A S T O R I A

Let the melody save me, Astoria. The quid pro quos that we'll compose from esoteric to common prose. A S T O R I A Multi-muse blog for WOTNA HQ. MUSES KARA BROOKES • 28 • Hydrokinesis • Civilian FINN WINCHESTER • 28 • Teleportation / Enhanced Agility • Hero Squad KADEN VALENTINE • 33 • Super Soldier • C.A.R.M.A Second in Command MANNY HENDERSON • 28 • Psionic-Ergokinesis • C.A.R.M.A Field Agent JADEN HARKNESS • 27 • Omni-Magic • Pride of the Nephilim CADENCE STARK • 32 • H.A.M.E.R • Runner • Assistant District Attorney

[rynnthehuman-deactivated2022052]

@xastcriiax​ Manny

All in all, Hayden was very happy with the choices she made in the last few years. Even though she could not remember them. She was still somewhat of a workaholic though her personal life seemed to be taking more of a priority for her. There was a new house, a new puppy, and close friends that she never would have considered before. Most of all, she and Manny were engaged. Hayden could not say she had never thought about marrying him before, but it had certainly never been a priority. As long as they were together, she was happy. This was certainly a welcome surprise. 

Nothing had really changed at her office and Hayden tried to spend most of the first day getting herself caught up on the work CARMA had done. It looked like she almost had the permanent Power Pill solution figured out. For some reason, she was so hungry. She had eaten through the food she brought with her for breakfast and lunch and then was searching through her drawers for snacks. After she’d eaten all of those she wandered to the cafeteria while reading her tablet. Immediately after walking in the doors she felt her stomach lurch. She didn’t know what they had made but it stunk and was making her nauseous. Hayden could not make it to the bathroom fast enough and she was sick. 

In the years that she had worked for CARMA, she had never taken a sick day. This day, however, she mumbled a hasty excuse to her assistant before practically running out the doors. She needed to make it home before Manny. That’s where he found her later that night. Sitting on the floor of their bathroom with a pregnancy test in her lap and a look of shock on her face. It took her a moment before her eyes focused on him and she smiled sheepishly.

“Never know what the future holds I guess.”

[xastcriiax]

If there had ever been a time where Manny could have really used his powers, it would have been now. There was a moment of shock waking up in a strange bed, strange room, strange puppy. The first thing he did was reach for his phone, as he always did when he woke up. Squinting, he stared at the date on the home screen, wondering if he was still dreaming or what. Had he really slept through five years of his life? It took him a second to remember the whole time travel experiment C.A.R.M.A had planned. He hadn’t volunteered to take part, still on leave of absence while he recovered from the whole H.A.M.E.R debacle. 

A search through his phone revealed a lot about his future in the next five years. He and Hayden were engaged – no surprise, since he’d been planning on that for a while – and they’d obviously moved into a house with a second dog. He’d also gotten back into the field in C.A.R.M.A...which was where he probably should be at this moment. Quickly, he got dressed and showered and made his way to C.A.R.M.A’s base. 

C.A.R.M.A HQ in the future held a lot more answers to his future than his home. He still didn’t have his powers, but apparently he still made a decent agent. C.A.R.M.A had a temporary fix for that. He found the power pills in his locker with a sticky note attached to it that said “DO NOT TAKE, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!” written in Sharpie. Deciding to trust his future self, he left the pills in his locker. 

Not wanting to get himself killed in the field with his present day skills, Manny somehow avoided any missions in the field and focused on discovering more about the future of Pansaw. He wasn’t shocked to see H.A.M.E.R was in the lead after everything, though he was pleasantly surprised to see a return from the Rebel Army. And they were working with C.A.R.M.A and the Hero Squad? Funny how a group of humans drew a bigger alliance from the major leagues of Pansaw than the Nephilim could have. Had H.A.M.E.R really grown that much? 

Finally, Manny returned home and just admired the whole white picket fence aesthetic he would one day (hopefully) live out with the woman of his dreams. Despite everything going on in the world and his powers still gone, this seemed like a pretty perfect life. And it just got all the more perfect when he found his fiancée sitting in the bathroom holding a positive pregnancy test. Manny’s whole face lit up with an excited smile, his eyes welling with tears. “Get out,” he said, laughing joyously as he joined Hayden on the floor, “We’re going to be parents?” He let out another short breath of laughter. “Man, I can’t wait for this day in five years.” 

