Crossed Paths

[Astroblaze]

Eve

Andrew

Eve Rowley/Ether | Shockwave | Andrew Hawthorne/Pythagoras
late spring | dusk | Manhattan, NYC—southwestern region

---

Aegis (@Huntress), Uranium (@Astroblaze)

Ether immediately pulled up a shield against the shout, the sonic energy forcing her back several feet and almost slamming her into the unforgiving wall of a nearby building. She started forward again, ready to retaliate, but changed her mind, gritting her teeth as the awful metallic screech tore into her sensitive ears and deciding to stay out of Aegis' way.

Shockwave could feel his armor tearing apart under her relentless grip, bursts of pain all over his body indicating where the pseudo-metal was warping and crunching into his skin, but she wouldn't find fear on this face. He returned her snarl with a mocking grin.

"Maybe because you don't want a death on your conscience? Or maybe you can't because you're too busy picking up your own pieces." As he spoke, his hands subtly tightened at his sides just so that he could end his statement with a bang, literally, as he pulled every last ounce of power from his remaining pod and blasted her directly in the chest.

An earsplitting roar and a blur of uncontrolled backward movement later, he laboriously picked himself up off of the fractured pavement, breath heavy and body trembling with exertion as he wiped a streak of maroon blood from his lip. Once again, however, he proved that he had no problem dealing with pain as his thin mouth remained in a self-confident smirk, narrowed black eyes fixed on the heroine.

"Well, you're certainly more vicious than the math kid. Good—means I don't have to feel bad about responding in kind." His chest swelled in a deep inhale, a preparatory rumble growing in the back of his throat.

Suddenly, a familiar yell rang out as a brilliant white blast shot out of the darkening sky straight into Shockwave's back, throwing the startled alien face-first into the road.

Turning at the cry, Ether slouched forward where she hovered, equal parts relieved and annoyed. "God, finally."

Heavy thuds echoed off of the buildings as a humanoid monster with skin a sickly green bounded up the middle of the road, planting its feet wide and throwing its torso forward and huge clawed hands outward as its face split wide in a gaping, pitch-black maw, letting out an inhuman roar. Meanwhile, a dark-haired young man in a white-patterned black bodysuit drew up in line with the roofs of the buildings around him, his red-edged white cape flaring around his ankles and a bold red pi flashing from a white circle on his chest as he slowly descended with fierce green eyes trained on Shockwave behind their red-tinted visor.

Struggling onto his elbows, Shockwave turned over one shoulder to grit his teeth in a snarl upon sight of the hovering figure. Scrambling to his feet, he bolted.

Ether bared her fangs in a ferociously triumphant grin at the alien's attempt at escape. "Oh, he knows he's screwed now!" she cried out, slamming her fist into her palm.

"I don't think so," Pythagoras growled at Shockwave's flight, his attention turning to a streetlight just beyond the humanoid. White numbers whirled behind his eyes and the pole wobbled slightly, its light flickering, then suddenly toppled over directly into Shockwave's path with a shriek of metal overcome by an immense weight, its light shattering against the concrete and electricity sparking slightly from its severed base as the alien jerked back out of the way. The young hero looked to Ether as he glided near the ghost mutant. "Eve, if you would..."

Ether grinned, offering her friend and pseudo-leader a two-fingered salute. "Sure thing." With that, she leaped foward, gloved hands and eyes lighting up a pale, cold blue. Before Shockwave could turn to face her, she skidded to a halt a few feet from him and thrust her hands out toward him, encasing his shins in thick ice that bit into the pavement, pinning him to the road. As he struggled to free himself, suddenly she was right behind him, pulling an arm around his neck in a chokehold and tangling his arms in her legs to prevent him from getting his claws into her. He fought to throw her off but with his legs trapped he had very few options and soon his furious grunts and snarls turned to desperate gasps, his struggles weakening. Finally, Ether loosened her grip, keeping her hands under his shoulders to hold him up as the unconscious alien sagged forward. With a couple quick blasts of fire to weaken the ice encasing his legs, Ether yanked him upward and dropped him carelessly to the road. If he got a couple more bruises from her handling, what was the difference to her?

"Good job."

Turning at the voice, Ether folded her arms with a skeptical eyebrow to her approaching companions. "Dude, you are uber-late. Seriously, what the hell?" The green humanoid, his face resealed from his earlier outburst, cast her a disapproving glare from solid purple eyes, and the white-haired teen flapped her hands impatiently at him. "Oh, don't look at me in that tone of voice."

Pythagoras grimaced apologetically. "I know, I'm sorry. Carson had to run from the other end of the city, and you know I was... occupied."

"Oh, don't I ever..." Ether muttered. "You seriously couldn't find any way to get away early?"

"Eve, I promise, I tried everything I could think of without being suspicious. They weren't having it. I was stuck there for the duration. Sorry to leave you alone against Shockwave."

Ether shrugged nonchallantly. "It's fine." She grinned, dropping her arms to jerk a thumb over her shoulder at Aegis. "Besides, I wasn't alone."

The caped hero staggered with a sharp intake of breath upon sight of the heroine, surprised excitement reflected in his wide eyes. 'Okay, okay, come on, be cool, be cool, you're a local legend, so is she, equal footing, don't freak out.' Managing to contain himself, he turned to her with a brisk, authoritative nod. "Aegis. It's an honor." Oh wow, his voice just dropped a whole octave, where did that come from.

 

[Huntress]

"I've ca-" her words were cut off by the sudden blow to her chest, her breath caught in her throat as she was without air for a moment. She flew through the air, a gasp causing her chest to swell with air. Taking in a ragged breath, she started panting heavily with a growl as she stabilized her breathing. Stopping her body from continuing down the road she jolted still as she hovered above the ground. A menacing growl escaped her as she huffed in a rather ragged manner. Breathing heavily once again, she glared in the direction of Shockwave. 'I should've just killed him,' she spoke to herself.

