Some different attempts at Sithspawn designs for a AU I may or may not still write. But thought Iâd share them since theyâve been gathering dust in my files.
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Some different attempts at Sithspawn designs for a AU I may or may not still write. But thought Iâd share them since theyâve been gathering dust in my files.

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An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters:  1/2 Fandom:  Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: N/A Characters:  Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano Additional Tags: Sithspawn Stewjoni (Star Wars), Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, POV Obi-Wan Kenobi, Sad Ending, Sad with a Happy Ending, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst Summary:Â
  All that matters is keeping them safe, and if the Jedi isn't enough, then, well.   He knows he can trust them to look after themselves when he's gone.
  -OR-
  sithspawn au in which obi-wan has the ability to shift, but every time he does, he becomes more and more at risk of losing himself.
Help
He was asleep.
Rhys was passed out in the bed of their apartment. Â Technically, it wasnât their apartment. Â It belonged to someone who was out of town until two weeks from now, and upon finding this out by digging through the registries of the building, Arrika had figured it would be a good place to stay while they were on Corellia. Â She had figured correctly - a semi-full fridge and plenty of food in the kitchen, plus a great extranet connection and a decent amount of space.
Faking entry cards was so easy these days.
They had been here for a few days already, continuing on their whirlwind tour of the galaxy so Rhys could avoid going back to Mandalore. Â Arrika had been back twice now, and when she was back, she couldnât wait until her duties to the clan could be put aside so she could pursue her own wants.
In this case, her main want was lying down about 6 feet away, fast asleep under the covers. Â It was about 0320, if her chrono was correct, so it made sense that he was asleep, and no sense that she was not.
Then again, not much of this made sense.
She was sitting in a chair by the window. Â The sun had set some time ago, and the lights of the city had sparked into being. Â Thick curtains could block it from the bedroom, but she had slid one half open and was gazing out into the city. Â Thick rain was falling against the window, dull taps against the class, casting strange distortions and oddly shadowed patterns of multicolored against Arrikaâs white face. Â A perfect canvas.
They were high up above the streets and air travel lanes to avoid the noise, and so all seemed quiet, save Rhysâ heavy, slow breathing and the splatter of rain against the glass. Â Arrika herself was breathing slow as well, passing the time until sleep came to her once more by watching the night go by.
She looked over to Rhys. Â Shirtless, under the sheet, on his side, dark hair fluffed out from his moving around. Â He blended with the sheets on the bed, creating a slightly differently colored dark blur among the consistent dark blur of the sheets, but Arrika didnât need to see him to know what was there.
Strong hands, ones with fingers as good as hers. Â A dark expression, often clouded by thoughts of home, often caused him to furrow his brows. Â When he smiled, it was a beautiful thing on a face that so often avoided doing so, a moment when the sun would break through the perpetual cloud cover. Â His eyes would often find hers, inquisitive, accusatory on occasion, but softening the more time they spent together.
The quiet moments that she got to just sit back and think about this, about him, about how crazy all of this was, were the moments that she was divided the most. Â He was running, and he knew it. Â She was encouraging this, and she knew it. Â She was deep into this, too deep. Â Sheâd kissed him when she found him, and it had just gotten worse from there. Â The terrible ache she felt in her chest when she thought he might be gone forever, the dull hurt when she was on Mandalore and he was not, the blending of all the days apart until she saw him...she was gone by now.
A song came unbidden to her lips, a soft melody, one of the better know Alderaanian songs.
Wise men say, she sang quietly, her wavering voice drowned out by the rain against the window, only fools rush in.
But I canât help, she continued, thinking of the thrill of her hands wrapped in his larger ones, of his fingers on her bare skin, of his anger and his rage and his quiet and his concern, falling in love with you.
Her sister had burned him so much, and he had burned her, and the wound had festered for so long before heâd opened it up again to heal properly. Â He would go back someday, she knew this. Â He would speak with his former lover, he would speak with his mother, he would speak with everyone else he had left. Â And what would happen then, she didnât know.
