x t ❞ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Stepping into the building was like a surreal experience. The size of the entrance, the large pillars that held up the roof, the...brutish bodyguards. Seriously, they looked like gorillas in suits. It made Emil swallow and wonder if they were going to assault him for just stepping closer. Being dragged by Ashlynn made him all the more nervous, especially when she threatened him if he dared resist. Great, now if he tried to leave he would get killed and if he was uninvited he'd get beaten by a group of well dressed gorillas. This entire situation was not what he wanted for himself, but it seemed like he was going to have to go through with it whether he wanted to or not. He tried to comfort himself by looking over at the kid that came with them, telling himself that if it had a better chance at life then maybe he could just...play along and perhaps not end up on the most wanted list for the DOG's corp. Well, that was wishful thinking anyway, but he tried to hold onto that hope. "Alright, alright... just...don't break my arm or something." He had asked of her, taking a glance up at the man that felt like like he was eight foot tall before looking back down at his feet when they stepped through the security check. "...are they always that unfriendly looking..?" he whispered, not directly to Ashlynn but he didn't expect anyone in particular to answer him.

When it came to the elevator, Emil tried his best not to peek but he did remember the combination she used on the panel. A small reassurance policy, but he didn't survive this long by trusting everyone he just met. Once inside, the small chiptune of the elevator music made the moment slightly awkward he had to confess as nobody was exactly talking. The child had been playing with her sleeves to his hoodie, looking around curiously, while Emil had been playing all the scenarios of how this could all go horribly wrong in his head. But what was his escape route even gonna be? Jumping off a building with fifty floors again a girl that breathed fire and could kick his a**? His butt still hurt a bit from when she made him land on the ground.... And then she spoke and was..comforting him?

Emilio wouldn't exactly call himself the most talented person in the planet when it came to his powers. In fact, he always believed he would slow everyone down if he ever got involved in a group. And if his family history told him anything, then it was that his kind didn't survive for long periods of time under normal battles with the DOG's, so why even hold anyone back? It would just have been better to pretend he was some nobody then risk the chance of others getting caught or being hindered by him. But Ashlynn gave him some praise for standing up for what he believed in, despite him knowing full well that if this were a situation he could have controlled then he might have done nothing if they were an adult or someone else. Courage.... she called him brave, but Emil felt embarrassed to even put that word and himself anywhere close together. He was far from it.

And then the doors opened up to a room that was far too rich for his liking. Emil's nose scrunched a bit as he could already smell the rich stench of a room that was practically made to radiate charm and charisma. Suddenly, he felt underdressed for even walking into the room like he did, despite the woman not a few feet from him wearing the most casual of outfits and having a normal conversation with the man across from them. Emil straightened his back, walking rather stiffly as he tried to make sure he looked at least somewhat worth his mettle. But internally he was a nervous wreck, already wondering how this interview would go wrong and what he could do to get out as fast as he could. After a few remarks between Vincent and Ashlynn, the focus came to him and then the first question was the most confusing. Why did he...act?

Was this a trick question? Didn't Vincent order him to?

Well, he surely did. But maybe there was more to this. "...I don't know much about what happens to people that get arrested by the DOG's, but I've heard rumors and stories. And...well, when I saw her crying like that, I knew that she was just a kid that didn't know better. She probably isn't even aware of her powers or why things around her happened the way they did, so.... it felt unfair to me. It's different for adults and others that are older, but she was just a kid, so I felt...it was...uhm, unfair.." It had been pretty much what Ashlynn suspected and told him earlier. Emil was aware of what happened to kids as well, which to him was completely biased given the fact that children never once hurt anyone unless they were provoked. Why torture or eliminate children because they didn't fit this world?
"...Well said," Vincent at least sounded like he agreed with Emil, though the kid could tell that he was still being graded from the way the man looked at him. "and you're right: the world is in a rather sad state. Where people shun one another and suspect their neighbors. Abandon children all because of some belief that they would doom everyone-"
"S-some of those aren't unwarranted. Some have used their powers for evil... " He could see Vincent staring at him in mild surprise at being interrupted while he was talking, but he seemed to forgive him.
"True. But are we as a people to abandon those that just had the misfortune of being born with an unlikely ability? Do we deem them as criminals from birth? Changes need to be made. As it is now, innocent people will die."