Looking down upon her tense body, she snarled in annoyance as she had to force herself to hold back even further now, the trembling of flexed muscles even more visible. Flaring her nostrils, she clenched her jaw tightly and watched from the distance she hovered at. It seems two more had joined them. Ether's friends? Reinforcements? Regardless, it didn't matter. As long as they could deal with him without his death, she didn't care. If it was left to her, that pathetic thing would've been dead. Taking a calming breath as she closed her eyes, she hovered closer to them. Still too afraid to make contact with the ground, she looked between the two heroes, one moreso a beast than a hero. Her struggle was evident, jaw clenched, expression a mix of anger and irritation. Swallowing back, she looked down at the one that spoke to her. "You are?" She asked, her words a little angrier than intended. Taking another deep inhale, she looked away and closed her eyes while growling at herself. Exhaling slowly, she looked back up. "Excuse my abruptness. Just dealing with a personal matter." She cleared her throat and looked between the three. "Who can create force fields or shields?" she asked. One way or another all this stored force needed to be expelled, someone who could create a shield around wherever she decided to let loose would be useful.

 

[Astroblaze]

Eve

Andrew

Eve Rowley/Ether | Andrew Hawthorne/Pythagoras
late spring | dusk | Manhattan, NYC—southwestern region

---

Aegis (@Huntress)
Uranium (mine)

Ouch. Ether mostly managed to suppress her sympathetic wince at the look in her friend's eyes. Impressively, he was keeping an obviously crestfallen expression off of his face, but she knew him far too well not to recognize his disappointment.

"Pythagoras," the hero introduced himself after a moment's hesitation, his gaze falling toward the road for a brief moment before returning to Aegis as though her words hadn't all but crushed him.

"Well, I can, obviously," Ether interjected at the heroine's question, hoping her quick change of subject would also distract the woman from the hurt still trying to make itself evident on her friend's face, "and—" she nodded to Uranium— "my friend here has, uh..." She trailed off, realizing that she couldn't remember what exactly the humanoid could do, with a confused look to Pythagoras. "What's the word?"

"He can make an electromagnetic field," the hero supplied graciously.

"Right, that sciency thing I still don't get," the ghost mutant muttered awkwardly half to herself, finding her gaze falling self-consciously at her lack of academic smarts before abruptly lifting her head back to Aegis. "So yeah. Oh, speaking of Uranium," she continued with a glance between the mutant in question and Aegis, "you've got energy absorption powers, right? You might want to keep your distance from him: he kinda... leaks radiation constantly."

The humanoid's angular shoulders lifted in a slight, acceptant shrug, taking a step away and increasing his already-safe distance from the other three just to be certain.

 

[Huntress]

"Pythagoras?" Ana questioned rather quietly. "I've heard that name before. I'm pretty sure I've seen you on TV amd positive that I've never met you in person. You do a good job kid, keep it up." She stated with a small smile. "No need to be honoured to meet me." Aegis scoffed slightly at the idea. She never understood the excitement people had when they met her. She more often than not caused more damage than good...or so she felt. "The pleasure is mine. It's nice to meet the people that seem to do this whole thing right." She nodded towards the man with a chuckle. Her attention was quick to turn to Ether as the young heroine spoke. Amber eyes flicked between the two as they explained. Her head shaking left to right. "Electromagnetic is not good for me." She explained. "But if you can do it" she pointed to Ether "that would be much obliged." Aegis swallowed back as she placed her tense, trembling arms behind her back. Gripping her wrists with either hand tightly.

Clenching her jaw as she listened to the white-haired girl speak, Ana gave a slow, single nod. "Good guess." Her words were straightforward and simple. "There's a lot pent up right now and it needs out. Your radioactive friend is at a safe distance. Believe me you'd know if he wasn't." She explained keeping her eyes on the unnatural green ones. "Although depending on the foe his radioactivity could prove useful." She clenched her jaw again and sighed. "None of that is important right now though. This," Aegis pulled one of her trembling arms out from behind her back "is." She swallowed back. "We have to find somewhere that is safe for me to expel this. I'll take any recommendations." She looked between the three, hoping for an answer.

 

[Astroblaze]

Eve

Andrew

Uranium

Eve Rowley/Ether | Andrew Hawthorne/Pythagoras | Carson Pierpont/Uranium
late spring | dusk | Manhattan, NYC—southwestern region

---

Aegis (@Huntress)
Shockwave (mine)

Pythagoras nodded to the older heroine in acknowledgement. Of course, they hadn't met before and she had other, more important matters to keep in mind than her fellow heroes. He ducked his head self-consciously with a somewhat shy smile at the compliment. "You've done well for yourself," he responded humbly. "I've just always felt a certain responsibility to watch over my home given what I am capable of."

Uranium nodded agreement to the usefulness of his radiation. While it could be a bit of a nuisance as it required forewarning of nearby civilians to avoid collateral damage and kept him from standing with his allies, he knew that it frequently shortened fights.

After a brief scan of the area, Pythagoras indicated the open waters beyond Aegis. "You could go out over the ocean."

Ether nodded in agreement, throwing a double thumbs-up. "Sounds like a plan."

Pythagoras turned to Uranium. "You'll keep an eye on Shockwave?"

The humanoid responded with a single nod, turning to face the motionless alien still sprawled limp on the pavement as he folded his arms, taking up an upright, watchful posture.

 

[Huntress]

Aegis' eyes flicked between the three as she returned her trembling arm behind her back. Clenching her jaw and swallowing back she shook her head. "If the situation was different going out to the middle of the ocean might work." She sighed. "Unfortunately I have to physically expel all this and to be honest I'm not quite sure how much is stored up right now." Aegis explained, eyes moving between all three again. "I could dive into the water and hit bottom but I'm not quite sure what that might do out on the surface." She swallowed back. "It's rather inconvenient, this...ability." There was a sigh as she explained further, Ana never liked not knowing things, not having answers. It was beyond frustrating because she always had to guess or gauge. It felt like she could level a city but for all she knew perhaps she could just cause a crack in the pavement, or to the worst and extreme case scenario she could perhaps move an island...as ridiculous as that sounded, not knowing was killing her and she couldn't afford to take any risks. "I've never felt this much pent up energy in my system, I'm rather lost and terrified, I'm not sure on what the best approach may be." She clenched her jaw again. "This isn't something I can just wait out and hope it fades..." She looked towards Ether before gazing upon her teammates.

