Orthosilicic 2.2

(Terry Hess)

February 24, 2011

Terry was shelving DVDs in the back of the local Walmart when he got a phone call.

He wasn't supposed to answer it while he was working, but when he saw the number, he dashed inside, waved to his boss, and told him "Family problems," which got him a nod.

His boss wasn't a bad dude, having given him a job even though he hadn't had much work experience, and allowing him to keep it after he had gained a 'skin condition' during his time off.

After his little excursion to the farmhouse, he had to wear darker clothes and hoodies to stop the sunlight from glinting off his skin.

His new skin.

Having to hide himself in public really pissed him off, as even though the largest crystals could be pulled inside his body, his skin still had a purplish sheen to it.

So as long as he wore a bright blue hoodie, and stuck out of sight of the customers unless necessary, he could keep his job stocking shelves from 7 to 4.

Which was currently being interrupted by his sister, who should be at school still.

"What's up this time Soph?"

"Mom won't answer her cell phone."

"It's happened before, she might have just forgotten to charge it…"

"No, I plugged it in for her last night when I came home. But that's not what I calling you for."

"Oh, and why's that?" He replied with a bite to his tone

He hadn't been happy to find out his sister hadn't been in a fight club at Arcadia, and was instead an ex-vigilante who was now a part of the Wards. Getting his arm bolted to the wall and being called an imposter wasn't nice either, but the pure disgust that showed up on Sophia's face after he explained to her that he was trying to protect her was…

Disturbing.

She'd then ripped the bolt from him, leaving him cringing on the floor as she stalked off, grabbed her backpack, and went through the window.

She was Shadow Stalker, the scariest Ward, who was rumored to have been forced to become one after leaving criminals pinned to walls.

Terry wouldn't have believed the reports if she hadn't done it to him.

And he hadn't seen her in person since that night.

"The E88 members in school are talking about how they're moving in near our house this afternoon, and I can't leave school."

"You want me to make sure mom's alright?"

"No, I want you to make sure Sasha's alright."

Their little sister. Huh.

At least she cares for some of their little messed-up family.

"I get off in about an hour. I can't miss any more work, Soph."

"I know you have a mover power Terry, just use that."

"How did you…"

"You stopped using your car."

Terry fumed, pacing back and forth as he thought it over.

"You owe me if I lose my job, Soph."

"Fine, just make sure Sasha's alright." The click sounded the end of the call.

Terry leaned against the wall and looked up at the nearest building, sighing as he thought of the best route home.

The pop of his disappearance was the only sign that'd he'd been there at all.

As he appeared behind a tree in his backyard, he noticed something was wrong immediately.

The back door was gone.

Well, not gone, but inside the house, on the floor.

Terry shed his jacket and grew out his crystals, prepared to take on anything as he teleported inside.

It was a mess, but quiet.

There weren't any sounds coming from Sasha's room either… Wait…

A whimper.

He slammed open the door to her room and took in the sight.

His mother was lying on the ground with one arm and both legs clearly broken. Her face was bruised almost beyond recognition, eyes swelled over and teeth missing as she opened her mouth.

"N-no more… please…"

"Mom!" Terry rushed over to her to do… something!

"Terry? Is that… you, Terry? Are they… gone?" She seemed to sag in relief as he held her only unharmed hand.

"It's okay mom, I got you. Where's Sasha? Did the Empire take her?"

"No, they… didn't check under the dirty clothes… in my closet, they just…" She started to bawl, and he put a one of Sasha's toys under her head for support.

"I'm going to check on Sasha then call the cops, alright mom?"

"I'll just… lie… here…" She faded off, either passing out or falling asleep.

Terry dashed off to his mom's room to get his little sister, only to stop outside the doorframe.

There was a body on the bed.

It was his mom's… er… ex-boyfriend now. His throat was cut, along with his wrists, and he was missing his nails on his feet and hands. The words 'Race traitor' were carved into his chest, knife deep, and Terry was glad, for once, that he didn't need to eat anymore.

Terry opened the closet while holding his elbow over his nose, and dug up the dirty clothes pile, throwing a bag of some drug in the other corner.

She was thankfully breathing, but asleep.

He sighed in relief as he picked her up, cradling her in his arms as he retracted his crystals.

The threat was gone, for now, and he had to call the cops.

His mom was laying on the floor of Sasha's room in pain because of the color of her skin, and a man was dead because of her.

One of the good boyfriends too, with an actual job and no addictions.

He had liked this boyfriend for once, and now he was dead.

Terry was going to have words with the Empire.

Sasha woke with a start as he was typing in his phone, and burped in his face, crying after a few seconds of pause.

After he feed Sasha…

March 4, 2011

'The rain would have been much more annoying if I weren't made of crystal.' Terry thought to himself as he darted around on the tops of skyscrapers deep in Empire territory.

When he had first gotten his powers, he originally had planned to follow his sister around and stop her from getting into trouble, but that plan went down the toilet when he'd discovered her identity as a ruthless cape that was somehow working for the government. He'd contemplated joining the Protectorate for a bit before realizing that he might be watched a little too closely for his likings due to his sister's vigilante career.

Now, he was following her footsteps, albeit without the excessive violence.

After the incident with the Empire, he wasn't fired from his job at Walmart, but he was fired from his job as a security guard at a local club for showing up late after staying to talk to the cops.

