Author's note: Kept you waiting, huh?
Not for several years this time, I hope. No, only about the entire summer, but you'll have to forgive me this time... You see I wanted to time the return of this story with LIS 3's release. I figured it would be a bit poetic and a good way to get us off on a better foot again. Plus I needed the time to refamilierize myself with my plotline. Thankfully I'm now on a schedule, there will likely be bimonthly releases for LIFOS chapters. Anyways-
I'm finished now, so for now, let's all just sit back and enjoy this one. No matter how it ends up going, I hope to deliver a fun ride that feels like a sequel to LIS, or at least one set in the same world.
Also... I don't want the AN to take up the majority of the chapter despite me needing to get out a lot here, so I think I'll close us out here. No disclaimer this time, I think DontNod understands that I don't own LIS and I think you guys get that I don't own your OCs.
So.
Saranus took Robbie aside and stared at him strangely, cocking his head slightly at his friend. "You good, man? What do you mean by that?" He asked, tossing a glance behind his shoulder to make sure that they were out of range of the others, who were all equally confused. Although, he had chosen to bring Lillian along with him. Her power to read minds might be helpful in this case.
"You're not talking to Robbie." Lillian informs Saranus, opening her eyes again. "Somehow his head is empty, zero thoughts from him- but there is somebody in there." She explained. "I'm not a rocket scientist but if I had to guess... He's being possessed."
"Something like that.." 'Robbie' said, scratching the back of his head. "My name is Hal, Hal Greyson. And.. I.. may have heard about that one girl, Adelaide and her becoming like a hero so I went looking for her. I found you guys.. and I'm sorry, but I couldn't say anything unless I possessed a body and he was... closest to me." The individual possessing Robbie seemed shy, or at the very least a bit awkward socially. Saranus thought he was alright, for now anyway, but he was put-off by his sudden and non-consensual if he knew anything about Robbie possession.
"Okay, how did you find out about us in particular though?" Saranus asked. "It's not like her face got plastered anywhere."
"Well I kind of figured that the person I wanted to find would be hiding out in the forest as their base, so I went looking through the woods and stumbled onto... Caroline's mansion I think her name is? I flew inside and started listening to you guys conversate."
"Flew inside?" Saranus asked, now trying to get a feel for this individual's powerset. After all, he had already set his mind to recruiting him.
"He can astral project." Lillian interrupted, smirking a bit. "I read your mind while you were talking, Grey. Real open book to me, even easier to get into than some other minds. Probably has to do with the fact that your soul is unprotected." Lillian sounded like she was guessing to Saranus, but he knew that she had a particular... way with her words. A way that was intimidating to certain people, like Hal here.
Hal sort of glanced away, which was... So strange to see coming out of Robbie's body. Saranus had known the man for two days and he rarely ever seemed particularly... bothered by stuff. So seeing him look like this was.. a bit like how Saranus imagined an out-of-body experience felt like, as though what he was witnessing wasn't real. "I got these powers only a few days ago, okay? I'll get better with them eventually.." He muttered.
Lillian chuckled, the look on her face absolutely brimming with smarm as she stepped away from the boys, waving them off. "I'm going back to the group. You two darlings have fun."
Saranus sighed and looked back at Hal. "Tell me where you're at and I'll come get you. Your powers might be really useful on making sure a fire doesn't break out.. and also please get out of my friend. He's going to be pissed enough as it is." The young man said, putting his hands on Hal's shoulder.
Hal nodded. "Yeah uh.. About that, is it okay if we meet up somewhere? I don't think I can give directions from here to my house... Mostly because I need to figure out where my house is."
Saranus nodded in reply, offering him a slight smile. "You know where the Two Whales is?" He asked.
"Was, since it.. burned down, but yeah I know where it is. I'll be over there in a few hours. I'll be waiting." He says, using Robbie's face to smile before suddenly Robbie gasped out loud and fell to his knees, coughing.
"Fuck... ah, goddamn motherfucking... fuck." He panted, gasping for air. "It's so fuckin strange.. not being able to.." He sucked in more air. "Breathe on your own. Fuck man." Robbie coughed a few more times before managing to his feet. "When we find him... I'm clockin him one." He warned Saranus, who let himself smile.
"I think that would be pretty fair." He admitted, putting his hand on the other's shoulder. "But before that, let me bring him on."
Robbie glared before sighing out. "I guess if we're recruiting serial killers we can recruit him too." He mutters to himself. "We going then?" Robbie asks.