This was a rather horrible feeling, she wanted it over with.

 

[Astroblaze]

Eve

Andrew

Eve Rowley/Ether | Andrew Hawthorne/Pythagoras
late spring | dusk | Manhattan, NYC—southwestern region

---

Aegis (@Huntress)
Shockwave (mine)

Pythagoras watched the older heroine tremble, brow furrowed in concerned sympathy behind the red-tinted visor. "Don't worry," he assured her quietly. "We'll do everything we can to ensure you don't have to."

Ether released a quiet humph, brow furrowed in thought. Looking around for something that Aegis could utilize, her gaze fell on the mutilated streetlight still lying near Shockwave where Pythagoras had dropped it. "Oh, that could work."

Turning from the other two, she glided to the streetlight and bent down, wrapping a gloved hand around its pole. In hoisting it from the pavement, however, she discovered with a startled yelp that it was not as balanced as she expected as the shattered light fixture swung wildly to whack against the pavement with a pronounced thud. Flailing for balance in the air, she hastily grabbed it closer to the head as it bounced back into her hand, this time able to keep ahold of it.

"Dude, what the hell did you do to this thing?!" she all but squawked at Pythagoras. "That is not the proper weight of a street light, sheesh..."

"I multiplied the mass and density of the head by a factor of ten," the caped hero explained. "Sorry for not warning you."

"Oh." Pursing her lips, she shrugged. "Yep, that'd do it."

Keeping a firm grip on the metal pole, she glided back to face Aegis, lifting the structure toward her. "Will this be enough?"

 

[Huntress]

Aegis watched and listened with a slightly clearer sense of hearing. Turning to watch Ether momentarily struggle with the street lamp she turned back to the young man, Pythagoras. "You can manipulate density?" She raised a brow with her question. "That could work." she commented as Ether returned. "Is there a maximum factor or is it a limitless manipulation?" Aegis asked the young man another question. Taking the pole from the other heroine she slowly brought her feet to the pavement. She was as gentle as she could possibly be on her landing. As her toes touched the ground first the pavement cracked and cratered slightly. Once her full weight was upon the street the ground trembled, the craters growing deeper and the cracks expanding further. The brunette looked around in worry, swallowing back she muttered a curse under her breath before amber irises met the group of heroes.

Shifting the lamppost to rest across her shoulders she brought her head up once again. "I don't know how this might go...hopefully it's not too bad. Ether, if you can place a shield around me including the ground I'm standing on it might minimize damage to the surrounding area. Pythagoras," her gaze shifted towards the young man. "Give me all you got." She smiled towards him hoping it would be encouraging enough. Her grip tightened on the post, metal denting easier than crumpling a piece of paper. Bending at the knees slightly she prepared for whatever force this young man was about to almost literally drop on her.

 

[Astroblaze]

Eve

Andrew

Eve Rowley/Ether | Andrew Hawthorne/Pythagoras
late spring | dusk | Manhattan, NYC—southwestern region

---

Aegis (@Huntress)

"Well, obviously the energy drain on myself can be a lot, depending on what I'm trying to accomplish," Pythagoras conceded, "but so far as I know, the major limit is my ability to calculate the values." The young hero shrugged. "I am still learning."

At Aegis' bidding Ether prepared her shield, bracing herself almost like a wrestler with a determined grin, but Pythagoras hesitated, his brow furrowing in concern behind the red-tinted visor at the cracks spreading along and into the road. "Maybe it would be a better idea to release your energy over the ocean instead of the street," he ventured cautiously, indicating the fracturing pavement.

"Oh yeah, good idea, just in case I can't contain all of it." Ether pursed her lips, cocking her head a bit as brilliant aqua-hued eyes observed Aegis. "I'd like to think that I could, but I'm not gonna be cocky."

Pythagoras couldn't help a teasing grin at that. "Well, that's a first."

"Oh, you shut up!" But Ether couldn't restrain a bark of laughter at the quip.

Pythagoras chuckled, but then returned his attention to Aegis, demeanor turning serious again. "Ether's shield should be sturdy enough for you to brace against if that would be necessary, but we've inflicted far more damage to this area than I'd prefer as it is. I especially don't want to risk civilian casualties from what I can only assume will be an explosion." He cast an observant look about the area. "Some of these buildings are residential, and it's late enough that they'll be filled with people."

 

[Huntress]

Clenching her jaw, Aegis looked at the ground beneath her. A breath escaped her nostrils as she nodded slightly to herself. Without pushing off the ground she hovered above the pavement. Floating over towards the open water she nodded. "Okay." she spoke simply. "There won't be an explosion." she began explaining. "I just have to use it." hopefully the basic explanation on how genuinely simple it was for her to remove the excess power flowing through her body was enough for the group of young heroes to understand. "Just give me your best and hopefully it'll be enough. The sooner this whole thing is over with, the better." She clenched her jaw and swallowed back. All she wanted was to go wash off and have a drink. Let this day come to an end and move on to the next. Hopefully with no more heroics that led to as much destruction as this day had.

 

[Astroblaze]

Eve

Andrew

Eve Rowley/Ether | Andrew Hawthorne/Pythagoras
late spring | dusk | Manhattan, NYC—southwestern region

---

Aegis (@Huntress)

Pythagoras nodded his understanding of Aegis' explanation. "Alright. Just to be safe, though."

Following Aegis out over the water, Ether again encased the other heroine in a bubble of solid, translucent energy as Pythagoras hovered close behind. The caped hero nodded affirmation to Aegis, lifting a gloved hand toward her. "Can do. But be warned: my best is a lot." Pausing in preparation, he turned his attention to Ether. "Ready?"

The ghost mutant's brow was furrowed in concentration, her entire body tensed as though bracing for impact. "Ready."

Pythagoras acknowledged the response with a quick nod, returning to Aegis, but still the young hero hesitated. Noticing the uncertainty in her friend's expression, Ether shot him a grin. "Don't sweat it, Pi. She can take a hit."

