While Eleanor walked down the ruinous streets, hair dotted with snow and thunder rumbling above, she had a strange feeling and turned around. Sliding out a Tear was some sort of mechanical monster, with a giant hand instead of a head. The centre of the palm had a big lens, beaming yellow, its eye? It was, undoubtedly, the same beast Elizabeth had encountered. Eleanor gave the big thing a weird look.
"What the…"
The mechanical construct reared, its lens turning red and forming a spotlight upon Eleanor. The entity roared like an engine, and suddenly lunged forth. Eleanor performed a backwards handspring, dodging the attempted grab. The hand raised, fingers spread, and slammed down. Eleanor jumped sideways, extending her legs then rolling over her shoulders, evading the mighty slam.
Back on her feet, Eleanor formed a large fiery mass while turning around, and threw it upon the entity's wrist (or neck, whichever term was most suitable). The flames seared the machinery, and the beast groaned. It then lifted itself off the ground and suddenly flailed its clenched hand sideways, Eleanor teleporting away, the fist smashing into the side of a building.
Ms. Lamb reappeared perhaps thirty feet away, near some flaming debris. She conjured her telekinesis, lifting several chunks of concrete and flaming debris, and hurling them at the serpentine machine with great force. The projectiles bounced off, but left some dents. Making a whirring noise, the mechanical construct realigned itself, fingers open, red light beaming.
"Hm. I may have to get a little creative," Eleanor remarked, trying to think of a way to defeat this beast. But, how could a mechanical entity be killed?
Eleanor cast her usual Big Sister fireballs, which violently exploded against the metal entity. The machine slithered toward Eleanor, clanking, and slammed into the ground. Unsurprisingly, Eleanor skipped away, and threw more fireballs at the damn thing.
Grabbing a handful of rubble, the machine spun around, throwing the rubble at Eleanor. She teleported a short distance, then unleashed an electrostatic discharge. Electrified, the machine vibrated wildly, each finger moving up and down at random intervals. Eleanor threw a few more fiery Plasmids at the metal beast, but nothing really seemed to happen.
"Just one eye… Like me," Eleanor whispered to herself, getting an idea.
Using her psykokinesis, she grasped a big chunk of concrete and threw it at the beast, though the machine just grabbed it and threw it back at Eleanor! She dove out of its way, rolling over the shoulders and getting back up, the machine sliding after her, glowing red eye skating side to side.
Rearing itself high into the air, the mechanical entity's red eye beamed upon Eleanor, fingers eagerly curling in and out. Eleanor lowered herself a bit, getting ready, having another idea. She walked backwards, stepping amongst scattered chunks of concrete, parked vehicles, and building rubble.
The machine extended its fingers and slammed down repeatedly while scanning for Eleanor, but she lowered and sprinted side to side with great grace and fluidity, always evading the beast's attacks. Behind her, debris fluttered and vehicles crushed by the machine's power.
"We both know I could do this all night," Eleanor remarked with a catty smile, and she continued evading its attacks, but was not teleporting away. She then slipped on the snowy ground, but still managed to dodge the next attack.
It was not long until the machine accidentally slammed its eye against a chunk of protrusive concrete, cracking the lens. Immediately, the machine stopped, rearing with a metallic groan. Eleanor quickly cast an electrical Plasmid at the beast, electrifying it on the spot. She then telekinetically hurled a big hunk of concrete. This time, it struck the beast's eye, and many cracks formed.
Irritated, and growling like a cranky engine, the machine clenched itself and started hammering with great vigour. Blinded by its own fingers, the machine's attacks were chaotic, Eleanor feeling the ground shake and her knees buckle. She teleported a short distance away, leaving the monster to attack the ground, then threw fireballs at it.
The metal monster turned, roaring like an engine, only to receive more projectiles. Setting itself down to shield its eye, the machine then stood up on its fingers, and crawled like a spider at Eleanor. She cast an electrobolt, stunning it with electricity, but since its palm was down, Eleanor had no way to damage its eye directly.
So, she telekinetically raised some rubble underneath the machine, most of which bounced off harmlessly. However, feeling the things hitting it, the machine paused. Then, suddenly, the machine lunged forth, extending its fingers and driving them like spears at Eleanor. She teleported, the metal monster slamming into the ground.