"Not yet. Let's close the meeting out first before we go looking for him." Saranus says, spinning around to go back to the living room, Robbie following him back begrudgingly.
Upon reaching the living room, the pair of boys were met with a series of eyes. Some were concerned, like Mace who quickly stood up and approached her boyfriend, others were bored like Andrea who let out an audible yawn, and some were raring to go, such was the case for Caroline, who had shaken out of her daydream and stood up, fists clenching and unclenching out of anticipation.
The girl was itching to get onto her part of the mission. "So, we're all in teams but you're the only one with a goal, what are we gonna do?" Caroline asked him, looking to Saranus pointedly.
"Right. You guys, officially dubbed Team A are going to keep Andrea from hurting anyone and I need you guys to start looking for information on our powers. Shaun's eyes might be able to find information easier, Andrea isn't afraid of getting places she shouldn't, and you've got the ability to get into those quietly." He explains his reasoning. "Johnny got tacked on there, I admit, but his ability might come in handy against our little serial killer if she tries anything." He says, gesturing towards the redhead, who offered him a glare. "Team L meanwhile has the job of keeping tabs on the fire. They, like us, will have to search the other woods daily. This way we've got 2 teams keeping track. As for Inori and Adelaide, you guys are going to be getting another new member and have the same job as Team A, you're Team I. And if you're wondering. we're Team S."
"Why are we team S?" Robbie asked, ribbing his friend a bit. "I think Team R has a ring too it." He smirks.
"Okay, we can be Team rocket, you're Meowth." Saranus replied, crossing his arms.
Robbie realized his mistake as the rest of the group chuckled at his misfortune. "On.. Second thought, S is a really nice letter.
"That's what I thought." Saranus smirked a bit, glancing over to the gathered team. "Alright is everyone clear on what their jobs are?"
"Yes!" Caroline nods.
"Obviously." Lillian rolls her eyes.
"Hai! We will do our best." Inori offers him a mock salute, before glancing at her partner a bit.. unsure of the choices made here.
"Lead the way, boss." Robbie says, half joking, and also half respectfully. Caroline got the feeling that Robbie really liked being around Saranus despite his tough exterior. She found it endearing in a way.
Saranus nodded. "Well then, my team is heading off to go get our new member. Inori, you guys stay here until we come back, unless there's like a school emergency or something. Got it?"
Adelaide spoke up this time, nodding as she did. "Don't worry, I don't have anything going for me, not sure about Inori." She smirks, glancing at the Japanese girl.
Inori frowns in response before sighing. "I am free for the rest of the day, free to do this, which is... Important." She replies.
Adelaide seems satisfied enough with this answer, and so she relents. "We're good to wait for you then, Saranus." She gives him a thumbs up.
Saranus once more nods. "Alright, if I'm not back in a few hours just give me a call."
And with that, Team S packs up and leaves.
Andrea
Andrea stares off into the corner. Seeing... Her again. The monster that haunted her nightmares. The entity that stayed with her no matter how much she killed..
The girl from her warmest memories and most beautiful of dreams. "Carrie." She whispered, not caring if she was heard. Everyone else had left the room aside from that one Australian guy, and he didn't like talking to her.
Carrie stared at her.. but it wasn't a glare, no, she was staring this time- blankly. Was she.. happy with her? Was she.. somehow finally doing something that Carrie approved of? Andrea's eyes softened a bit, and she extended a telekinetic hand towards the apparition, wanting so desperately to reach out to her and feel her soft skin again..
Only for her hand to retract at the last second. She was afraid to touch her. To... perhaps find out that there was really nothing there at all. The idea of it scared her. It terrified her. After all.. If Carrie was really haunting her all this time then... there was still some part of her around. Some part of the person she once loved that was.. here.
Slowly Carrie's eye's softened back, and she turned away from her, floating out of the room.
Andrea felt the need to cry once the specter vanished from her view.
And then all at once she heard a voice that made her jump. "Whatcha lookin at?"
"Car-!"
"Car-!" Andrea's looked at her with eyes. Strange eyes, the eyes of someone who wasn't... evil, but of someone who was relieved. happy, even... perhaps... In love. But all at once her face retracted to how it had been, the expression falling away, being replaced with that sad but angry stare that she was so used to seeing on the woman's face. "...oline." She finished, glancing away from her.