With a glance back to the mutant, Pythagoras released a breath, pushing aside his misgivings. "Alright."

The only external indication of the young hero channelling his powers was a slight tightening of Pythagoras' outstretched hand and arm as sets of intricate equations flashed across his vision and in a matter of nanoseconds the density of the streetlight pole's entire length multiplied by several metric tons. A downward flick of his wrist added enough acceleration to shove the bar into Aegis' shoulders with the force of a speeding locomotive.

 

[Huntress]

Watching the two hero's that floated just a little further from her she waited. The bubble encased her, studying the shielding she tapped her foot against it and nodded to her self with a small exhale before looking up towards Pythagoras and Ether. Bracing herself in the temporary confine that surrounded her she clenched her jaw, amber eyes focused on the others as they spoke between themselves. There was another exhale from her nose, the anticipation rising. Her grip on the lamppost was tight as it suddenly came down on her with surprising force. Bending at the knees from the sudden weight, Aegis found herself pushing against it rather quickly as she managed to handle the weight. Metal groaned, fingers digging into the pole as it began to bend across her shoulders.

The momentary struggle she had fought against was simply due to the surprise of the sudden weight. Although she was exerting enough force to fight against the streetlight's fluctuating weight, her self control had immediately kicked in just out of habit. If she were to prolong the use of her overloaded strength she would have a better chance at removing all the excess strength, if she went all out against Pythagoras' current force output the metal post would surely snap. "Keep it coming, It's gonna take a lot more than that." She called out towards them.

Her eyes never left the two, both of the young hero's looking focused on their tasks. The shield was holding up well but the weight across her shoulders hadn't fluctuated any more. If that was his best then she'd have to find another solution to this issue. It had started off well, and that certainly had helped with ridding some of the excess energy in her system, but it seemed that that was all she would get from the encounter. Pushing up against the post, the metal groaned some more and by the time Aegis had stood to her full height the pole had snapped, a piece falling to either side of her. It was a thought that they had to test, it yielded temporary results, which were better than no results.

Taking a deep breath she looked at the top half of the lampost taking hold of it she snapped it in two. Gripping one piece in her hands she wound up and swung as hard as she could at the barrier. She didn't know how strong Ether's shield was, but if it could take a massive beating, Aegis would take advantage of that.

 

[Astroblaze]

Andrew

Eve

Andrew Hawthorne/Pythagoras | Eve Rowley/Ether
late spring | dusk | Manhattan, NYC—southwestern region

---

Aegis (@Huntress)

Pythagoras continued to accelerate the pole down into her shoulders, eyes narrowing as his focus honed down onto that one thin length of metal. He could sense his breath deepening, the intense draw of power becoming noticeable in a pressing ache in his temples. He was uncertain how much further he could exert, astounded that she seemed heedless of forces that had crushed previous opponents. If that was possible, he had some training to do, but for the moment he gritted his teeth and persevered.

The increasingly harsh cadence of her friend's breath in Ether's enhanced hearing had the ghost mutant casting a concerned eye over the caped hero, taking note of the trembling along his extended arm. How long could he maintain this kind of force? She wasn't certain. She wanted to call out reassurance to him but didn't dare break his concentration.

Pythagoras staggered as with the sharp snap the upward resistance against the pole abruptly vanished, newly unrestrained acceleration throwing the halves into the shield with strength that sent cracks deep into the hardened ectoplasm. Ether let out a startled yelp at the shock up her arms and hastily pushed energy into the shield to mend and strengthen it. Letting the shield absorb the remainder of the acceleration, Pythagoras turned his attention to the shield itself, channeling absorbing energy into its surface just as the first hit from the makeshift weapon in Aegis' hands made contact. Hopefully that with the combination of the pole's immense mass would be sufficient to drain her excess.

 

[Huntress]

Her beating was relentless, hitting every possible area of the shield as it all slowly began to crack. Halting for a moment, the woman who almost looked enraged glanced around the force-field. Her jaw flexed tightly as she unintentionally glared towards the other two that had been helping her. Dropping the pole she looked at her still trembling arm, clenching and unclenching her fist she looked back up at the other two before her attention came to the slowly mending cracks around her. Shifting her position slightly she pulled her right arm back, the bubble encasing her cracking beneath her right foot as her weight shifted. Throwing her all into this punch she shifted forward, deep crevices forming beneath her left foot, the shield before her shattering as soon as her fist made contact.

Aegis knew she would drop from her suspended state, as she fell she pushed up into the air, waves roaring beneath her as she shot up into the sky slightly and then proceeding to hover towards the two young heroes. Her arms were folded across her chest. She knew this wasn't over, she could still feel it but it was manageable at this point. Her eyes flicked between the two before her. Bringing an arm up she showed them that it wasn't trembling. "I appreciate the help." she nodded towards them. Dropping her arms to her side she glanced passed them towards Shockwave. "I hope he won't cause anymore problems." Her attention was back on them. "I uh— I have to go back and check up on things so I'll leave you guys be. Once again, thank you." she smiled. "If you guys were older I'd offer you a drink at my bar but umm...I can't really do that." Ana chuckled. "It's reassuring to know you guys are around to keep things in order and safe." she explained. She hadn't really doubted their capabilities at any point and the thought of others being around to do this meant that maybe she didn't have to step out as often. Anastasia knew that she was always a bit of a wild-card, especially when it came to making sure that others were safe and she had always tried her best to stay on the good and positive side but sometimes that wasn't always the case.

Clearing her throat she smiled softly again. "I wish you guys the best in your endeavors, this stuff isn't easy I'll tell ya." another small chuckle."Try to make sure he stays locked up somewhere." She motioned towards Shockwave. "Maybe I'll see you guys around again soon." With a final nod she outstretched her hand for a shake towards both of them, starting with Pythagoras and then Ether. In the back of her mind she made sure to be aware of the force exerted.