Eleanor reappeared above the machine, landing atop the back of its hand. Driving her hands into the lames, Eleanor unleashed fiery Plasmids directly into the beast's hull, the flames travelling inside it. The beast reared, throwing Eleanor off itself. She did a backflip mid-air and landed on the road.
"Damn, this thing doesn't give up easily. If only I could close that Tear or something…" Eleanor said to herself, but had no idea how to work Tears.
The machine turned, smoking a little, growling. Eleanor stunned it with electricity, then cast more fiery Plasmids at the entity, but then it suddenly dropped down to its first and middle fingers, other fingers curling inwards to cover its eye. It then walked with two fingers after Eleanor.
"While he can't see…" Eleanor remarked, then teleported atop the beast, running down the wrist and up the forearm.
Running towards the Tear, Eleanor tried to think of something. The Tear was just big enough to allow the beast to have slithered forth, but she could not possibly squeeze in. Suddenly, mechanical lengths whipped out the edge of the Tear, just like the ones Elizabeth encountered.
Eleanor summoned a ring of force, just like the ones Big Sisters used when affected by stunning or freezing. The ring of force splashed against the mechanical lengths, causing them to whip backwards. Eleanor teleported away, hearing the machine stepping after her on two fingers.
"Well, that didn't work," she remarked, then one of the mechanical lengths extended immensely, and flicked at her. She caught it, stopping it right before her face, seeing the hook on the end writhing. As several more mechanical things whipped at her, she teleported away.
Reappearing about fifty feet down the street, Eleanor was now behind the Tear. The machine U-turned, and continued walking after her, lightning flashing across the sky. Looking up, Eleanor could see man-sized spherical machines covered with mechanical lengths floating up above, somewhat reminiscent of a flying head with long metal hair or a robotic jellyfish.
"What are those, exactly?" Eleanor asked, but there was no reply, as usual. She focused back on the machine, stunning it with electricity then throwing fiery Plasmids at it. The overuse of Plasmids caused Eleanor to sweat and breathe heavily.
While being electrocuted, the machine's hand clenched, and shook vigorously. The hand opened, overextending its joints, and a Tear opened in front of the palm. Eleanor's eye widened as a train of monsters rushed out the Tear.
The monsters were huge and fleshy, skinless, without eyes, ears, noses, lips, or cheeks. They were just like the ones the Bookers and Elizabeths encountered, quickly crawling forth while growling or hissing. After ten fleshy monsters emerged, the new Tear closed.
The machine beamed its red light at Eleanor, its light making a high-pitched whirring noise. The ten fleshy monsters looked in the direction of the spotlight and charged.
"Ughh… What does it take to get rid of a sixteen-year-old girl?"
Eleanor immediately began throwing fireballs, igniting several within seconds. Despite being on fire, the fleshy monsters continued charging, making inhaling hisses and exhaling growls at every breath. A few leapt at Eleanor, extending their arms, claws protracting. She teleported to safety, harassing the monsters and the machine with her Plasmids.
The fleshy monsters started grabbing chunks of rubble and throwing them at Eleanor, but they could never hit her. She teleported again, reappearing up above, diving her feet into the back of a fleshy monster's neck, hearing it crack. Ramming the beast against the road, Eleanor unleashed a ring of anti-gravitational force just as many fleshy monsters dove at her from all directions, blasting them back.
Feeling the fleshy monster underfoot squirming, Eleanor raised a foot and gave the monster a powerful stomp into the back of the neck again, severing the spinal cord. It was now paralyzed neck down.
Eleanor hurled fireballs at the fleshy monsters and the incoming machine. She ignited more fleshy monsters, their skinless bodies sizzling, but they got up and charged again. The machine lunged its fingers forth, but Eleanor simply teleported away, and the mechanical entity struck the fleshy monsters it had summoned, knocking them down.
Eleanor reappeared atop a mound of rubble, tossing fireballs at her foes. Groaning, the machine grabbed several fleshy monsters and threw them at Eleanor, the beasts pawing as they flew. Teleporting yet again, Eleanor this time reappeared under the machine's hand, illuminated by its red light.