[fearlessonthecoast]

ashleybenson: 🖤 @vanityfairitalia

[rynnthehuman-deactivated2022052]

@xastcriiax​ Kara

Hayden had been having a really good dream but it was interrupted by the sound of a child crying. She groaned loudly thinking either she or Manny had left the TV on. When she reached for him she realized she was actually sleeping on the couch. When she opened her eyes, however, it was not her couch. This was not her place at all and she did not recognize it. It was not like her to sleep in random places while still wearing her clothes and using her jacket as a blanket. She looked around shocked. As she rolled over a book fell off of her and she reached to pick it up. It was a catalog of floral arrangements. Centerpieces, bouquets, Boutonnieres. The hand she picked it up with had a very beautiful engagement ring on it that she didn’t recognize. On the table next to her was a wide variety of fabric swatches in different creams and pinks. There was a plate with a few small pieces of cake that were half eaten and a stack of what looked like menus. And on the other side of the table, was Kara Brookes. 

“Kara?” Hayden exclaimed. The two of them had been friendly in the last few years but certainly not to the point of sleeping in a random place together. She frantically pulled out her phone to call Manny but the date caught her attention first. She slapped her forehead and groaned. It had been on the agenda for CARMA to test some time warping technology but it was intended for a few agents and scientists, not everyone. Clearly the calculations had been off. 

“Well,” Hayden sighed while still listening to a child she did not know cry, “Here we go again. Another day in Pansaw.”

[xastcriiax]

Kara had not at all been prepared to wake up on her living room couch with Hayden Rees-Smith in her home. She woke with a start, looking somewhat dazed as she looked around to gather her bearings. No, this was definitely her house. And that was definitely the Head of Research on the couch across from her. And that was...was that a baby crying upstairs? 

“This is...so weird,” was all she could say, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She definitely remembered falling asleep in bed with her fiancé last night. A quick glance at her hand showed her engagement ring had been swapped for a wedding band. She squinted at it, turning her hand over like she might find the engagement diamond on the other side. Surely she would have remembered her own wedding. “Hayden, what the hell is...” she trailed off, finding a row of photographs she’d never seen before on a table. Slowly, she walked over to them to investigate, momentarily distracted from the wailing coming from the second floor.

Some were pictures of her family and Connor’s family that she recognized. There was one of her and Connor clearly on their wedding day looking more than thrilled. There was a picture of herself, Alice and Deidra at the beach. A familiar engagement photo from a shoot she remembered doing only a week ago. She sucked in a breath as her gaze continued moving for the photos, seeing images of herself and Connor holding two kids – a little girl with brown curls and dark eyes, and a baby boy with light hair. These didn’t appear to be cousins or nieces or nephews; these looked like their kids. But how could that be when she couldn’t even remember a pregnancy? 

“Hayden...” she said slowly, picking up a framed image of herself, Connor, and the unknown baby boy inside what appeared to be a church. It had to be a christening ceremony, Kara deduced. There besides the lucky parents were none other than Hayden and Manny, both couples looking very happy and not at all like their present day selves. They each looked older, different...which led her to believe...it couldn’t be, could it? The hydrokinetic turned back towards the other woman, holding up the photo. “What year is it?” she asked, hoping the researcher might have a clue what was going on here. 

[juney-mooney-deactivated2022052]

@xastcriiax​ Jaden

Mari had a slight advantage over the rest of Pansaw right now. She had already woken up to a life she didn’t remember once so doing it again wasn’t that much of a shock. At least this time she woke up in a space that seemed to be her own with lots of clues around her to bring her up to speed. Pictures, notes, her phone. She spent hours reviewing things and calmly went about her business as if nothing had changed. It helped that she woke up next to Fabi. Future me has good taste, she thought as she kissed the woman’s forehead. 

Later in the day, she ended up in what seemed to be her office one floor below the loft apartment she apparently shared with Fabi and one floor above what seemed to be a very popular club. She remembered the coup she staged with Jaden to take over the Triad presence in Pansaw, they must have been successful. She grinned as she went through the computer on the desk. They had been very successful. 

After satisfying herself with her business operations, Mari went to a cabinet on the wall that looked like it might hold some liquor. She opened the doors and almost immediately dropped to her knees. It was a memorial. All of the Nephilim they must have lost over the last few years, including Jett. She knelt there on the floor for quite some time until she felt someone come up behind her.