"Oh.. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.." Caroline offered, trying to be friendly. After all even if this was a murderous psychopath, she still was... human at the end of the day, and Caroline was built with too much empathy to not treat her as one. She took a seat by her, which only caused the murderer to shift further away. On some level, this was comical to Caroline, her scaring away this big scary killer who's carved a path of death for so long. Spooking a girl who could lift trucks above her head.
So she giggled.
"What's so funny?" Andrea snapped at her, before recoiling away from her again, as if not wanting to see her face.
"That." Caroline said, bobbing her head at her reaction. "You always act that way when you look at me, it's kind of funny.." She says, offering a few more giggles before Andrea's glare quickly stifles them.
"It's not funny. Maybe I just don't like your face." She said, her voice slipping into an accent, New York maybe? While she scooted away from the girl. "Just... go away from me. I'm not going to kill your friend. It's not... worth all the effort." She half spits, not letting Caroline get a good look at her.
Caroline knew better though, this was all a front, Andrea was hiding something and she was gonna figure it out. One way or another. For now, she offered her the plate she was holding in her hand. "Do you.. want something to eat? You're supposed to give guests food when they're over so I made this."
"Made might be a little too generous there Caroline." Andrea said, plucking the food item off of the plate. In her hand was an apple slice, made just a few minutes ago by Caroline. "That said, I'm starving. So thank you." She said, popping it into her mouth before snagging another one.
"You're welcome!" Caroline said, before moving over towards Shaun and taking a seat before offering him one.
He stared over at where Caroline stood for a moment more before shaking his head. "No, no thanks Caroline."
Shaun
Shaun frowned, staring at where Andrea had stared. His eyes unsure. On one hand, there was nothing there. No person, no light, nothing even came up with his powers. No indication that there had been something or someone.
And yet...
He couldn't shake it.
This feeling. A feeling of... He couldn't quite place it, he didn't want to place it almost but...
A feeling as though... Damn it.
A feeling like he was being watched. It unnerved him. It.. freaked him out, if he was being honest.
Because when Caroline came back out and startled Andrea
Shaun could swear, he could swear, that Caroline had two shadows.
Adelaide
Inori and Adelaide had gone into the kitchen. Shockingly it wasn't because Adelaide had followed Inori, but rather because Inori had dragged her in here. And boy did she mean dragged, the girl had surprising strength. Adelaide should look into that.. But for now. "Look I said I was sorry about before." She held her hands up. "I don't know what else you want from me." She said, looking the girl in her soft grey eyes- but refusing to let herself be pulled in by them. She had to stay professional here, she knew that now.. And besides, she had alienated her partner enough already. Doing it more would just be... wrong.
Inori stared at her for a moment before turning her head down and glancing away, her face covered with indecision, as though she was trying to decide what she wanted to say. Adelaide's mind fought the urge to think of the expression as cute, and the battle was thankfully won when the girl finally spoke up. "I want there to be no..." Her hands made circular motions as she tried to get the words out. "Strangeness between you and I." Inori said at last, looking back up to her. "We're going to be working together, so having good cohesion would be.. best for us both. Especially if Andrea becomes violent. With your abilities and my own we stand the best chance of stopping her and Saranus did put us on team to watch her."
Adelaide smiled a bit before nodding and getting serious. "You're right. So... you want to start over?" She asked, holding her hand out to the Asian woman and smiling a bit. "After all, starting over is the best way to get over.. earlier." She offered.
Inori looked at the hand for a moment, a pensive expression crossing her face again before she sighed and returned the smile. "Inori. O ai dekite kÅeidesu- Or, it's nice to meet you." She said, taking the hand and giving it a little shake.
"Adelaide, and same to you." Adelaide replied before breaking the handshake. She smirked a bit. Maybe we can get along after all. I hope so, she might be attractive, but she also seems... pretty nice too. I'd like to get to know her a bit more..
"What are you thinking about?" Inori frowned at the look, squinting.
"Nothing." Adelaide smirked a bit harder. "I'm just glad we patched things up. I want to get to know you better- uh, not like that I mean, not if you don't want it to be like that, I mean, uh, like- like as friends." She stuttered through it, but she got the sentence out, turning a slight shade of pink from embarrassment and annoyance due to messing up a simple sentence like that.
This forced Inori to giggle a bit. "Don't push your luck leather jacket." She says, poking Adelaide's brown leather jacket and giggles a bit more. "But to make you feel better, I want to get to know you as well. As a friend." She says, patting her arm before exiting the kitchen.
Once she was gone, Adelaide let out a sigh.
She licked her lips.
She looked up.
"Fuck."