Eleanor stepped forth, and, with a brief shout, rammed her feast clean through the damaged lens. To her surprise, blood gushed forth, and an armful of veins popped out and dangled. The machine groaned, Eleanor stepping back as the hand clenched, then the machine began retracting back into the Tear it came from.
The nine remaining fleshy monsters stopped, many standing up and looking around. They felt the ground shake as the machine slid back into its Tear, some following it. Yet, they did not react to Eleanor, who stood still and held her breath. Even when two fleshy monsters crawled past her, they did nothing, oblivious to her. She furrowed her eyebrows as several others began crawling in random directions.
The machine went back into its Tear, most fleshy monsters going after it but still not reacting to Eleanor. However, about twenty lengths of machinery stuck out the Tear, slithering midair like floating snakes. The fleshy monsters then began extinguishing their flames, rubbing their bodies with rubble, snow and water.
They can't see me…hunh. Well, they don't have eyes to begin with. They must rely on other senses, or were guided by that hand's light, Eleanor thought to herself.
While the fleshy monsters were busy, Eleanor teleported away. She did not see that all of them had turned their heads in the direction of the purple light her Plasmid made. They seemed to sense Plasmid use. After reappearing down the road, Eleanor sprinted off. The fleshy monsters ran after her, howling, but already so far ahead, she quickly outran and lost them.
Morning approached. Although the rising sun could not be seen, sunlight still existed, and everything was dim instead of dark. It was still better than no improvement.
Nevertheless, Eleanor still had a bad feeling, and did not know why. It wasn't the strange machines hanging from the sky. It wasn't the monsters. It was something else, the same feeling she felt before the mechanical hand appeared.
Eleanor followed her instincts, and came upon a collapsed apartment building. Lightning flashed, thunder bellowed. She didn't know why, but Eleanor began digging into the ruins, using her Plasmids to remove masses of rubble. Her activity intensified, heart racing, forehead sweating. Eventually, she uncovered a small space. Eleanor knelt, then partly went into the opening.
"Oh, no! No, no, no, no, no! Please be alive, please…" Eleanor pleaded, lifting a tiny body in a fetal position from the rubble, holding it tightly against her chest. She dropped to both knees, and gently rested her down and slowly rocked the little body, already feeling her eyes getting wet.
Then, a little cough, Eleanor feeling dust puff over her face. Another little cough. Slowly exhaling, Eleanor's shoulders dropped, and she just embraced the little thing in her arms.
"E-El...Eleanor?" Cindy softly whimpered, slowly opening her eyes.
Eleanor looked down at Cindy, who slowly made a weak, dusty smile. Eleanor smiled back, eyes dripping. Cindy clutched the Big Daddy doll in her left hand, holding him against her chest. The little girl raised her right hand, arm shaking. Eleanor held the child tightly. Cindy curled her arm around Eleanor's neck, hugging her, and wept.
"Eleanor...I knew you'd come back for me," Cindy squeaked. "Little Daddy did, too."
Eleanor snuffled, slowly taking a deep breath.
"D-D-Don't cry, Eleanor. I...I'm here," Cindy comforted, patting Eleanor's back. "Little Daddy's here for you, too."
"Yes… And we have each other."
"Eleanor? Where's mommy?" Cindy asked. Eleanor's heart sank.
"Come on, Cindy, let's go find Mother," Eleanor softly spoke, then carried Cindy down the street, warm tears and cold snowflakes accompanying them.
Eleanor walked on and on, head low, Cindy asleep in her arms, Little Daddy resting on her chest. A sudden gunshot caused Eleanor to duck, Cindy gasping awake, clutching her doll with both hands. Running across the street, Eleanor took cover behind a destroyed car, overhearing more gunfire as well as growling and hissing.
Peeking around the vehicle, Eleanor could see silhouettes of around twenty monsters darting up the road, crawling over parked vehicles, but they were shot down in a crossfire. Undoubtedly, gunmen had taken position within the ruins. Once most of the fleshy monsters hit the ground, snipers shot their heads, finishing them off.
"'N dat's awl a dem?" someone asked aloud, his voice echoing from somewhere.