“Some leader I am, letting them all die,” she sniffed, realizing finally that she had been crying the whole time. “Should have been me instead.”

[xastcriiax]

Jaden woke up that morning in her bed wrapped up in Hunter. That wasn’t so odd considering the two of them had been spending a lot of time together since he’d lost his powers. With a bit of effort, she pulled herself out of bed to brush her teeth and relieve herself for the morning. One glance in the bathroom mirror had the magician gasping and staring at herself in shock. “What the hell...” she murmured. This was not what she looked like when she went to bed last night. Her cute little bob had grown just past her shoulders. She cocked her head, brushing her fingers over the two raised red lines of a scar on her cheek. She hadn’t gone out last night...

Immediately Jaden rushed back out into her bedroom, quietly scrambling through papers and news clippings haphazardly scattered on her desk until she found something with a date. Her eyes widened. 2051. “No fucking way.” Five years? Slowly, she went through the rest of the papers and stuff on her desk. There was an invoice from someone for Wicked Investigations; good to know that business worked out with Avalon and Scarlett starting out in late 2045. She smiled to herself until she found another piece of a paper. A letter, more specifically, addressed to her from Jett a few months ago. Her joy faded into sorrow as her eyes scanned the page, one hand coming over her mouth with a shocked gasp. She couldn’t believe he was dead. She slowly put the letter down and wiped at her eyes before getting dressed, moving on tiptoes so as not to wake Hunter. 

So, five years in the future it seemed like she’d defected from the Nephilim, started up a private detective business with her roommates Avalon and Scarlett, worked with C.A.R.M.A, Rebels (when did they come back?), and the Hero Squad according to some messages on her phone, and earned herself a scar. Oh, and H.A.M.E.R was currently ruling Pansaw’s ass. Nephilim or not, she had to check on Mari, whom she safely assumed still was with the good old pastor and his cult. A quick mental scan of the city located her girl where she’d suspected. Standing in front of her bedroom’s full length mirror, she closed her eyes and mentally scanned the building, projecting an image of the bathroom in the club in the glass before her. Jaden phased herself through the mirrors, crouching down on the bathroom sink counter and stepping down onto the floor. She hoped no one else was around as she crept through the building until she came across Mari. 

“I dunno,” she said, leaning against the wall as she observed the other woman with a fond smile, “I always thought you were the better leader. Besides, I don’t think I could handle losing you.” Jaden took a hesitant step forwards, uncertain if she would be welcome here after defecting. She wasn’t sure if “future Mari” might be so welcoming. What were they in the future? She hoped they were still best friends. She nodded towards the memorial. “What’s all this?” 

[xastcriiax]

FUTURE EVENT BIO: KARA BROOKES FRAYNE

Age: 33 Status: Alive / Metahuman Affiliation: Rebel Army / C.A.R.M.A  Allied

Kara refused to sit back and do nothing while H.A.M.E.R grew and was strongly in favor of reforming the Rebel Army in alliance with C.A.R.M.A. She served as one of the leaders of the group again, working closely with C.A.R.M.A in their attempts to stop this new threat. 

She still retains her power as CEO of Warzone and partnered with Deidra and LaReaux Industries to provide not only weapons, but other high tech gadgets for C.A.R.M.A agents on the field. She, Deidra, and Alice have all had a hand in creating original gear to keep agents and Rebels as protected as possible in the field. 

She and Connor married in late 2046 and would go out in the field together when Rebels and C.A.R.M.A teamed up on missions against H.A.M.E.R. Her combat skills were a bit rusty at first, but her abilities came in handy for healing and stabilizing the injured. 

The Fraynes have started their own little family – a two year old daughter named Ember and a newborn son, River. While they haven’t fully shown signs of it, Kara always swears she knows they’re Metas from carrying them for nine months. She has noticed that Ember’s more extreme tantrums tend to heat up the air around them. 

With two kids and a business to run, Kara’s stepped out of the field more often in the last year and returned to primarily running her company. She fears the possibility of her children potentially (though unlikely) losing both parents on a mission and likes being able to relieve their nanny every evening. That said, still wanting to personally see H.A.M.E.R knocked down, she will join her husband on the field every once in a while. 

Kara and Hayden have become incredibly close what with Kara working more involved with C.A.R.M.A, blossoming into a new friendship. She’s very excited to be her Maid of Honor in hers and Manny’s wedding. Hayden and Manny are also River’s official godparents. 