Emil paused, mainly because he had already known everything this man was telling him from the start. But what was the alternative? Fight and massacre others? Bring down society? Was making other people more scared about an insurrection better than the propaganda being spread by the DOGs? ...Look, I'm not that kid in the other room. If you want my help, you already have it since you know my secret. I can't be expected to just walk out of here without some insurance and meeting a bunch of you has already put me in a bad spot... but all I ask is why and how. How did you know this was going to happen and put me there?" Now Vincent was the one who had to pause, momentarily confused. Emil picked on that and finally decided to cut the veil between them and come out as transparent as he could be. "The cell phone texts. I don't know who put this in my bag, but you texted me to meet you and now all of the sudden some kid ends up nearby killed? It's too unlikely." He said, pulling out the phone and casually throwing it over for Vincent to catch. Emil furrowed his brows, even more upset that he felt like he wasn't being trusted.

[Escaflowdra]

• 
  　
  　　adams' building
  　　emil
  　　►
  　
  　Setting the child down on the sofa in the next room, Ashlynn took a moment to gather the expression on her face. Peace. She was sleeping and completely unaware of how much danger she had been in. It was a liability to have her here in this building, and as it was, she would likely be relocated with very little outreach to find out where her true parents were, had they not known and abandoned her like cowards not wanting to face discrimination themselves. It made her stomach turn to think that there were people out there more willing to protect the skin on their backs and ditch their own flesh and blood. Even family ties meant nothing today… If you were Gifted, you might as well be the Devil himself. 'I'm sorry,' she remarked mentally to the child as she softly moved a few strands of hair out of her face to get a view of this young girl. Innocence before the darkness could take hold of any corner of her heart. 'I will try... no... I will change this world... so you don't have to live your life like mine.' A promise that she never took lightly. Too many times she had been on rescue missions where an attack on the Gifted destroyed entire buildings. To find any survivors -- better than the DOGS Corps even -- she would go through the ruins and look for anything afterwards. Anything the DOGS could leave behind, evidence of their destruction leaving a messy trail of tactics and strategies... but the worst was the bodies. Scenes were often left alone for days as a reminder to the public that this could happen to them. They would do as much as let children see the chaos... setting in their fears at early age and discarding any hope that Gifted would be welcome in this world. Was it a psychological attack? Was it to draw more anger out of someone like her? She was glad Emil had been there when he was. It was thanks to his actions that this little girl had any hope for a future, even if she didn't know it.
  
  　Vincent listened to Emil explain that he wasn’t fully aware of the gruesome things that happened to the Gifted. Such a young man not having faced the gore and cruelties this world had to offer was a rarity. He must have kept his identity protected well, except for today. He had a good idea on most people who were Gifted and trying to hide it. Realistically… If Vincent and his brother wanted to out all the Gifted with their intelligence and security information, they could wipe out nearly almost all Gifted left. Almost. There were some that never showed their powers and probably lived in remote, desolate areas away from the city.
  "...Well said, and you're right: the world is in a rather sad state. Where people shun one another and suspect their neighbors. Abandon children all because of some belief that they would doom everyone-"
  "S-some of those aren't unwarranted. Some have used their powers for evil... " Vincent was surprised. He liked this one. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, despite the stuttering, and he wasn’t looking at this from a victimized standpoint of ‘woe-is-me’.
  "True. But are we as a people to abandon those that just had the misfortune of being born with an unlikely ability? Do we deem them as criminals from birth? Changes need to be made. As it is now, innocent people will die." Emil answered his question with some satisfaction even though it was compensation for keeping his identity a secret. However, when he questioned him on how he knew that the events at the store were going to happen to him, he was puzzled. This became more apparent as Vincent was tossed the phone from Emil’s pocket as Ashlynn had made it back into the room moments ago.
  ”Hm… Interesting…” he remarked as he looked at the messages before looking back to Emil. ”Some of these messages aren’t from me.” Ashlynn and Emil seemed surprised by this claim.
  "Is that not your signature symbol right there that you always use? And I find it hard to believe regarding the fact that you sent one to me as well. Have you gotten so old you can’t remember?" Ashlynn was creating some banter without serious offense, but Vincent brushed it off as such and gave a small frown.
  ”I was logged in the moment the cameras of the market you were at were delayed and made my way into the street’s view of security cameras. There was when I saw what happened and contacted you a short time after. These messages, however, are not from me.” Taking a look back to Emil he sported a small smirk. ”It seems that we have a new friend out there that’s worth investigating. With permission and some time, I may be able to trace back the messages to the source.”
  