 

[Astroblaze]

Eve

Andrew

Eve Rowley/Ether | Andrew Hawthorne/Pythagoras
late spring | dusk | Manhattan, NYC—southwestern region

---

Aegis (@Huntress)
Shockwave

Realizing at the look in her eye what the heroine would do, Ether had done her best to strengthen her barrier but couldn't quite brace adequately into the following punch. All the same, she found the tension of having to maintain the thing against such an overwhelming and relentless onslaught draining from her body as the shattered fragments of ectoplasm melted away in the dark waters below their feet. In a heavy sigh, the mutant released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, sagging slightly in midair as one gloved hand found its way to her forehead.

"Holy shit..." she breathed. Even after witnessing the other woman's abilities firsthand, for a single person to contain so much power still astonished her.

Maintaining his balance in midair proved a substantially more difficult task than Pythagoras anticipated, but the caped hero did his best to hide his fatigue as he returned Aegis' smile, warmth swelling in his chest that she viewed their presence about the city as reassuring.

"Don't worry, we'll deal with Shockwave," he affirmed confidently, firmly returning the offered handshake. He glanced back toward the humanoid in question, his smile turning grimly determined behind the red-hued visor. "He won't escape this time."

When Aegis then turned to her, Ether accepted the handshake as well, flashing the other heroine her trademark lopsided, cocky grin. "Nice working with you. Don't be a stranger, yeah?"

 

[Huntress]

Aegis nodded in response to Pythagoras stating that they'll make sure Shockwave stayed locked up. He was certainly a dangerous foe. She was surprised that these three had dealt with him before and had managed to lock him up in the past. Then again, they were a team and that was important. Clenching her jaw as she recalled how different things were when a team was involved she looked between the two and smiled softly. "I enjoyed working with you as well." she responded to Ether. "I'm sure we'll see each-other again soon." she explained with another nod. Ana saluted the young heroes rather formally before flying off into the night sky.

She made sure her flight home was quick. Entering from the open window in a blur she shut it before stepping into her bathroom to wash off. stepping out wrapped in a towel she picked up the pieced of her suit and opened the narrow closet in her hallway. The small stacked washer-dryer combo was opened as she tossed it in. Changing into a pair of shorts and a tank she gathered some more clothes and tossed them in with the suit before turning the machine on. Clenching her jaw with a heavy sigh she walked into the small kitchen and reached for the bottle of whiskey that sat above the fridge. Breaking open the seal she chugged back a third of the bottle before taking a seat on the couch with a heavy exhale. The events of the night replayed in her mind, another gulp of whiskey following. What would she have done if they hadn't been there? What would've happened if she had fought Shockwave alone? One thing she knew for certain was he wouldn't survive the encounter, another chug followed. Tightly shutting her eyes she pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. Taking back the rest of the bottle as if it was water she stopped herself from analyzing the event any further.

Covering her eyes as she leaned into her palms and eventually slowly slid her hands around the side of her head, fingers interlocking across the back of her skull. Her expression was pained as she almost looked ready to cry. Taking a deep breath in from her nose she exhaled from her mouth. This process continued for a bit until she managed to calm herself. Opening her eyes Anastasia dropped her arms on the couch. Pushing herself up she walked back into the kitchen, reaching for the cupboard above the fridge she pulled out another bottle of whiskey from the fully stocked unit. She was no slower in drinking this one, if anything she took it down faster. It played no role in her sobriety, as it took a lot more than two bottles to get her intoxicated. Not even bothering to go to her bed she laid down on the couch and turned the TV on, she mindlessly watched whatever was playing until sleep eventually took her.

 

[Astroblaze]

Andrew

Eve

Uranium

Andrew Hawthorne/Pythagoras | Eve Rowley/Ether | Carson Pierpont/Uranium
late spring | dusk | Manhattan, NYC—southwestern region

---

Cecila, James (NPC), Shockwave, Errol
Aegis (@Huntress)

For a quiet moment, the pair watched Aegis ascend into a deepening sky just beginning to speckle with faint stars before Pythagoras turned his attention back to the distant coast, Ether close behind him.

Barely had the caped hero touched down on the pavement when his legs buckled under him, his eyes shuttering for a moment as he stumbled to a knee, doubled over with his weight rested heavily on one hand and the other pressed to his forehead with a low groan.

With a startled "whoa" Ether was at his side in an instant, stooping to help him up. "You okay, Andy?" The concerned mutant could feel his heart pounding into the supporting hand she pressed to his chest.

Though his face was tight with pain, the physics manipulator managed an affirming nod. "I'm alright, just... dizzy. That's the most energy I've exerted at once in... a while."

Quickly scanning their surroundings as she moved to help him up, Ether blinked, nudging her companion's shoulder. "Oh hey, tiny spectator alert."

Lifting his gaze in the direction she indicated, Pythagoras spotted a little boy, clutching a ratty teddy bear, staring at them from the door of a nearby apartment building, eyes wide with curiosity though bright with lingering fear.

Ether's mouth broke into a grin at how her friend perked up upon sight of the child, the girl taking his hand and pulling him to his feet. "Go on, you know you want to."

Casting a smile back to her, Pythagoras stepped carefully across the fractured pavement to take a knee before the boy, resting an arm on the raised knee and leaning in toward him with a friendly smile. "Hey there. What's your name?"

The child smile back shyly, hiding a bit behind the plush in his arms. "James."

"James? That's a nice name." The hero gave him a gentle smile. "You're very brave, James." The boy's own smile widened at the encouragement.

Pythagoras paused thoughtfully, then lifted a cheery gaze to him. "Would you like to see something cool?" When the boy's eyes widened with an eager nod, he lifted a gloved hand as a loose cluster of faint white numbers gathered from thin air floating over his palm. A gentle breath scattered the glyphs toward James, the boy giggling at the feathery tickle of barely-there energy over his face and arms. Seeming to gather a burst of confidence at Pythagoras' friendliness, the child stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the teen's neck. The hero smiled, gently returning the embrace.

An older voice calling the boy's name drew his attention to the child's apparent mother standing in the doorway that James had left. The hero released him with a pat on the back and the boy turned and scurried back to the woman while Pythagoras stood with a nod to her. She offered him a grateful smile before hurrying her son back inside with her, and the teen smiled to himself. That was why he did what he did: not for fame or fortune, but to be a clear and reliable symbol of security, a guardian angel of sorts for those who would be helpless without his protection. The relief and gratitude in a mother's eyes knowing that she and her family could sleep safely through the night: that was what really mattered to him.