[xastcriiax]

FUTURE EVENT BIO: JADEN HARKNESS

Age: 32 Status: Alive / Metahuman Affiliation: Civilian (Former Nephilim) 

Jaden left the Nephilim with Avalon and Scarlett within the year that it was reformed. Her motivation and loyalty towards the group waned after their humiliating defeat almost eight years ago, leading to her imprisonment in C.A.R.M.A. The time spent in a cell with no powers struck a sense of humility in the former Pride. 

In order to maintain their freedom, Jaden met with Commander Sinclair, claiming that they had been manipulated and threatened to participate in the Nephilim. With a little bit of magic, the defense worked. The three of them now roam Pansaw as free birds – under the condition they stay out of visible trouble. 

The three of them went into business together, starting up a private detective / crime consultant agency as a way to stay in the loop of all the going-ons in Pansaw. Their abilities and skills all help contribute with various odd jobs, such as locating missing people, gathering information, discovering cheating spouses, and even assisting local law enforcement on cases with dead ends. 

She’s made it a point to be a little extra involved in the business helping out on H.A.M.E.R-related cases. While she’s still very independent in affiliation, she will assist C.A.R.M.A, the Rebels, and Hero Squad where needed to stop them. She claims her motivation for stopping the human extremist group stems from not being able to help someone (Hunter Calligan) earlier. 

It took her a while to master commitment. She and Hunter have been in an exclusive relationship and she’s never been happier. 

While no longer part of the Nephilim, she and Mari still keep in touch and remain best friends. 

An encounter with H.A.M.E.R almost capturing her while leaving work one evening left her with a faint scar across her right cheek. 

[xastcriiax]

FUTURE EVENT BIO: CADENCE STARK

Age: 37 Status: Alive / Human Affiliation: H.A.M.E.R

With the rapid spread of H.A.M.E.R across the country, Cadence wanted to play an active role in gaining supporters and new members outside of Pansaw. 

She left Pansaw about a year ago to work as a District Attorney in New York and leads one of the fastest growing H.A.M.E.R organizations on the east coast. 

She continues to use her position in law enforcement to locate some of the worst Metahumans and cure them in order to stop their abuse of power on humans. 

OOC: Since Cadence is relatively still new, she will not be actively participating in this event.

[xastcriiax]

FUTURE EVENT BIO: MANNY HENDERSON

Age: 33 Status: Alive / “Cured” Metahuman Affiliation: C.A.R.M.A (Field Agent)

After being one of the first “cured” by H.A.M.E.R, Manny took some time off to emotionally and mentally recover. He rejoined C.A.R.M.A a couple months later as a field agent, determined to stop H.A.M.E.R and prevent this from happening to anyone else.

Having years of experience and further training to hone his combat skills, he’s proven to be an effective agent, with or without powers.

He and his longterm girlfriend, Hayden Rees-Smith, are still together. They’ve moved from their apartment into a house with a backyard for their dog, King Fluffbottom, and their new puppy to run around in. They’re engaged and excitedly planning their wedding.

As much as Manny’s adjusted to life without his psionic abilities, he still admits to feeling “empty” without them and hopes for a proper fix to what H.A.M.E.R did.

Unfortunately, he continues to deal with an “on again, off again” addiction to the temporary fix C.A.R.M.A’s provided, loving the rush of having his powers back even for a short time. These days he tries to avoid using the power pill, knowing that even one use could put him back on a dangerous path again. He will bring them (just in case) on riskier missions.

[xastcriiax]

FUTURE EVENT BIO: KADEN VALENTINE

Age: 38 Status: Alive / Super Soldier  Affiliation: C.A.R.M.A (Second in Command)

Kaden’s life hasn’t changed much in five years. He’s still the Second in Command at C.A.R.M.A and married to Deidra Valentine (née La Reaux). 

He and Deidra have started a family of their own with a darling two year old little girl named Erin (who’s already shown some signs of being a Metahuman like her mother) and another one on the way. He absolutely adores his daughter to pieces and she has him wrapped around her little finger. His desk is covered with all sorts of family photos of her. 

As if his job hasn’t put enough pressure on him as a leader of C.A.R.M.A to stop H.A.M.E.R once and for all, his growing family has lent a hand on the stress over the situation. Personally, he desires to end the group to protect his Metahuman wife and daughter. 

