Quote:
Rifts (12) : Maybe it’s a trick of the eye. Maybe it’s a firework, or it’s too hot and you’re seeing things. Maybe something is actually just wrong. Strange tears are appearing throughout the city, as though something has clawed right through reality. Maybe you can’t exactly see it, but you definitely feel it. There are strange, cold pockets, and random air currents even in closed rooms. These strange rifts either appear transparent or, if you are close enough, you might see a strange blackness inside. Sometimes you can make out a strange sound, like a croak or a wail, but nothing ever comes out. There’s something magnetic about these weird rifts and it’s almost as if they’re trying to suck you up. They appear and disappear randomly, and quickly, and never show up on film.
It wasn’t as if either of the senshi on patrol knew what they were doing. Polyhymnia seemed to still be awkward on her feet as they wandered, as if expecting something to give out and make her fall. Thalia, the younger and newer of the pair, was honestly wide eyed and bushy tailed, seeming eager and wanting to do what she could to make the world a better place.
Neither of them had met the other before – so far as they could tell, at least – so this was honestly a learning experience all around, especially as there’d been reports of strange goings on around the city. There had been talk of a cryptid in the lake, strange fireflies, and gods only knew what else, so they took it with a grain of salt, having light conversation as they moved along, though they were both a bit…well. They stood out more than they’d like – neither wore anything that was close to modern clothing, though Polyhymnia was a bit better on that front, but Thalia was comfortable.
So long as no one was staring at them.
Which meant the two kept mostly to alleys and sometimes up the sides of buildings and looking from the roof, trying to find anything out of the ordinary, anything they could handle.
Neither had expected the rifts, despite having heard rumors about them as well, showing in spurts in the alley, in darkness, looking as if they were trying to suck something in, but surely they were too small to actually affect them, right?
….Thalia had never been so wrong in her life, startled as one of the rifts grew just a bit bigger, right where the older, smaller senshi was stepping, Polyhymnia and Thalia both screaming as the former was sucked in.
And then, she was gone, no sign that she had been present at all, leaving Thalia to panic, fleeing and powering down before going home because at least home was safe, home had to be safe, right? Seeing that, and knowing nothing about just about anything, Jamie really, really, really wanted her sister, wanted to talk to her, to find her, to hug her, even if she couldn’t explain what was going on and why she was panicking.
…but Michelle wasn’t home. The two shared an apartment now, deciding it was easier for both of them to just split the rent in a two bedroom over each having an apartment to themselves. Neither ever brought anyone home, after all, so it was nice and quiet and comfortable.
Okay, maybe she just…found someone she likes and is out for the night. Or something happened at the library. Surely everything is just fine, she’s just busy, enjoying herself, late…
But the night stretched on, and Michelle didn’t come home. The next morning, when Jamie woke, he threw clothing on hastily and went to Michelle’s bedroom, opening it without knocking.
No sign of where she could be. Was. Had been. Clearly, she hadn’t come home, and Jamie felt sick, taking a deep breath as he went back to his room, going to his desk and grabbing one of his medications. It helped him with panicking, to keep calm, and after a little bit…it did help.
But only so much could be done when the day stretched on and she still hadn’t come home. He was supposed to be working in the shop, helping prepare set pieces for a performance near the end of July, but he couldn’t think, he couldn’t bring himself to leave until nighttime came and it was time for his shift over at Scandals.
Even work didn’t help distract him. If anything, it made everything worse, rumors spreading about things and people going missing and…well if that wasn’t a reason to panic, what was?
Returning home, he hesitated before calling the police. It was likely too soon to file a missing person’s report but…he couldn’t do nothing, especially after having seen the rift that took Polyhymnia away. Even if they couldn’t do anything, he…he had to do something.
He had to. He needed to bring his sister home.