"Sumbudy oughta check 'em out, make sure nothin's left alive," an African-American voice echoed from somewhere else.
"Hey! I need help! I have a child!" Eleanor called, getting up and going up the street. Soon, she was greeted by a dozen armed men, most of them wearing red veils, but some only wore semi-formal attire. Vox Populi rebels?
Cindy stared back, confused and scared.
"'N what we 'ave 'ere? Ye better get movin' ta uptown, fast, get that little girl to safety. The Family's takin' refugees. Just go up 9th Avenue till ya see Central Park on yer right, ye can't miss it," a man in a tweedy brown suit instructed. He wasn't wearing a red veil, or any red at all, but was armed with a Tommy gun.
A few men poked the dead fleshy monsters with their feet, then distant roaring and howling echoed from afar. The men looked spooked, but ready to fight. Thunder rumbled, and the winds increased, making everything worse.
"Get goin', girlie! Whatever's goin' on, ain't no place for kids!" a native New Yorker warned. Eleanor nodded, and moved on.
"Alright, ya'll! Ain't no lollygaggin! Everyone back into positions!" an African-American Vox rebel shouted, and he and the others did so.
Eleanor headed toward Central Park, occasionally hearing the echoes of gunfire here and there. She also saw a Vox ship that had crashed into the side of a skyscraper, and a Founder airship that crash landed into one of the smaller streets.
"Eleanor?" Cindy chirped.
"Yes?"
"What happened to your eye?" the child asked. Eleanor hesitated. She didn't want to give any more stress to Cindy, so...
"Oh, I'm afraid I've lost it."
Later, Eleanor heard crunching and grunting sounds in the darkness. Soon, she could see silhouettes of fleshy monsters along the sidewalk. They were eating corpses, both of people and other fleshy monsters. Seemed like a Vox patrol fell victim to the monsters.
Huh. They are also cannibals, Eleanor thought to herself, feeling Cindy squirm.
"Eleanor!" Cindy whimpered, clutching Eleanor tightly.
"Shh… I know what to do," Eleanor comforted. Her psykokinesis kicked in, grasping a car door and repeatedly opening and slamming it. Instantly, several fleshy monsters looked at Eleanor's direction, but then sprang up and charged the car, growling and hissing. One of them dove into the car, clawing angrily, the others crawling around.
While the monsters were distracted by the noise, Eleanor used her telekinesis to grab a carbine, and pull it into her hand. She sneaked into the darkness, then sprinted away.
After navigating through the labyrinth of ruinous destruction, Eleanor could see Central Park up ahead. The trees and lakes were quite a contrast to the concrete jungle, and the park itself was a reasonable makeshift getaway from anyone who survived the chaos.
A small number of Vox ships had landed in Central Park, but a number of smaller ships were entwined by the hanging machinery, providing a surreal appearance. Many hanging machinery swayed or curled to and fro on their own, illuminated by flashes of lightning, clinking in the air like some sort of malevolent cacophony. Everything looked like some sort of sci fi horror film no one had ever seen.
Eleanor's thoughts came to an end when she heard occasional shaking. The ground shook every two seconds, and Eleanor looked at a crooked stop sign wiggle.
"Sounds like something big is coming…" Cindy warned, and then the girls heard rapid footfall.
Turning around again, Eleanor saw several fleshy monsters sprinting at her, this time, all of them on their feet. Holding Cindy tight, Eleanor fired her carbine in one hand, shooting into one beast's head three times, but it continued running. So, she another's shin three times, and it hit the ground rolling over. She emptied the remaining bullets into the other beasts, hearing the bullets wetly thud into their bodies, but other than grunting, they seemed untroubled.
Eleanor dropped her carbine and cast an electrobolt, stunning a few monsters, and the inability to suddenly use their limbs caused them to hit the pavement. The remaining fleshy monsters were met by fiery Plasmids, but they continued charging, hissing and howling from pain.
"Hold on tight, Cindy!" Eleanor yelled, hugging the child in her arms tightly, then sprinted off, pursued by the loud, noisy monsters. Eleanor could have teleported, but was unsure if Cindy would teleport with her, and did not want to take the risk.