  　Ashlynn took a moment before letting out a small huff of smoke. "So… you’re telling me that somebody else not only knows Emil’s Gifted status, but possibly mine as well now?" This would be a rather huge problem for her considering she had walked all the way to this headquarters with Emil. What if his phone was bugged? Vincent moved over to put a hand on her shoulder, making her eyes glance up at him from the floor when she was overthinking the worst-case scenario.
  ”The way I see it, if they haven’t tried to further contact Emil and only wanted to see him rescue the boy… they’re doing some investigating of their own. It could be good or bad, but we are protected.” Ashlynn frowned as she knew what this meant. ”So… let me handle this and I’ll contact you both with further instruction. Speaking of which, did you have anything to report to me as of late?” Letting go of her shoulder he made his way to his desk, sitting and opening a computer to type in some adjustments to his own schedule.
  "The only piece of news I have now is a coworker who invited me out for a double date. I declined initially, but her date is the son of a Captain working over a small sector of DOGS. I figure if there’s something I can do to get closer to the source--"
  "Social Engineering?"
  "Basically."
  "Sounds good, I’ll set you up with a kit. Take Emil with you." she paused and stared at him before widening her eyes with a slight blush.
  "W-What? Why!"
  ”Because you’re going to stick out without bringing somebody along.”
  "How do you know I’m going alone? That’s a little rude to assume…" she growled.
  ”Are you bringing someone else?” …Silence… ”That’s what I thought.” Ashlynn gave a pout as she looked over at Emil who had probably found out by then that his phone wasn’t working. She would have to explain how it would work once they were outside, but for now she scowled at Vincent.
  "Send me the damn kit… I’m going to contact her then." Vincent gave a polite smile before looking back over to Emil.
  ”Do me a favor, won’t you Emil?” he asked as he had the young man’s attention. ”Contact me with your living quarters information. I’ll be setting up a P.O. box for you to retrieve items for missions when contacted. Ideally, I house people here in the Adam’s Building since it is formally a condominium building, but I won’t force you into that position. Oh, and try and lighten her up a bit,” he winked as the two left.
  
  　　　
  　
  
  
  "talking"
  'thinking'
  
  "Eliza"
  "Child"
  
  
  
  

[Minoshiya]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ⊱⊱ █▐ ◇ I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN THE ONLY ROAD I'VE EVER BEEN DOWN --

❝ a n d xx i ' m xxxx a xx m i l l i o n xx d i f f e r e n t xx p e o p l e xx f r o m xx o n e xx d a y xx t o xx t h e xx n e x t ❞ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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As Emil expected, it seemed that Vincent agreed with his line of thinking in how the world treated the Gifted and how DOG’s was going about it in a completely wrong manner. It wasn’t wrong, he thought, but even if there was someone that agreed with him it wasn’t like they could change the world overnight. Emil still didn’t trust these people, even if their intentions were in the right place, but what was he to do? They weren’t going to let him go free, and he wasn’t exactly trained to do any operations really to be helpful anytime soon. Were they expecting him to drop out of school and just focus on becoming a rebel to society? Vincent still didn’t tell him what their plan really was, if there even was any – well, they could also just not be telling him because they didn’t trust him either. Well, either way that wasn’t the real problem right now.