Yep, she had a crush on this one, and it wasn't going away easy.
Inori
The pink haired girl stepped back outside into the living room and cracked her neck before taking a seat onto the couch next to Shaun and grabbing the remote. "Hey, let's watch TV while we wait for Saranus to get back." She said, getting everyone's attention.
Johnny, the silly guy she had met before with Shaun, poked his head up. "Ay that sounds pretty cool to me, what's on?" He asked her, glancing at the TV.
"Nothing good." Andrea spoke up now, crossing her legs and arms while she popped an apple slice into her mouth.
"Wha- c'mon we could watch something cool like, uh, I dunno what's on Netflix right now?"
Andrea smirked now. "Mm, you know actually I could go for a horror flick right now." She said, unfurling her body and leaning forward.
"Eek! No, none of that please!" Caroline said, turning pale at the very thought.
"Aw, don't worry Caro, I'll protect you." Adelaide and Andrea said at the same time, causing both women to stare at each other for a moment. Inori giggled a bit at that, observing Adelaide's expression. It was cute, an expression that asked "Are we both teasing Caroline right now?" Followed intensely by "Oh shit is she also a lesbian?" Which was then followed with a glare, as though she was the only one allowed to be gay in the room right now. Or that was how Inori interpreted the expressions. For all she knew, Addy could simply be glaring at a hardened killer, which would have been entirely fair in her mind to do. Still though, the woman here was kind of cute in her own way.
Andrea's expression was at first surprised and then visibly angry. "Oh, really? How did you intend to do that?" She asked, lifting her hand and summoning another apple slice to it. "After all, I'm the one here with, y'know, actually useful skills if it came to fighting off a serial killer, given that I... am one."
"I'd like to contest that." Johnny spoke up now. "I can slow time so I would absolutely beat any killer out there, the only one I couldn't beat would be the Predator."
"Pft, that would be easy if you could slow time. He'd never hit you."
"No lady, he's like invisible so..."
"Soo just wait until he's not."
"You're blowing my mind." Johnny finished, looking actually surprised. He apparently hadn't thought of that up until now.
"How did I lose to you people?" Andrea asks, putting her hand in her face.
Inori giggled a bit more at this. Maybe she could get along with these individuals after all. For now, at least.
Lloyd.
"So, this doesn't change your plan then?" Lloyd thought to her.
Lillian replied. "Not even a little, this girl's brain is full of useless facts about animals. She's nothing to be worried about. Not like those other freaks. I'd say we need to take them out, but that's easier said than done. Besides, I got to see what Saranus saw in that fire. We don't have a choice, we need them to handle the fire." She replies.
"Okay then what?" Lloyd replied, glancing around the car.
The car they had taken was Lillian's red convertible, apparently Kathrine thought it would be more eco-friendly to take since it was a smaller car. That, and this was the only car their team had. Kat had said she didn't own a car neither did Lloyd. The young man sighed, letting the wind on his face hit him. He wished he could let his thoughts drift, but Lillian kept him on target.
"I'll think of something. Maybe Andrea could be useful after all. For now..."
Kathrine, who was driving, slowly rolled into Blackwell's parking lot. "We're here." She announces. "Let's try and find the library, there's got to be something in there that can help us!"
"We have a job to do." Lillian said aloud, hopping out of her car and taking the keys back from Kathrine. "Since I'm the leader, I'm ordering us all to split up. I'll go see if I can find Samuel. He was around when the storm hit, he could be of value to us if I can get into his mind. Kathrine, you and Lloyd head for the Library. If you find anything just text me. I won't be looking for your thoughts." She warned. "So if you get into any trouble that's an automatic you-problem." Lillian pointedly looked at Lloyd for this.
"I'm not gonna get into any trouble." He rolled his eyes at her. "Just because we're friends doesn't mean you've got to dote on me all the time." He points out.
"Ha." Is all Lillian has to say before walking off. "Oh yeah." Lloyd thinks. "We're not "friends" we're teammates.."
"I do not like her." Kathrine muttered to herself.
"She takes some getting used to." Lloyd admits. "But eventually she stops being that mean." He half chuckles. "Mostly."
Saranus
Tyler, Robbie, and Mace pull into the Two Whales parking lot. Robbie frowns, Mace cuddles up to him to cheer him up, and Saranus...
Watches.