Eleanor ran past the last pair of skyscrapers, darting into Central Park, the fleshy monsters hot on her heels, save their flames died out.
"Ugh! I can hear them breathe!" Eleanor exclaimed, not wanting to look back, but having a feeling that the fleshy monsters could run faster than she.
"And I can even smell their bad breath! Yuck!" Cindy whined.
To Eleanor's surprise, a flock of crows suddenly flew against her, feeling their talons and wings scratch her skin. The fleshy monsters began growling louder, and then gunfire and shouting echoed from the treetops.
"Feast on their flesh," someone stated.
The fleshy monsters, numbering six, began pawing at the air, the supernatural crows feasting on their skinless bodies. Nevertheless, the fleshy monsters writhed forth, crawling after Eleanor while bullets thudded against their bodies. She spun around, seeing a Vox Zealot walk out the darkness and start swinging his sword at the monsters, looking calm and fluid.
Eleanor threw a fireball at a fleshy monster, but it reared in flames, bringing its claws and jaws towards her. She push kicked it in the jaw then leaned backwards to avoid its claws. Her kicked staggered the monster, and then Eleanor had no choice but to scram right before the other monsters encircled her.
The gunners in the trees kept shooting until they had to reload, a few fleshy monsters jumping on various trees and climbing up, their weight shaking or breaking branches. The Vox in the trees resorted to clubbing the beasts in the face and hands to prevent the monsters from reaching them.
"My penance is revelation. Your penance will be food for the crows. All you abominations shall die! Your prophet of hell will not succeed this time!" the Zealot assured, chopping up the fleshy monsters with great vigour, but his sword and murderous crows only made flesh wounds.
A few monsters swiped their huge claws at him, but he ducked or skipped, and continued swordplay. He sometimes spun around so that his coffin took the force of impact, using it as a shield. Occasionally teleporting with his crows prevented him from being grabbed, and he even dismembered one fleshy monster and beheaded another.
The Zealot's blade and birds did some damage, and he cleft one beast's skull down to its jaw, splitting its head asunder. Despite having a split head, the fleshy monster dove into the Zealot, taking him down to the ground but pinning him against the coffin on his back. The Zealot sat up, driving his sword into the fleshy monster, then kicking at it, but being tied to a coffin prevented him from getting up.
The fleshy monster buried its clawed hands into the Zealot's shoulder and thigh, the man groaning aloud. The monster then sunk its teeth into the Zealot's side, then jerked its head sideways, ripping the Zealot's belly open. The Zealot's intestines slipped out, blood leaking out his hooded mouth as the monster chewed on a mouthful of guts. His crows swarmed the fleshy monster, biting small chunks of flesh until its spine and ribs were visible, but the beast continued chewing on mouthfuls of guts.
Another fleshy monster jumped around then began gnawing on the Zealot's head, teeth cracking his skull. The fleshy monsters did not actually kill their prey, they just dug in and ate them alive, exactly what was happening to the Zealot! Upon finally dying, the Zealot's murderous crows dissipated.
Additional men ran to the scene, armed with various guns, and opened fire at the fleshy monsters. The mix of Vox rebels, armed citizenry, and even a few police officers gunned down the fleshy monsters. The beasts in the trees were soon shot down from them, and gunned dead.
One of the fleshy monsters suddenly stood up and charged Eleanor, and she ran around a tree just as a Tommy gun unloaded. After twenty rounds, the beast flopped over, hitting its skull against the pavement, and expired. Eleanor sighed with relief, walking out from behind the tree.
"Those big fuckers are getting smarter," one of the armed citizens remarked.
"Dey got Samuel, ripped 'is guts out," a Vox sniper remarked.
"Eh, anyone be feelin' dat?" one of the citizens asked, and something clicked in Eleanor's head.
"Feelin' what?" a Vox rebel asked.
"Deh ground. It's shakin'. Can't be anytihn' good," the citizen remarked, then saw Eleanor walk to him. Eleanor's eyes brightened up, her eyebrows raised, and she slowly grinned. Cindy turned her head, looking at the citizen, befuddled.
"Oh my God, it's… Cathal...is that you?" Eleanor asked, feeling her heart jumping with joy. There was no mistaking Amber-eyes' amber eyes and his sexy face. He looked really good holding a smoking Tommy gun, all the better it was he who shot dead the monster that went after Eleanor moments ago.