The real problem came from Vincent when he said that those texts didn’t originate from him.

Ashlynn returned to the room and both reacted in the same way: a sense of disbelief washed over them. Ash was a lot more vocal about her displeasure regarding the fact that her power was revealed and that someone else also knew Emil. Vincent seemed a lot more confident about it all, but Emil now had his doubts about this whole thing. “W-what do you mean? You’re telling me I came here because of the wrong reasons? What if this person finds out about it and isn’t happy that I’m talking to you people, or worse?” Too many questions and not enough answers. Suddenly Emil felt like the floor he was standing on had turned into glass. His body felt a sense of dread washing over it as his simple and calm life had been turned on its head and now it felt like everyone knew about his abilities. Just a few hours ago he was masquerading as a schoolboy who had walked off the wrong bustop, and now he was a known fugitive by two different groups one of which he didn’t even know the identity of. Why was this even happening to him? He didn’t ask for it. He didn’t feel he deserved it and he swore he never hurt anyone on purpose, but for some reason bad things just continued to happen to him. I should have just stayed home… Ugh.. it couldn’t get any worse than this, but Vincent said he was look into it so maybe he could be saved from this situation getting any worse than it already was. At least, that was the hope. It wasn’t like he could do anything else.
While Ash and Vincent seemed to have been getting buddy-buddy with one another, Emil had run his hand through his own hair in frustration and thought. He wanted to listen to what they were saying, but most of it seemed to have been just about some job she oversaw, and he was lost on the subject. Great, he thought, nobody was going to give him the brochure of joining the club or the rundown of their organization? Emil wasn’t entirely surprised, he just felt a bit ignored given the fact that his life was now at risk and these people had more pressing issues. Well, it wasn’t like he wanted to be part of the group either, but it would have been nice to at least have someone show him around. He looked at Ash and didn’t think she was too bad, but she wasn’t very user-friendly when it came to beginners. Still, Emil had nobody else to trust here but her so maybe if Vincent could spare her, she would show him around…maybe?

At least that was the plan Emil had until Vincent said to take him with her on the mission.

Wait, what? ALREADY!?

“H-huh?” He blurted that out without even thinking as his eyes went wide with fear. Why was he already being sent out? Didn’t they have to train him or something? Wasn’t there some course he would run to test his intelligence and physical fortitude like they showed in spy movies all the time? Emil wasn’t even trained to know the callsigns of what if things went wrong or if there was some issue and Ash needed to give him a signal. “S-shouldn’t I be trained for it first? I mean… I don’t really know her that well enough to come along and…” Emil glanced from Vincent to Ash, then back to Vincent, “She’s..kinda out of my league don’t you think? I mean one look at me beside her and anybody is going to know that we’re not a couple.” Emil didn’t consider himself ugly, but he wasn’t anything amazing either, nor was he confident enough to get a girlfriend like Ashlynn. Putting them together was like getting a night and day situation. Anyone would be able to tell that it was either some bad joke or a lie. Emil had to look over at Ash, though, who seemed less than impressed with this entire situation. Vincent even made a joke about Emil possibly helping her calm down. Emil was now beginning to doubt Vincent’s credibility if he should be leading an organization like this if the members were getting treatment like this. A small audible and questionable ‘mmmm’ sound was echoing from the boy’s throat towards their ‘leader’ for the choices he was making. “…If I end up dead I’m haunting you.” He whispered, bitterly so before looking over at Ash and sighing in defeat as he approached her again.

“So..uhm…Partner…w-where do we start?” This was going to end in tears.