Turning with a flare of his cape as it caught a stray breeze, he rejoined Ether and Uranium where they stood a short stride back. The girl shook her head with a wistful smile. "You're so good with kids. I'm highkey jealous."

Pythagoras chuckled a bit to himself at the unabashed pronouncement, but his smile faded as the trio turned their attention to the dark-armored alien lying prone in their midst. Ether folded her arms, considering the figure. "So, what do we do with this nasty mofo?"

"Language," Pythagoras immediately corrected her. Ignoring the raspberry she blew him in response, he dipped his head slightly, studying Shockwave with brow furrowed in thought as though something about the alien's person would give him an idea.

"I'm not letting him go free—not after everything he's done—" he finally declared, "but I'm not sure where to-" He stopped short. A curious look from the other two revealed a slow smile spreading across his face. "Cecelia Martinez, you absolute genius," he murmured, mostly to himself. "I'll contact her and see if her project is ready," he added to the pair before they could confirm the meaning of that declaration, stepping back from them as he lifted a hand to the comm hidden in an ear cap.

After a moment: "Hello, Cecelia speaking."

"Cecelia, it's Pythagoras. I don't have much time. Is the base complete?"

"Pretty much, yeah. Why?" But the huge gasp from the other end before he could explain indicated her deduction. "You got him."

Smiling to himself at her excitement, Pythagoras hummed an affirmation.

"Oh my-" There was a hasty rustle, and then a distant scream: "Yes!"

The hero couldn't help a slight laugh at the familiarly unbridled enthusiasm, but his tone quickly returned to serious. "We don't have long: he could wake up any minute. Get Errol and meet us there. Make sure he's ready for work."

Cecelia immediately picked up on his urgency, easily snapping into sidekick mode. "Sure thing. See you there."

As a click in his ear indicated the girl had terminated on her end, Pythagoras returned to the other two, instinctively slipping into leader mode. "Ether, you and I will take Shockwave and meet Cecelia and Errol at the base."

"Can do."

As Ether scooped up Shockwave, her slender frame easily supporting the deadweight easily twice her size, he turned to Uranium. "You can handle solo until we get back?" They all knew he could, but it was good practice to ask nonetheless, and Uranium nodded affirmation accordingly.

As the pair lifted off with their charge, the radiokinetic watched them shrink into the near-black distance, featureless purple eyes narrowed skeptically, but finally he slipped off along the barren streets.

---

The pair flew in relative silence, Pythagoras leading the way through the brisk night sky. Soon the twinkling skyscrapers fell away behind them as they crossed deep, gently rippled water as dark as the expanse above. Edging the far coast was an array of rundown factory buildings, windows long-dark and caked with dirt and debris. Darting amid silent smokestacks and dangling wires, the pair finally touched down in the deeply shadowed alley before a structure a touch larger than the rest nestled amid branching facilities and abandoned warehouses. As they approached the door, Ether's faint aura cast a pale glow upon a faded pi etched into the pavement immediately before.

Despite seeming to have been neglected for decades, the half-rusted handle turned easily at Pythagoras' urging and he stood aside, letting Ether past him before pulling the door shut behind them. Though the cramped vestibule hadn't even a single window for light, Ether let off sufficient that Pythagoras easily located the inner door. This one swung inward on obviously well-oiled hinges, opening into a spacious corridor, lit by clean white overhead strips with walls burnished chrome and a muted royal blue with a bold red stripe dividing them. Pythagoras' footsteps echoed off of soft white tile as he led the way through the halls, Ether gazing intrigued about herself as she stepped along close behind.

Cecelia

Errol

A couple turns and a long hall later, the pair stepped into an open area slightly darker in lighting and color scheme than the headquarters section with a few halls branching off. As they halted near the center of the intersection, two other teens stepped out of a righthand door.

Errol's eyebrows lifted slightly, warm brown eyes flicking between the two heroes and their charge. "You really got him."

"We had help," Pythagoras admitted, "and from Aegis herself of all people." He ducked his head slightly with a self-conscious chuckle. "Honestly, according to what Eve tells me, it was mostly her. I was too late to do much more than take advantage of how she weakened him."

"Well, does it really matter how we got him?" Cecelia interjected. "The important part is that we got him." She set her hands on her hips, lips quirking in a satisfied grin. "He won't be causing any more havoc after this."

"Damn straight," Ether agreed fervently with a decisive nod. A scolding glare from Pythagoras drew her attention to her own words and she shrunk into herself with a sheepish grin. "Sorry. It slipped out."

Meanwhile, Errol had turned an observant eye to Shockwave. "He's kind of a mess," he noted quietly.

"Yeah," Pythagoras agreed, mouth twisting in a grimace. "Aegis was able to be absolutely brutal to him in ways that I'm just not comfortable pulling off. Also she's physically stronger than me. I'd rather he didn't bleed out or have permanent issues from this—that's why I called you here as well."

Errol nodded his understanding. "Alright, just give me space to work and I'll fix him up the best I can."

At Errol and Pythagoras' leading, Ether carried Shockwave through the righthand door from which he and Cecelia had emerged into the brand new clinic area. Laying the alien on the center bed, she rejoined Cecelia alone in the hall, pulling the door shut behind her as the boys turned their attention to the captive.

Leaning against the wall and folding her arms, the ghost mutant again cast an admiring eye about the polished, professional-looking environment. "This is really nice. You did a good job planning everything out."

Cecelia smiled a bit bashfully at the praise. "Thanks, Eve. It's been a fun project, even with as long as it took to get everything set up properly." She pursed her lips in a wry grimace. "Also, you know, the hassle of finding construction workers that I could actually trust to keep a secret and not ask awkward questions."

Ether's return nod was slow, with a wry quirk of her lips in long-suffering understanding. "I'm sure."

Both perked up as the door opened, Pythagoras emerging and immediately sagging against the wall beside Ether with a heavy sigh.