Shall I stay, would it be a sin, and yet it was too late for her already, because she knew that she had to hold it in. Â This relationship, whatever it was, that had formed between them was something she could never control, because if she tried, if she showed him how she felt, what she really wanted, he would run away from her as well.
But I canât help falling in love with you.
Or maybe he would understand.  Maybe he would get it, he would know, maybe he would feel as she did, that she wanted more than anything to say that she loved him and not have him pull away from her.  Maybe he, too, was in too deep.  Maybe he wanted this as well.  Maybe heâŠ
Maybe.
Like a river flows surely toward the sea, she knew it wouldnât last forever. Â She knew that this was temporary, that it had always only been temporary, that they were just two people with a relationship of convenience, and it tore open her heart to think of them as only that. Â What she felt ran deeper, much deeper, than a simple fling.
He didnât know how much she truly cared, and he probably never would.
Darling so it goes some things werenât meant to be.
Rhys stirred, prompting a protesting squeak from the bed, and Arrika watched him adjust himself before turning back to look out the window. Â She tried not to think about the oncoming end, but in these quiet moments, it was difficult to keep her thoughts away from the inevitable future.
Take my hand, take my whole life too. Â She got up, closing the curtain to prevent the sun from leaking in in a few hours, and she climbed back into bed. Â She slid under his arm and curled up around a pillow, resting on her side and cradled within his curved body. Â She loved it here, as she loved him, and she snuggled back against his warm chest. Â His arm instinctively tightened, drawing her close to him, and she felt his warm breath on the top of her head.
The last words of the song were whispered as a few tears slid down her face, temporarily staining the pillowcase. Â She wished she could say them to him without being so afraid of what would happen next, but at the end of the day, she was a coward.
A coward who knew that the end was coming, and it would ruin her.
Cause I canât help falling in love with you.
NaNo Days 8 & 9.5 - Mass Effect, Part II
Harkin ran, but he couldnât run fast enough. Â Heâd thrown Blue Sun mercenaries and YMIR mechs out like they were weighing down his sinking ship, but their efforts were not enough to stem the power of the galaxyâs number one marksman and the galaxyâs number one soldier. Â With nowhere left to go, eventually, heâd holed himself up at the far end of a large factory room.
 Ember and Rhia were now flanking that room.  Harkin had hopefully been too busy working on trying to back up his data and get out that he hadnât noticed them fighting up to him.  Even if he had, it was too late to go anywhere now.  âGo get him, Shepard,â Rhia said over the comm.
Stepping up and around the corner with her shotgun out and aimed, Ember was an obvious target. Â Harkin nearly jumped out of his skin as he started backing away, grabbing hold of a datapad as he ran by it. Â âYou were close, Shepard, but not close en-â
 He was cut off as he opened the other door, only to find Rhia there, standing right in the way.  She smashed the butt of her rifle in his face, sending him staggering back and clutching his nose in pain.  Rhia casually holstered her rifle before following up, grabbing Harkin by the throat and slamming him against a wall.
 âHello, Fade,â she growled.  âGuess you couldnât make yourself disappear.â  That Harkin was Fade, and not just protecting him, had become clear thanks to MARIS digging up some files as Ember and Rhia had fought their way to him.
 âRhia,â Harkin said, coughing slightly, trying to smile.  Ember could tell he was about to piss his pants.  âCâmon, man, we can work something out.  Whaddaya need?â
 Rhia let him go, taking a few steps back and turning around.  Ember couldnât exactly tell what she was thinking, but it was either a trick to get Harkin to ease up, or Rhia was preparing to smack him again.  âIâm looking for someone,â she said casually.
 âWell, I guess we both have something the other one wants,â Harkin said, rubbing his throat, and seemingly doing his best to ease up the entire situation.  Shepard was, by this point, standing casually off to the side, shotgun long since holstered in favor of a heavy pistol that she wasnât bothering to aim.  He couldnât run.  Not anymore.