Which meant he had to find another source of income, with him mom still in the hospital and Sasha staying at his neighbor's house during the day.

This lead to where he was now. Robbing E88 members of their wallets.

He didn't feel ready enough to take on any big leagues, but the small mooks he could take. If he wanted to take on anyone of significant power, like a cape, he needed someone to watch his back.

His thoughts were stopped by a green figure flying past his vision, far faster than he'd seen many other capes move before. The cape seemed to be spraying something out behind him, (water maybe?) and was peeking into alleys as he passed over them.

'Looking for trouble, hmm?' Terry mused as he teleported towards the building the cape was currently hovering over, several blocks over.

He'd stopped, much to Terry's relief, and had darted down to the roof he was hovering over a few seconds earlier. Terry briefly looked around to find out what spooked the cape, eventually spotting the glowing light of Glory Girl rising over North Bay Hospital, carrying a white figure, Panacea, in her arms.

'Scared of heroes? Or just trying to stay unnoticed?' Terry thought as he saw the green cape peek out over the air conditioning unit he was hiding behind.

Just as Terry arrived at the building the cape was hiding on, the cape took off, blasting away at a speed he'd have trouble keeping up with even with his teleportation power.

Terry sighed, and followed after the green figure who was fading into the distance.

'I really hope he'll help me out.'

Four minutes later, after a tiring dash across most of the Empire's territory, he finally caught up to the green colored cape, who was currently beating the shit out of some skinheads in an alley. He paused after the mooks quit moving, and stopped to bend over and checking the pulse of the downed racist, which thankfully meant that he wasn't a violent psychopath like his sister.

The green cape stood up and nodded after tying the two skinheads' hands together with something, probably zip ties, at the same time grabbing a phone from the downed drug dealer.

Terry waited until he finished his call with the cops to teleport to the roof of the thrift shop the cape was next to.

He startled as Terry 'popped' in above him, and Terry had to pause to catch his breath after the long distance trip from across two streets.

"You need… to slow… the fuck… down…" Terry spoke after gathering most of his breath.

The green cape, now resembling an odd fish as he looked closer, was wearing body armor and a dark green backpack, looking oddly professional for a new cape.

At least, he thought the cape was new. He hadn't heard of a fish cape before.

There was something familiar about him though, but he couldn't place it.

The cape held up his hands when he approached, but lowered them as Terry rose his in the classic 'I surrender' pose.

"Whoa, man, not looking for a fight. All I'm doing is looking for a quick talk, and them I'm outta your hair."

He could feel the glare coming from her goggles.

"I'm not a man," She started off "But we can't talk here, the police will get here soon. Can your teleporting get up a building?"

Terry cursed in his mind. Shesounded young, and very clearly pissed.

He remembered his sister sounding that pissed, and shivered in fear.

He did not want to piss off a teenage girl.

"Oh, shit sorry. Yeah it can, but it takes some effort the further away it is. Can it be that one there? That's all I can make around here." He pointed to the building he had come from earlier.

"Sure, meet you there." She said, taking off towards the tower, leaving him behind covered in the spray of her water.

'I really hope this is water.' He thought as he replied "Cool see you there."

He doubted she could hear him.

"Real great first impression, Terry. Call a teenage girl a man. Great going."

He sighed again and popped up to the skyscraper.

She was waiting, holding her arms and very clearly tense, as if waiting for an attack.

"Uh, yeah, not looking for a fight, miss, just want to ask if you're a hero or villain before I continue."

She was mad again, he could see it in her stance.

"Of course I'm a hero! You saw me attacking Nazis!"

"Sheesh, sorry, didn't mean to offend. I've seen some villains attack other villains before though." He paused. "What's your name anyway? I can't just keep calling you green girl in my head."

He almost didn't hear her mumble her first response "Not green man?"

"I know, I sorry, you're just kinda…"

The glare was back.

"Erm, never mind."

"It's Fish."

"Fish? How is that not taken?"

She seemed to brighten up a bit as he left the topic of her gender behind him.

"I know right? I guess most people overlooked it because they thought someone else had it, but I checked, and no one has ever done anything close to the name!" She responded excitedly.

"Right, I go by Crystal when I'm out raiding the Empire, and I…"

"Crystal? And you were shocked by Fish?"

"No clue, I was shocked to find out the closest thing to it was that girl Laserdream, in New Wave. It's her real name."

"Wow." She paused, as if realized something "So why did you want to talk to me here?" She seemed to be suspicious again.

"I needed to ask if you were a hero, because I saw you hide from Glory Girl, and now that I know, I need to ask a favor of you." At her stare, he continued "It's mutually beneficial, I assure you. I need help raiding an Empire drug house, because I can't do it alone."

She was tense, and asked "You were following me?"

"I was trying to catch up, but you went way too fast for me. I was only able to talk to you because you stopped to make sure that drug dealer was fine."

She seemed to hear something in my voice "Why wouldn't I stop to make sure he was fine? I don't want to kill the guy!"

Terry laughed at her indignation "Of course not, and that's why I want your help."

He was really happy she wasn't like his sister.

That reminded him…

"Hey, have you ever known anyone who you thought was nice, but ended up being a complete bitch?"

Fish's stare, and following giggles, were comforting.

Maybe this would work?