"Hm? Oh, ey Eleanor. Fancy meetin' ye all de way out 'ere! Good t'ing I gunned down dat fookher b'fore he got ya," Cathal remarked, quite surprised, but pleased to see an old friend.
"Ha! Yeah, you saved me. Thank you, thank you for that. Good thing you were here," Eleanor remarked, noticing Cathal tilt his head, eyebrows furrowed. There better not be another sexual innuendo…
"Whut happened to yer oi?" Cathal asked, Eleanor needing a second to figure out what he was asking.
"Oh, my eye, yeah… Got shot in the face, lost an eye. Bad luck," Eleanor replied, Cindy looking up at her.
"I never knew ye had a kid. Ye a single ma?" Cathal asked, giving Cindy a little smile, Cindy smiling back. "Single ma's sure travel real far just to get some dick."
Ugh… I knew it…
"Nnno, Cathal," Eleanor said slowly, eyes narrowing, "I'm not a single mother. This is Cindy, who is… I view her as my little sister. My father saved her, so when I found her buried alive, I had to help."
"Oh, ya, yer a saint fer sure. But ya still want some dick, I can see it in yer eyes. Yer just dyin' fer it so much, how else d'ye 'ave such big oiz?" Cathal teased.
Eleanor tried to hold in a chuckle, but it escaped her lips, and she blushed a little. If it could ever happen, she'd love the chance for Cathal to just absolutely fuck her brains out until she couldn't move. Her crotch tingled at that thought, and her body warmed up.
Cindy looked up at Eleanor with a cranky face. It was as if Eleanor completely forgot about the girl.
"Eleanor, I can walk now," Cindy said.
"Hm? Oh, right, yes, here you go," Eleanor put Cindy down. The shaking Eleanor had felt was no longer present.
"Anyways, I tihnk I better take ye ta de refugee camps. Actually, nah, I know a better place just fer girls. Least I could do, n' I'd like ta check on Aideen. C'mon," Cathal said, slinging his gun over the shoulder. The girls followed him.
As they walked, Cindy held Eleanor's hand, Little Daddy in the kid's other hand. Eleanor looked around. The makeshift camps were full of destitute people. Mothers and children huddled and wept, injured people groaned, and even a number of hippies doing psychedelic drugs were present from whatever love-in they were part of. The most seriously injured people were cramped in the various buildings and structures throughout the park.
About half the people kept staring up into the surreal sky, like lost, frightened sheep, not knowing what was going on, though some hippies seemed to think they beheld a god in the storm.
What Eleanor found odd was the scent of roses. She could not pinpoint where the smell came from, but it was nice, reminded her of her brutal childhood.
"Eleanor! Look!" Cindy squealed, letting go of Eleanor pointing at a carousel. "Look! I bet you'd love to ride one of the horsies!"
"Heh heh! I was just imagining ye on one a 'em," Cathal remarked, Eleanor chuckling.
Along the walk, Eleanor saw some buildings, sculptures, bridges, and monuments, even the occasional Vox airship here and there. It was quite a beautiful place, even with the darkness and hanging machinery in the sky.
Eleanor saw a large group of Vox insurgents equipping citizenry with various guns, and showing them how to use them. Nearby, a dainty, cute African-American woman was speaking to several Vox Beasts. She held a carbine.
"...Conor, Greg, Oisin, ya'll take the regiment ta reinforce McCarthy and Jones up north. They gotta get that Handyman fixed before the horde comes. They be sayin' that somethin' huge is also headed towards us. I'll get the ships airborne soon. We'll bombard the horde before it reaches the park," the dainty black woman instructed.
"Ya really gonna do that, Daisy? Even with Songbird and those danglin' machinery?" an African-American Vox Beast asked.
"Well, hell ya! We ain't got any other choice! Either we risk everythin', or lose everythin', includin' our lives."
"I told ya not ta trust dat creepy Michael guy. He sure got us out from whatever world we entered, and we shot the Founders out of the sky, but this world sure ain't ours, either. We destroyed Columbia to save the city, and fer what? Now, machines are hangin' from de sky and shredded most of us! Michael hasn't even shown his face," an Irish Beast complained.