 With a sudden motion, Rhia whirled around, slamming her knee into Harkinâs stomach.  The man doubled over and dropped to the floor, groaning in pain.  âNot a good thing to start with,â Ember noted.  âSeems like itâd be easier to quit being a smartass and tell us what we want to know.â
 âMaybe,â Harkin coughed.  âYou havenât told me shit yet.â
 At that, Ember looked at Rhia.  âHe has a point.â
 Rhia just shrugged.  Beating up on him was clearly something she was enjoying.  Her entire attitude had been more than a little off-putting to Ember - Rhia wasnât always the nicest person, but this was more vindictive than sheâd ever seen her friend be.  Beating up Harkin had been part of the plan from the start, but this could go very bad, very fast if Rhia went too far.
 âIâm looking for someone,â Rhia said.  âSomeone you helped hide.â
 âI might need...a little more information...than that,â Harkin gasped as he slowly stood up, leaning on the wall for support.  Just two hits and he was already this bad?  His nose wasnât even bleeding, which was a small miracle in Emberâs eyes.
 âNameâs Sevrath,â Rhia continued.  âTurian.  Came from th-â
 âI know who he is,â Harkin said with a dismissive wave.  âAnd Iâm not telling you shit.â
 Ember sighed and shook her head, folding her arms. Rhia didnât say anything - she just glared at the man.  âHarkin, this doesnât have to be hard.â
 âScrew you,â Harkin spat at Ember, âI donât give out client information.  Itâs bad for business.â
 Rhia slammed a fist into the side of his face, sending Harkin back down to the ground with a yelp.  She placed a foot on his exposed neck, pressing down a bit to get her point across.  âYou know what else is bad for business?â  She pressed in harder, and Harkin made a small, worried noise, struggling against the foot.  âA broken neck,â she hissed.
 âAll right!  All right, get off me!â Harkin squealed.  Rhia showed no signs of relenting so soon.  Stepping up, Ember put a hand on her shoulder and made a gentle pull.  Rhiaâs head whipped around to glare at Ember, but Ember glared right back and gave a little nudge.  There was a second, but Rhia backed off, stepping off of Harkin and letting the man stand up.  âTerminus really changed you, huh, Rhia?â
 âShut up,â she growled.  âNow set up a meeting.  Itâs high time we talked.â
 She motioned to a nearby terminal, the one Harkin likely always used for contacting his clients.  Harken gave her an incredulous look.  Rhia started to reach around for her rifle again.  Harkin put up two hands, backing up slightly.  âOkay, okay, Iâm going.  Calm your...whatever you have instead of tits.â
 Rhia said nothing, but Ember heard a small hissing sound, air being pushed through her teeth and mandibles.  That usually happened right before she shot something she was annoyed at.  Harkin seemed to get the point and hobbled quickly over to the terminal.  âHey, Sevrath.  Itâs me.  Thereâs a chance your identity may be compromised.â
 A short pause.  Rhia casually pulled her pistol from her hip, expanding it to ready mode and giving it an inspecting glance.  Ember slightly arched an eyebrow.
 âThatâs why Iâm calling,â Harkin continued.  âIâm sending an agent.  Where do you want to meet?â
 âWhat, are you gonna kill him?â whispered Ember jokingly.
 âCan you give me a compelling reason not to?â Rhia whispered back, not joking.
 âAll right, heâll be there.  Donât worry, I got it covered.â  Harkin limped back over to the two, shaking his head and staring at his feet.  With a sigh, he looked up at Rhia.  âAll done.  Heâll meet you in front of the Orbital Lounge, middle of the day.â
 Again, a pause.  âSoâŠâ Harkin filled the void.  âIf our business is done,â he said as he took a step back and started to turn, âIâll be going.â
 Rhia reached out and grabbed Harkin by the shirt, yanking him back and grossly violating his personal space.  âOh, I donât think so, Harkin.  Youâre a criminal now.â
 âSo what are you gonna do,â Harkin spat out as he glared up at Rhia.  âShoot me?  Thatâs not your style, Rhia.â
 Ember looked up at Rhia, who seemed to be strongly considering it.  Finally, she dropped him, and he fell to his knees.  âNo.  It isnât my style.  But I donât mind slowing you down a little,â she said with a grin as she took aim with her pistol.