With the gravity of the situation of H.A.M.E.R in the world, Kaden has left his desk more often and returned to the field as a team leader on some of the more high profile H.A.M.E.R-related missions. One of these missions taught C.A.R.M.A that H.A.M.E.R’s cure is ineffective against Super Soldiers. 

[xastcriiax]

FUTURE EVENT BIO: FINN WINCHESTER

Age: 32  Status: Alive / Metahuman  Affiliation: Hero Squad (”Phantom”)

Since the beginning of H.A.M.E.R, Finn has been focused on trying to rid them from the streets in Pansaw as Phantom. He’s (somewhat reluctantly) come to terms with Kelli arranging a liaison relationship between the Hero Squad and C.A.R.M.A despite the sour taste the latter organization left in his mouth.

A few months after C.A.R.M.A and the Hero Squad joined forces, Phantom’s identity as Finn Winchester had been leaked to a gossip column in Pansaw. While the source had never been found, Ellie and C.A.R.M.A managed to confirm the story as fake and help prove Finn’s innocence as a vigilante. This act earned some trust from Finn towards the new C.A.R.M.A.

As H.A.M.E.R’s started making bigger waves, he found balancing the responsibilities of his full time job at Oceanview Records and vigilante gig to be too much. He left his job about two years ago to devote all his time and energy to working with C.A.R.M.A and the Rebel Army as Phantom.

To keep some sort of income, Finn has started using Phantom as a mercenary gig as well, collecting payment for various jobs. Most of these jobs have gathered a few leads towards H.A.M.E.R related activities and potential members.

His personal life hasn’t evolved much. He’s attempted dating again after Daniel through dating apps and setups from friends, but nothing’s evolved past a few casual dates or flings. He’s been too committed to his life as a vigilante and his dog, Max, for serious relationships. Maybe one day though when Pansaw has peace.

[xastcriiax]

Kill of the Night || Cadence & Jax

After a long day of dealing with a particularly rough case, Cadence needed some stress relief. And what better way to achieve that than with a night out as part of her extracurricular activities? 

The moment she could free herself from the District Attorney’s office, she texted Jaxon to see if he was free for a bit of vigilante justice. One of the perks of her job was knowing where to find suspected criminals – particularly Metahumans – that she felt needed to be cleaned off the streets. Cadence’s phone buzzed with a response before she even made it to her car and she smirked, glad to see she’d have a partner for the night. Looks like that quiet evening with some wine and leftovers would have to wait until H.A.M.E.R cured some more Metas tonight. She sent the other human a location and time to meet her and headed there, already having her gear stuffed in the trunk compartment of her car. 

Cadence parked in the abandoned lot where she’d asked Jaxon to meet her. It was only a quarter mile away from the warehouse she knew a certain Metahuman would be tonight thanks to a tip from one of the DA investigators. Eric Crosby, otherwise known as “Storm” on the streets, had enough evidence to arrest him for trafficking human slaves to a quiet group of Meta extremists. A few years in jail didn’t seem quite fair in Cadence’s opinion, hence why she asked Jaxon to bring along a couple vials of that handy cure H.A.M.E.R made. 

The young ADA rolled out of her car in the dark, dressed entirely in black with her hair pulled into a ponytail. Not an inch of skin showed save for her face for now, her mask currently in her hands. She saw Jaxon pull up and greeted him with a smirk. “You got enough vials in case he gives us some trouble?” she asked, wanted to be prepared for the worst. They got lucky capturing the first few subjects, but now that H.A.M.E.R was known in Pansaw, she wanted to avoid any potential issues. “I doubt he’ll be an easy target, but I’m sure that’ll make it all the more fun for us.” 

@jaxon-landry

[xastcriiax]

hoperamirez​:

“Unfortunately no,” Hope shook her head even though Finn couldn’t see her, “I may be able to add some coding to yours so it can detect when it’s near hers.” She went to work, the staccato of her fingers on the keys the only sound in the base. She finally got it set up the way she wanted and she turned back to Finn’s video feed. 

“Ok, your GPS should alert when you get closer. I’ve already checked every security and traffic camera in a 5 block radius. Nothing. Whatever happened, it had to have been planned for this location to keep it under wraps.” Hope couldn’t help but be reminded of the mission she sent Atlas on month’s ago with the group that was so off grid. This had a similar M.O. Her heart jumped to her chest. A lot of the information they found was receipts for medical equipment that looked like they were performing some sort of experiments. It was clear now that those experiments were going to be done on metas. On Kelli. “We gotta find her Finn,” Hope blurted out, “This is bad.”