Cecelia frowned slightly in concern. "You okay, Andy?"

The caped hero's entire form was slack with exhaustion, but he nodded regardless. "I'm alright, just need to rest for a bit. That whole situation took a lot out of me." He glanced toward Cecelia. "And believe it or not, the vast majority of my exertion was on Aegis, not Shockwave."

The surprised eyebrow he got in response indicated Cecelia's lack of understanding. "Wow. Why?"

Pythagoras paused seeming uncertain, but nodded to himself after considering his surroundings a moment. "I guess I have a moment to tell you the whole story while I catch a breather."

"A'ight. In the meantime," Ether interjected, pushing away from the wall, "if you don't need me around here—" she jerked a thumb over her shoulder— "I'm gonna head out, join Cass in the field."

He nodded. "Sounds good. I'll join you semi-shortly."

With that, Ether triggered her weightlessness and zipped straight up through the ceiling, phasing through layers of brick and wiring until she burst out back into the chill night air. Finally pausing at an altitude that left the buildings below indistinguishable from one another, she twisted and shot across the channel, soon a flash of light darting amid skyscrapers once more. Glowing eyes scanned the roads below for her friend and teammate until, spotting the green-skinned humanoid prowling his usual route, she turned back to her own. They still had several hours until the city's ugliest side slept again.

 

[Astroblaze]

"I and my family were preparing for bed when this massive rumble shook the house," the woman explained to the interviewer, a reassuring hand resting on the head of the little boy clutching at her skirts. "It almost sounded like thunder, but it was much too big for that."

"That rumble signified the arrival of Shockwave," the reporter stated as a picture of the armored humanoid flashed onto the screen beside her, "a notorious audiokinetic who has not been seen in over a year. For a while he was thought neutralized, but it would seem that he was just biding his time, planning the best moment to resurface and cause trouble once again. Unfortunately for him, that rumble caught the attention of Ether, a known ally of Pythagoras, and the other major local hero, Aegis, who immediately engaged." The display switched to a grainy, dimly lit snapshot of the two heroines, both distinctive despite the motion blur distorting their features, leaping and diving around Shockwave in the thick of combat.

"Surprisingly, Pythagoras himself did not arrive on the scene until almost a half an hour later, but within moments of his arrival, Shockwave had been knocked out and was last seen being carried away by Pythagoras and his allies, leaving several fractures in the road and surrounding buildings and a mutilated street light used to prevent the criminal's escape in the aftermath of the brief but intense skirmish." The display again shifted, this time to a police photograph of the scene. "This damage pales in comparison to the destruction of Shockwave's previous surfacings, however, and according to eyewitness accounts, we mainly have Aegis to thank for this. Pythagoras has not yet been available for comment on any of last night's trouble, but we can all rest easy knowing that the guardians of New York City are active and ready to stop crime before people can be hurt."

"However," the reporter continued, "a hero's work is never done: barely an hour after the run-in with Shockwave, Pythagoras was seen stopping a dangerous car chase through downtown as with a flick of his wrist he brought the suspect's car to a screeching halt, enabling the pursuing police to overtake and arrest..."

 

[Huntress]

The obnoxious buzz had Ana almost jumping off the couch as her snoring turned into a half-choked snort. "Laundry!" she called out, eyes wide and panting as she looked around her apartment in confusion. Blinking rapidly and shaking her head to gain her bearings she sighed before pushing up off the couch. Moving around the three-seater she halted as there was fast and loud knocking at her door. With narrowed eyes she slowly turned and looked towards the entrance to her apartment, brow raised. Clenching her jaw she exhaled and shook her head. It's probably some sort of charity or religious group, she told herself as she walked towards the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. The knocking turned into pounding. Looking over her shoulder towards whoever was at the door, Ana found herself slowly turning around. Leaning against the small breakfast bar she swallowed back. She had never met such insistent charity workers or Jehovah's witnesses. As the pounding stopped Ana continued to listen. Focusing on her sense of hearing she narrowed her eyes as she honed in on the sound of a heartbeat, it was a little faster than what was considered average. The pounding against the door exploded in her ears once again and had her wincing as she stepped back slightly, a subtle ring in her ears lingering. This person was determined, whoever they were. "Just a second!" Anastasia called out.

Speeding around the apartment she tidied up a few things, before reaching for the glasses on the counter and sliding them on. Making her way to the door she sighed heavily and unlocked it. Opening it she found herself gazing upon familiar eyes. Swallowimg back she blinked and cocked her head to the left slightly. "Meg?" Ana questioned with narrow eyes. Why was she here? Oh...right. Anastasia remembered her visit and nodded to herself. Holding the door open still, she returned her attention to the blonde. Is she angry?

Meghan met the familiar amber gaze across from her as she swallowed back and shook her head with a scoff. Shoving passed Ana she walked into the apartment.

She's definitely angry. Ana told herself as she closed the door. "Sure, come on in." she spoke in a heavily sarcastic tone. "Coffee should be ready shortly." the brunette walked towards the kitchen and pulled out two mugs, placing them on the counter she swallowed back and turned around only to stumble back into the counter as Meg stood before her, arms folded across her chest as she looked up at Ana in what seemed like frustration and a slight irritation.

Reaching up towards Ana, Meg pulled the glasses off her face. "This certainly answers my question but, it's also stupid." she explained as she folded the glasses up and put them on the counter. "Do you think that actually works?" she raised a brow. "Don't answer that, it doesn't." she cleared her throat and looked away.

"It doesn't work for you because you know." Ana responded and swallowed back as she tried to slide away from Meg.

"No, Ana that's not why it doesn't work. It's just—" Meg sighed. "It just doesn't work, trust me. Were yo—"

"It works Meg. You can just see passed it because you know the truth." Ana defended her disguise.

"Okay, fine, whatever." she exhaled again. "So you were out last night then?" Her brow arched.

"What's it to you if I was or wasn't?" it was Ana's turn to fold her arms across her chest as she stepped further away from the blonde and swallowed back.