 Moving fast, Ember pushed Rhiaâs pistol to the side, and the shot pinged into the floor a few inches away from Harkinâs foot.  The man shouted and fell back onto his ass, glaring wide-eyed at the two.  âWoah, heâs in bad enough shape as it is, Rhee!â  Rhia yanked her arm out of Emberâs grip, turning her firey eyes on Ember.  âC-Secâs on their way, and he canât run from them like this anyway.  Let him go.â
 There was another moment, one that Ember was half sure would end in Rhia shooting him anyway, but she folded up her pistol and stuck it back to her side.  âGuess itâs your lucky day, Harkin,â she hissed.
 âYeah,â he said from the floor sardonically, âI hope we can do this again sometime.â
 Ember had already turned and started walking out when Rhia delivered one final, savage kick to Harkinâs chest, sending him flat on his back.  She then turned and walked out, leaving Harkin groaning in pain.  âI didnât shoot him,â she said by way of explanation.
 âIâll take what I can get,â Ember said with a shrug.  âLetâs go.â
 âIf heâs not there,â Rhia called back to Harkin, âIâm coming back for you.  Letâs see how well you can really disappear.â
 -----
 Rhia parked the aircab not too far from the rendezvous.  The trip from the warehouse had been silent, Ember a little uncomfortable with the tension in the air, but she couldnât do much to stem it.
 âHarkinâs a fucking menace,â Rhia finally blurted out after turning off the engine.  âWe shouldnât have just let him go.  He deserved to be shot.â
 âIâm not totally denying that, Rhee, but Iâm getting worried about you.â  Ember turned to face her companion, unbuckling her seat belt.  âThis just isnât like you.â
 âWhat do you want from me, Ember?â Rhia finally rounded on Ember, her shouts filling the small car.  Ember didnât even flinch, but she did look away, trying not to see the flames that burned behind Rhiaâs eyes.  Ember had gone on this hoping that maybe she could change Rhiaâs mind about this, but sheâd gotten nowhere, and she was pretty sure the only reason she hadnât gotten shot back there was because theyâd gone through so much already.
 âWhat would you do if someone betrayed you?â Rhia asked, leaning back in her chair, frustrated with all of this.  âWould you do this?â
 Ember shook her head.  âI donât know, Rhia, but I wouldnât let it change me.â
 âYeah,â Rhia said with a non-humorous chuckle, âI woulda said the same thing before it happened to me.â
 âYou donât have to go through with this,â Ember pleaded.  âWe can walk away.  It isnât too late.â
 âThe hell it isnât, Ember.â  Rhiaâs hands were trembling on the steering wheel.  âSomeone has to make him pay for his crimes.  No one else knows what he did.  No one else ever will.  No one except for me.  There are no other options.â  Her words rang with conviction, the conviction that Ember damn well knew she had in spades.  That same conviction is what made her such a good teammate, and it was that same conviction that attracted Ember to Rhia in the first place.
 âThen let me talk to him first,â Ember asked desperately, searching for an in.
 Rhia scoffed, shaking her head.  âAh yes, Commander Shepard and her way with words.  Talk all you want, Ember.  It wonât change anything.  I donât know what his reasons were, and I donât care.  He screwed us.â  Her grip steadied and tightened on the wheel, and she was staring straight ahead now.  âHe deserves what heâs getting.â
 âI get it, Rhia, I do, but do you really want...this?â Ember gestured to the rifle on Rhiaâs back.
 âIâm not you, Shepard.  I donât do things your way.â
 âYeah, well, this isnât you, either,â Shepard pointed out, as if Rhia wasnât aware of that fact.