While Hope went to work, Finn slowly hovered over the area, turning his head from side to side as he sought out any signs of Kelli. He prayed that she was alive and okay. If they could bring her home tonight, that would be everything. He nodded in acknowledgement to Hope’s update on the GPS. His heart hammered away in his chest with anxiety as he kept going, nothing happening quick enough for his liking. “It’s very bad,” he agreed, “We won’t stop until we – hold on.” At that moment, his GPS visual picked something up nearby. He followed after it, the signal stronger as he drew closer. 

The teleporter gracefully hopped off his hoverboard to take the rest of the journey on foot once he was within a few hundred feet of the signal. He followed it like a lifeline until he was in the right location. “I think I’ve got something...” Finn trailed off, hoping it wasn’t a glitch. Surely a body would be easy to spot even amongst all the junk? He caught something out of the corner of his eye, thinking it might be a sign of Kelli...and it was upon closer inspection. 

Just not the sign he wanted to find. 

“I’m coming back,” he announced solemnly, picking up the item and his hoverboard and vanishing in a flash. Finn deactivated his visor as he walked up behind Hope, holding up Kelli’s helmet, dented and stained with blood. His lips pulled into a tight frown, worry settling on his features. “This was...all that was there.”

[jensens-ackless]

Jensen Ackles for TxDOT - Heads Up, Texas [x]

[xastcriiax]

hunter-calligan​:

Hunter really wasn’t feeling like himself at all; the loss of his abilities had taken some part of him with them and he just felt like shit. The cocksure detective was now just.. a bit broken. When Jaden opened the door, he gave her a small smile and nodded, heading inside her apartment. “Beer and wine sounds really good right now,” he said softly, cracking a little smirk as he took off his jacket to make himself a bit more comfortable. “Sorry, I feel like I’m just here all the time lately. You make me feel better. I don’t like sitting at home feeling sorry for myself,” Hunter murmured, smiling slightly as he took hold of Jaden’s hand, tugging her in close to him. “You must think I’m fuckin’ pathetic.”

“I don’t mind one bit,” Jaden assured Hunter with a genuine smile reserved only for him. Not many could seek her out for comfort and live to tell the tale...figuratively speaking, of course. She didn’t offer that out to just anyone in her life except those that earned it. Besides, she loved seeing Hunter more often, especially after three years of not seeing his gorgeous face once. “You’re not pathetic, babe, you’re just...grieving,” she replied, lacing their fingers together. She brought their joined hands up, kissing the back of his knuckles. “What happened to you was beyond fucked up. And I’m sure you must feel broken or lost.” She was going off her experience of having no access to her abilities for three years in prison, hoping this was helping somehow even if he could just relate to these feelings and find some comfort in the labels. “I wish I could bring your powers back. I wish I could take everything that happened to you back, but apparently that’s the one thing I can’t do with magic.” It pained Jaden to tell him this; she hated feeling helpless. 

She pulled back from Hunter after a moment, though kept their fingers intertwined as she backed up towards the kitchen and pulled him with her. “Why don’t you pick your first poison of the evening?” she suggested, flashing him one of her usual crooked smirks, “You want to start with beer or wine?” 

[xastcriiax]

haydenthehuman​:

Finally, Hayden had him back. She did not care what condition he came home in as long as he was home. Anything that life decided to throw at her would be nothing compared to those long nights she spent without him. The fact that he came in unconscious and had not woken yet really unnerved her even with her new found optimism. This, however, was something she could do something about. Address the physical wounds and go from there. She had only left his side for a moment to get more coffee but, of course, that would be when he woke up. Hayden nearly dropped her cup when she heard him speak as she walked back in his room. 

“I am not exactly just a visitor,” she answered but the emotion she always kept so tightly bottled up laced every word. She could kick herself. The whole time she sat her by his bed she had told herself she would be the strong one. She would stay calm and composed. It was not that hard for her, she did it every day. But this was Manny. This was different. Her feet moved slowly toward the bed but it felt like walked through sand she was going too slow. She wanted to throw herself at him and cry and never ever let him go again. Instead, she found the control to just brush a piece of hair from his face. “I missed you.”