He stares at the burned out building in front of him, feeling... sad somehow. This building had been a... symbol for the town ever since the tornado tore through it. It had been rebuilt and made into a memorial for all the people who had taken refuge in it, those who's lives had been torn away from them by some cruel act of fate, or God, or chance. People who had lives, who had desires, who had futures, people who were scared in those last moments, desperate to live. Saranus knows he can't see into the past with his powers, but.. It's like he's there. Standing in the lot, watching the tornado turn the town into a wasteland.
He tears up. The diner had managed to be salvageable just barely after the tornado. But this fire had sealed it's fate. What was once a monument to Arcadia Bay's will to live was now little more than a burned out husk. He couldn't even begin to fathom what that could mean for the town's fate to come. He hoped it wasn't a sign he'd fail.
He couldn't fail. Not now.
"Yo, Saranus, you good man?" Robbie asks from the passenger's seat. "You're getting kinda.. emotional there."
Saranus smiles at him and wipes his eyes. "Just thinking is all. About this old building and what it meant. You think the memorial plaque is still there?" He asks.
"Shit was solid gold and locked in solid stone, don't see why it wouldn't be." Robbie shrugged, which caused Mace to bounce a bit in his arms, making her giggle a bit and lean up closer to him. This in turn caused the resident bad boy to blush a bit and turn his head slightly, which left him open for Mace to peck his cheek.
"I'm going to go see it. Let me know if someone shows." Saranus says, unbuckling and opening the door. "And try not to hit them, I know you want to." He adds, giving his bro a smirk.
"Alright fine, for you I'll hold off on breaking his face until you've recruited." Robbie promises, holding his hand up. "But I am going to share a few harsh words before you get here, jacking my body like that isn't cool."
Saranus chuckled. "That's fair." He says before heading off towards the front of the diner.
He stops when he sees a cop standing there in front. The man is older, mid 40s at least, his hair is starting to grey and he's got a thick mustache just over his lips. He observes the plaque, which was dedicated to all those who died the last time the Diner was destroyed, before reaching a hand down and touching the cold gold plate, his eyes growing soft.
He doesn't seem to notice Saranus, so he goes on to speak softly to himself, his voice only barely audible to the young man. "Hey there, Joyce." He begins. "I know you're still here. You always loved this place. Felt it had been long enough since my last visit. You know, Chloe she's doing- well she's doing pretty well now. I told you about her wedding, didn't I?" He shook his head. "Can't believe I ever opposed gay marriage now, not after seeing how damn happy she looked with her wife.." He chuckled, breathlessly. "I'm... repeating myself from last time, I know." He said with a nod to the plaque. "I've been doing pretty well at keeping touch with her, we had our bad spots but.. You know, we got through em. Thanks to you funnily enough. You managed to bring us together." He shook his head. "And I don't know how the hell I'm going to tell her what happened to this place next time we talk. I don't rightly know if I want to tell her." He patted the plaque twice more. "I miss you, Joyce. We all do." He moves to leave but pauses. "Oh and... Max says hi." He turns away but spots Saranus before he does, and frowns for a moment before offering him a smile and waving the young teen over.
Saranus, being a black teenager who knew the dangers of a cop, even in the north, was hesitant, but he figured that if he was going to die today a vision would have warned him, so he steps forward hesitantly. "Hello, sir." He says, remaining respectful.
"I saw you watching me. Probably think I'm crazy, don'tcha?" He asked him, looking a bit serious for a moment before his eyes softened. "Well maybe I am. Felt the need to.. to come talk to this thing today." He gestured at the plaque. "My wife died in the storm, worked right here too." He admitted. "Did you know anyone, son?"
"I can't say I did, sir." Saranus replied, letting his guard down a bit. "But I know the history here. What this building represented to a lot of the people. Wanted to come pay my respects to it, and them." He says, trying to force thoughts like "He probably thought I was here to steal the plaque" out of his mind and hoping it wasn't the case. Saranus didn't particularly look like a bad kid, but he knew that some people only saw the color and didn't bother looking deeper than that.
The man was silent for a moment before chuckling. "I like you, kid." He says. "Not too much the people I hear you hang around with. I've got reports of you being seen driving a bit recklessly into that.. Junkyard." His tone and face seem warning, but more concerned for him. "You don't seem to be a bad kid, so I won't do much about it..." He trails off, pain behind his eyes. "I know a thing or two about... overcorrecting people your age. Doesn't do any good." He admits. "Just drive safe from now on, alright?"
"I'll do that, purely an accident, officer, I'll do better next time." Saranus nods, sensing that the man was actually.. caring about his wellbeing here, but trying not to push it.