"You're right, but there's nothin' we can do now. I don't know what's goin' on, but when we find Michael again, we get our answers, or we'll take his head," Daisy promised with some irritation. She noticed Eleanor, Cathal and Cindy walking past, Eleanor making eye contact with Daisy for a moment, but neither said anything to one another.
"Alright, let's move out! Them meaty monsters ain't havin' me for dinner tonight!" Daisy exclaimed, gripping her carbine, then she and the Beasts parted ways.
Eventually, Cathal took the girls to the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater. Inside were wounded children, and some young women, nursing students, tending the little ones. The sights reminded Eleanor of Little Sisters back in Rapture.
Cindy waddled to a group of bandaged girls, playing
"How's t'ings?" Cathal asked, approaching a young woman with brown hair, green eyes, and noticeable curves. She was kneeling and tending some children lying in makeshift beds. She stood up, smiled at Cathal, and then he leaned forwards and kissed her, giving her butt a little squeeze.
Eleanor made a little smile. The woman he kissed was Aideen, the quiet girl Eleanor met at the pub back in Sligo. If she was kissing Cathal, she no longer could be Patrick's girlfriend. Although Eleanor's face did not show it, she was rather hurt by what she just saw, but at the same time, also relieved.
"Cathal, what about Barry, Cindy, and Patrick?" Eleanor asked once Cathal and Aideen finished their little romance.
"Patrick...didn't make it. Ne'er seen Barry 'r Cindy since...whatever da hell's goin' on." Cathal replied. Aideen looked sad.
"It's goin' ta get worse, before it gets better," Aideen remarked with a nervous chuckle.
"But, dis place 'ere is just fer girls, ya'll be safe," Cathal said.
"Good, thank you, Cathal." Eleanor turned to Cindy, "You'll be safe here, Cindy."
"Nuh-uh!" Cindy objected, "I don't wanna be anywhere but with you!" Cindy held up Little Daddy before Eleanor, "Little Daddy wants the same! See?"
Eleanor was about to talk sense into the child, but a massive wail echoed throughout the night sky. She immediately darted out the cottage to see what was going on. Panic spread throughout most of the park, various people yelling in fear and running off in random directions or holding their families.
Up in the sky, Eleanor could see the silhouette of a huge flying thing, aggressively writhing through the hanging machinery, eyes glowing red.
"What de foohk is dat?" Cathal asked aloud as he ran out the cottage. Aideen also stepped out, as did many startled children, Cindy waddling past them.
"Songbird…" Eleanor whispered. "If I follow him, I'll find Zachary and the others."
"Eleanor!" Cindy screamed, Eleanor spinning around, beholding a grumpy child. "You're not leaving without me."
"Very well." Eleanor held Cindy's hand, and they walked away.
"Eh! Eleanor! Where ya goin'?" Cathal called, rather confused. Eleanor stopped, looking back at Cathal, Aideen, and the injured children.
"We can't stay," Eleanor replied, dropping her shoulders. "And, Cathal… I guess it's time I finally show you what I really am."
Eleanor raised her free arm and threw a large fireball up in the air, where it exploded harmlessly. Keeping her palm up, she cast an electrobolt to the skies. She then conjured a mix set of Plasmids, flames, electricity, and purple psychokinesis floating above her hand.
Cathal, Aideen and the children stepped back from the Plasmids, but Cindy did not really care.
"I am not really human," Eleanor admitted, then extinguished her Plasmids.
Cathal remained confused, Aideen covering her mouth and totally dumbstruck. Amber-eyes just looked back at Eleanor, and nodded.
"A'right. Ye do yer t'ing, Eleanor. Godspeed."
Eleanor nodded, then walked away with Cindy. It was not long until Songbird's wailing returned, echoing down the streets of the ruined city.
"I'll have to carry you to ran after Songbird," Eleanor said, so Cindy lifted her arms. Eleanor picked her up.
"Hold on, Little Daddy, we're going for a ride!" Cindy warned her doll, making herself comfortable in Eleanor's arms. Cindy's big sister then sprinted after Songbird.