 âYou sure about that?  Iâve always hated injustice, and the thought that Sevrath could get away with this makes me want to crush his skull.â  Rhia glanced over at Ember, then shook her head.  âTen people, good people, lie in unmarked graves because of him, and heâs still living.  No, Shepard.â  Rhia stepped out of the aircab, looking around.  âIâm sorry, but words arenât going to solve this problem.
 âNow, I need to set up.  Iâll be up there, Iâve got a clear shot.â  Rhia pointed to a corner not too far from them, looking out over the street below.  And just like that, back to business.  Planning.  Tactics.  The Rhia that Ember knew, except now they were talking about a revenge killing instead of a mission.
 âWhat do you need me to do?â Ember scooted over, taking Rhiaâs place in the aircab.
 âKeep him talking and stay out of my line of fire.  Iâll line up a shot.  Signal me when youâre ready.â  Ember nodded, then gave Rhia one last look of concern.  âItâs never too late,â she said before closing the door.  Rhia ignored her and walked off, moving to her improvised nest as Ember took off with the cab, parking it a level below.
 Walking into the plaza, the streets were filled with the glow of many multicolored neon (maybe) lights.  Many people were browsing or walking the avenue, window shopping in the many outlets or talking about where to go next on the Citadel.  For everyone else, it was not an unusual or momentous night - just another day on the enourmous station.
 âCheck,â said Ember as she strolled into the area.  âRhia, can you hear me?â
 âI copy,â Rhia said.  âI see him on one of the benches.  Get him to you and keep him there.â
 Giving a small glance behind her, Ember could see Rhia more-or-less right behind her, up on the second level.  Sevrath was sitting on a bench, staring at the ground, glancing up every now and then.  He caught sight of Ember, who motioned him to come over to him.  He was short for a Turian, only an inch or two taller than Ember was.
 âLetâs get this over with,â Sevrath said when he approached.
 âYouâre in my sight.  Step to the side,â came Rhiaâs voice over the radio.
 Ember considered it.  It would be a small thing, move a few inches over.  A shot, thatâs it.  They can both go home.  Mission accomplished.
 But this wasnât a mission.  And this wasnât Rhia.  This wasnât right.  Ember had killed before, but they were always trying to kill her too.  She had never taken a life in revenge, never been wronged in such a way that she hunted down the offender and took everything they had.  She was a soldier, not an assassin, and Rhia was getting dangerously close to that line.
 Is that how she was going to react from now on?  What had happened to Rhia, to her team, was a terrible thing - but if Rhia did this, if she pulled this trigger now and killed Sevrath, would she try to solve her problems like this again?
 It was a chance Ember didnât want to take, and she always believed that no matter what Rhia said, words could solve most problems - including this one.  So, she stayed put.  âSevrath?  Iâm here to help you.â
 Sevrath glared at Ember, then looked around hurriedly.  âDonât ever say that name aloud.â
 âDonât worry,â Ember said with a slight shake of her head.  âIâm a friend of Rhiaâs.  She wants you dead.  Iâm hoping that isnât necessary.â
 âRhia?â Sevrath looked at Ember, incredulous.  âWhat, is this some kind of joke?â
 A growl came over the radio.  âMove, Shepard!  Or, if he moves, Iâm taking it anyway!â
 Ember glanced back at Rhiaâs sniper spot.  Realization dawned on Sevrath.  âOh, youâre not kidding, are you?  Screw this, Iâm not sticking around to find out.â  He started to take a step back.  âTell Rhia I had my own problems.â
 Panicking slightly, Ember stepped up, grabbing onto Sevrathâs arm.  âDonât move!â
 âGet off of me!â he yelled, yanking his arm from Emberâs grip.
 âIâm the only thing standing between you and a bullet to the brain,â she hissed at Sevrath.  That got his attention.  He froze, looking around nervously before sighing and hanging his head. Â
 âFuck.  Look, I...I didnât want to do it.â  He looked away from Ember, unwilling to make any kind of eye contact.  âI didnât have a choice.â
 Rhiaâs indignant laugh came over the comm.  âEveryone has a choice,â she hissed.
 âSo do you,â Ember muttered back, low.