"I hope so." He said, turning away. "I'll be seeing you around, young man." And with that, the cop strolled away.
Saranus let out a sigh and turned himself to look at the plaque, reaching a hand out to touch one of the names. "Joyce Price." He whispered. "I'm sorry about what happened to you... But I won't let it happen to anyone in this town again. I promise."
A car then pulled into the lot a bit loudly, causing Saranus to turn. That must have been his contact.
Time for work.
Saranus came back to find that Robbie was indeed sharing his choice words with the young man. Hal, or that's who Saranus suspected this was, stood there and accepted Robbie's words of anger, not really fighting back.
Once the more intimidating of the two was done however, he raised his hands. "I'm sorry, I just.. wanted to get involved and I can't.. get people to see me in my astral form." He explains. "I swear I won't ever do that to you again. I'm sorry." He offers a hand to Robbie.
Robbie at first doesn't accept it, his arms crossing, but slowly he finds it in him to take the hand. "Alright alright, I've chewed you out worse than the crone at school does to me so I guess we're even." He shook the hand softly. "My name's Robbie, but I guess you already knew that."
"Hal, I'm not sure if you know me."
"Ah c'mon man, what happened to giving him a good hit?" Saranus asked with a chuckle, coming up behind the pair. "The Robbie I know doesn't let things go so easily." He points out, his face painted with a huge smirk. Teasing the bad boy of his friend group was too easy sometimes, and besides, Robbie deserved a bit of counter ribbing for all the ribbing he did to Saranus over the last few days.
"How about I clock you one?" Robbie replied, causing Saranus to back off of him a bit, holding his hands up.
"I'm just messing man, besides, I don't want you to hit Hal here. We've got a bit to talk about, don't we?" Saranus asked Hal, giving the young man a look.
Hal had bleached blonde hair, not unlike Lloyd, and was wearing a black frock coat and a red hoodie, definitely someone who should have stood out to him in the past, in fact it's likely that they met before and he just didn't realize it. Either way, Saranus didn't let his appearance throw him off, the kid looked like an alright guy. "Or not, I guess." He admitted. "We know your powers and.. you already said you were good to join up."
"That's right. But there's one thing I'm not entirely sure about. You guys are looking for a fire, right?" Hal asked.
"That's right, why, do you know something?" He asked, looking up at him. In fact all three did, even the usually unconcerned Mace.
"Well... Nothing concrete but while I was exploring I heard some gang members talking about a girl like us." Hal answers slowly, obviously a bit unsure about his findings. "I didn't get a location and possessing people... I hadn't gotten that skill yet, but I heard them say that she had fire based powers." Hal explains. "I didn't think anything of it at the time, just another one of us showing up, but... When I looked into... Caroline's? House, I heard you guys talking about a fire and.. Well I think we know the source now."
Saranus frowned. "Robbie, you don't think this is..."
"Shaun's missing chick? Yeah, it sounds like it could be related." Robbie admitted. "Which means... we might be going up against the Stormers."
Hal sighed. "I was worried you'd say that. Of course that cult's to blame."
"Yeah, those freaks are, like, too dangerous to have someone like that with them." Mace broke in. "Looks like we need to find her if we want to stop the fire." She says what they're all thinking, and so presses on with it. "One tiny issue though..."
"How?" Saranus mutters, shaking his head. "Me, Shaun and Hal are probably our best bets for actually figuring out that mystery. I don't want to shuffle the teams too much though, so I guess Hal-" He looks at the young man. "You're on Shaun's team now. Congrats, you're, well, an Avenger." Saranus holds his hand out, smirking.
"Glad to be able to help. Let's hope we can stop this." Hal says, accepting the handshake.
And thus, a new bond was formed.
?
A woman sits in a dungeon. Her hands are bound up behind her and she rocks back and forth, desperately wishing for an escape. Her mind is breaking. Her life is ending. She knows it's not going to be long until the next man comes.
She doesn't give up hope though. Every day her powers build and get stronger.
Eventually she'll be free.
"Ally." She muttered, her thoughts focused on one thing only.
Her sister.
She had to get back... to her...
sister.
Author's note: No review responses this time, I'm afraid. I want to shock you all and make this chapter a huge one that is pure story. A lot of this seems like filler but I assure you that it's all necessary character development, plus it refamiliarizes us all with our cast (hence why I touched on just about every major character and gave them all a nice big scene.) So with all that said
Until Next Time, True Readers!