Originally posted by melisabarrera

“Haybae,” Manny said her name out loud for the first time in weeks. He turned towards her, his lips immediately curving into a tired smile when he saw her. He had no idea what was happening to him, if he’d make it out alive or see Hayden again. Her mind was quiet, no surprise. He couldn’t hear her thoughts any more, but he heard everything in her tone. Her rare show of emotion before him sucker punched him in the chest and everything he’d been trying to hold back slowly started slipping through the crumbling dam. “I missed you too.” 

His smile wavered then, bottom lip trembling as he lost any power to keep it fucking together. Manny wasn’t normally one to break down over anything, even in the worst circumstances. But he’d just lost everything. Having his powers stripped away felt like his soul had been torn in half. He’d spent weeks in captivity being beaten by masked strangers with no clue for his fate. For the first time in weeks, here in this hospital bed with Hayden, he felt safe. His eyes shimmered with threatening tears and he opened his mouth to say something, anything, but all that came out was a choked sound akin to a sob. His features twisted and he immediately reached out to pull Hayden in for a tight embrace, burying his face in her shoulder as the tears freely flowed. 

[xastcriiax]

urielzeriah​:

“Without suffering?  You think I didn’t suffer.  My entire body filled with Aether until my cells burst apart because they couldn’t contain my power with the injuries I sustained."  His voice was utterly cold and devoid of emotion as he spoke.  "Do you have any idea what it’s like to have all of your senses blocked?  No sight, no taste, no touch, absolutely nothing.  Locked away with only my own thoughts and not even the luxury of the sensation of time passing."  He could feel the Nether starting to spike again and he took a breath to try to calm himself, to push back against the madness it contained.

"I regret what happened to all of you.  Based on what I knew at the time I expected more of the metas to join our cause when we made our move.”  Letting out a slow breath, he turned his gaze back to Jaden.  “Did you think that we would never have setbacks?  Never fail?  There are more of the humans than there are of us, there was always a chance that we could have setbacks.”  His eyebrow rose at her response.  “Quite simple really.  The city did not respond to might, so we will take it through stealth.  Grow our numbers and infiltrate every aspect of this city.  Government, utilities, the university, everything.  If they can exert even the smallest level of power or control over the city, I want our people in it.  This city will be ours and the Nephilim restored to their rightful place.”

Hearing that Uriel suffered actually soothed some Jaden’s anger. She felt no sympathy though. If they all had to endure some sort of trial or pain after the Nephilim’s attack on Pansaw, it seemed only fair that their leader wasn’t left out. “I can relate to the feeling,” she spoke with neutrality. Her senses hadn’t been blocked, but sitting in a cell for three years screwed up any concept of time she might have had. She could sense the strange energy rising from Uriel, something she hadn’t felt before from him. Now that he was calmer she could feel the difference from his aether – more than familiar with it from the sample floating around inside of herself. 

But that wasn’t her corner right now. The magician didn’t give a shit about his regrets, his excuses for their failure. She was only interested in what comes next. Jaden’s features relaxed visibly, though her expression was still anything less than pleased. “It’s not a terrible plan,” she finally said after a moment of silence. She’d had plenty of time to think of her own ideas and she believed the long game like this would be the best option. “If we fail again, don’t expect me to stick around,” she warned, “I won’t hesitate to let you rot in the aether again. Or the ground.” 

[xastcriiax]

harpergorman​:

“Well I apologise for overflowing your day to day life with news, you think that somebody who in giving people the news would be up to date. Yet there are things that even I don’t know” She admitted to him. “I’m sorry to hear that two of them are your agents, I am scared out of my mind for all the metas missing and not.” She replied to him softly. “I haven’t been this busy since I left college. I thought that I would get at least a little bit of time off, but news doesn’t take time off.”

“Must be a terrifying position to be in, being the bearer of bad news to the world,” Kaden mused. He could probably relate in a sense, having to deliver public reports to the media from time to time. Harper, though, did this for a living. He smiled small, appreciative of the condolences. “Thanks. They’re two of the finest in our agency, I’m hoping they’re...well, okay.” That was all he felt he could ask for while C.A.R.M.A did everything they could to find the missing Metas. “That’d make two of us though. Seems like once Pansaw has some peace, something has to come along and ruin it. Like this...” He couldn’t help worrying that these missing Meta cases were the cause of something bigger than either of them could fathom.