Meg sighed and looked away with a clench of her jaw. Turning towards the coffee machine she poured two cups and made them a couple coffees. Taking the two drinks she placed one next to where Ana stood, a quick glance shot towards the brunette before she held her own mug with two hands and moved towards the opposite end of the small breakfast bar. Taking a sip she placed the mug down before leaning against the counter-top and looking up at Ana, gaze not faltering like it once would have. Clearing her throat she looked away and exhaled. "You don't wear your glasses unless you've gone out." she explained. "I heard you last night. It didn't sound like you were attempting to stay under the radar when you flew off." There was another sigh. "Why were you there Ana?" she asked.

Anastasia's gaze never left Meg's. Clenching and unclenching her jaw she finally looked away with an exhale from her nose as she looked to the floor. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." she muttered, her attention remaining distant from the other.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" Meg asked as she moved closer to Ana, which in return caused the brunette to move further away. "Okay." Meg stopped walking with an exhale. "You're the bulletproof one. Why are you moving away?" she had grown serious once again as she studied Ana.

Amber eyes flicked to emerald greens before looking away again with rapid blinks and a swallow back. Her grip on her folded arms grew tighter as she took in a deep breath. "You said you don't want to be close to me." her response was blunt, eyes never looking back at Meghan.

"You don't get to pick and choose when to abide by that request Ana. Last night that didn't seem to matter." Meg's words were a little dumbfounded.

"I was on the other side of your apartment. It wasn't close to you." Ana's eyes only briefly glanced at the other before dropping to the floor again.

Meghan scoffed. "I came here willingly Ana. If I didn't want to be close to you, I wouldn't have been knocking on that door." She explained. "So just stop," she said as she moved closer, trying to interfere with Ana getting away. Trying to stop the person who could literally move mountains. "look at me, talk to me. I want to be here." Meg made sure their eyes were locked as she cupped Ana's face and forced her to stay put.

There was silence for a moment, amber's and emeralds looking deep into one another. Elevated heart-rates thudding in Ana's ears. Her body tense as she swallowed back and flared her nostrils with a hard exhale. Meghan's thumbs caressed her cheeks before sliding down to Ana's shoulders and chest. They moved closer to one another, Ana's hands having moved up to hold Meg's arms gently. They studied each other in the silence, deep green irises were the first to break away as Meg took in the features of the brunette before looking down with a scoff as she bit her lip. Her left hand slid down Anastasia's arm as she took hold of the other's wrist, thumb running across soft skin. Her eyes coming back up to look at the brunette. Her right hand having come back to her cheek for another gentle stroke across her skin before tucking some hair behind Ana's ear. Meghan's hand resting on Anastasia's nape before sliding down to rest between her shoulder and neck. She felt the pulsating force beneath taut muscles. Looking down at exposed skin she spotted the momentary throb of a shallow vein before frowning slightly and looking back up at Anastasia. "What are you holding back?" she whispered, eyes locking.

"Villain's attack thwarted last night. Our top story this morning."

"I and my family were preparing for bed when this massive rumble shook the house," a woman explained ."It almost sounded like thunder, but it was much too big for that."

Meghan's attention moved away from Ana as she looked over her shoulder at the television. Her hold on the other never gave way as she felt Ana shift and stand straight.

"That rumble signified the arrival of Shockwave," the reporter on the screen stated as a picture of the armored humanoid flashed onto the screen beside her, "a notorious audiokinetic who has not been seen in over a year."

"Audiokinetic?" Meghan asked as she raised a brow and looked up at Ana.

The brunette's response was a nod. "Yeah." she cleared her throat. "He can manipulate sound to make it feel like you're getting hit by a train." Ana chuckled awkwardly.

"Was anyone hurt?" the worry was evident in Meg's voice. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. No one was hurt." Ana explained as she brought Meg's hand up to her lips for a soft kiss and then placed it on her chest. Pressing her forehead against the other's, eyes tightly shut. "I miss you." she whispered sadly.

Meg's stomach fluttered at the feeling of Ana's lips against her palm. Her arms wrapping around Ana's neck as her breath caught in her throat upon hearing her speak. Swallowing back as she closed her eyes she sniffled before pressing her head into the crook of Ana's neck.

The embrace tightened as Anastasia caught the sound of Meg's heart stuttering. Taking a deep breath she exhaled as her hand slid into golden locks. Protectively wrapping around the other's waist. A deep sigh escaped Ana as she felt Meghan shudder in her arms. Clenching her jaw she frowned with a depressed exhale.

"Can I stay with you for a bit?" Meghan's whisper held sadness and a hint of fear. Ana thought they were passed that, but apparently that wasn't true.

"Of course." Ana spoke simply and broke the embrace to look upon glistening emeralds. Worry flashed across her features, brows arching, eyes narrowing. "Meg, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

The blonde nodded with a sniffle as she wiped away a single tear that had escaped. "Yeah, yeah I'm good." she let out a deep puff of air as she shook her head. "PMS is hitting me hard this month." she chuckled as she fanned her face and cleared her throat. "It's a nice day out" she started as she reached back to rub her shoulder "Do you wanna go for a walk?" she was hopeful in her question.

The action didn't go by unnoticed as Ana clenched her jaw. Had she just hurt her with a hug? She questioned internally. Her nod in response to Meg's question was slow and as she went to speak, Ana was interrupted by Meg's hand.

"I'm fine. I just slept weird. It wasn't you, relax." Meg gave Ana a stern look.

"Okay." Ana wasn't convinced but she wasn't about to argue. "Uh— I'm just gonna go change. It'll give you time to finish up your coffee." she said before reaching for her mug and taking back her own cup in one go.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
​

Ana was quick to get dressed and before the two started their walk she checked up on the bar to make sure everything was in order for the day and night. She was curious about Meg's sudden appearance, what she had said and the way she had acted. Despite having mentioned her 'PMS' Ana had a feeling there was more to what Meghan had showed her and said to her. As much as she wanted to ask and make sure that the woman was okay, Anastasia also didn't want to prod and push her away, again. Ana had made it clear to Meghan in the past that she could trust her with anything; therefore she would wait for Meg herself to speak up when she was ready, as much as Anastasia didn't like the idea for having to wait, especially if it was something serious.