 âThey got to me.â  Sevrath was still going on, seemingly not caring if Ember was even listening.  âSaid they would kill me if I didnât help.  What was I supposed to do?â  He was shifting his weight constantly, technically talking to Ember, but Ember was sure he was justifying it to himself as much as he was to her.  He was desperate, ragged, lost in his head.
 âFuck him, Shepard, move!  Heâs a damned coward!â
 Ember didnât.  âThatâs it?â She said.  âYou just did it to save yourself?â  The longer she kept him talking, the longer he was alive, the more time Rhia had to think this over.  And possibly shoot Ember in the back of the head.  That was unlikely, though.
 Or so Ember hoped.
 Sevrath moved over a bit, leaning on a nearby railing surrounding a hole in the floor.  Ember moved with him, sure to keep herself between Rhiaâs sights and Sevrathâs head.  âI know what I did,â Sevrath said, his voice hollow and far away.  âI have to live with that.  I know they died because of me.â  He lowered his head to his chest, staring down through the hole to the level below.
 âI wake up every night sick and...and sweating.â  His head fringe raised up slightly, a response to fear or alarm.  âEach of their faces, staring at me, accusing me.â  He shook his head, giving a hollow, lifeless laugh.  âIâm already a dead man.  I donât sleep.  Food has no taste.  Some days, I just...I want it to be over.â
 âJust give me this chance,â Rhia said over the comm, her voice wavering just a little bit, some of that edge gone from it.
 Ember jumped on it.  âYouâve gotta let it go, Rhia.  Heâs already paying for it, you didnât have to do a damn thing.â
 âItâs not enough,â she growled, some of that anger coming back.  âHe still has his life.â
 Ember scoffed, looking right at Rhia, who she knew could see her through the scope.  âFor Godâs sake, Rhee, look at him.  You call him alive?  Thereâs nothing left to kill.â
 Rhia said nothing.  âIf sheâs there...Rhia, I mean,â Sevrath began, âtell her...tell her I guess that nothing I can say to make this right  And I know that.â  Her words rang empty, but not due to lack of conviction in what he thought, Ember could tell.  Heâd simply lost the will to be strong about it.  When he stopped running and hiding long enough to let it catch up with him, it overwhelmed him.
 âJustâŠâ Rhia started, then cut off.  A sigh followed, and a mumbled continuation after that.  âFuck.  Just tell him to go, before I change my mind.â
 Relief washed over Ember, a sense of fullness filling the pit thatâd been in her stomach ever since theyâd landed on the Citadel.  âSheâs giving you a second chance, Sevrath,â she said quietly.  âDonât waste it, okay?â
 Shocked, Sevrath straightened up, looking at Ember like heâd won the galactic lottery.  âIâll...Iâll try, Rhia.  I promise that Iâll make this up to you somehow.â  He took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.  âAnd thanks for talking to her.â
 Ember smiled and nodded.  âGood luck, Sevrath.â  Turning on her heel, she walked back to the aircab.  When she glanced up at Rhiaâs hiding spot, Rhia was gone.
 The aircab landed back where sheâd dropped Rhia off, and Ember opened the door, stepping out to find Rhia waiting for her.  She was looking off into space, lost in thought, but she turned when she heard Ember approaching.  Ember was smiling softly.  Rhia...well, Ember couldnât tell what she was doing.
 âI could kill you,â Rhia said, but there was little force behind the words.  âI did very briefly consider it.â
 âI know it didnât go how you planned,â Ember said, âbut I think itâs for the best.â  Even if Rhia didnât want to talk about this now, Ember was at least going to prompt her until she directly told Ember to shut up.
 Rhia started to pace slightly, walking away from Ember.  âIâm not so sure, Ember.â
 âGive it time,â she said, hoping to soothe the event.
 âMaybe thatâll be enough,â Rhia wondered.  âI just want to know that I did the right thing.  Not just for me, for my crew.  They deserve vengeance.â  She sighed and shook her head quickly, as if to clear it.  âThey deserve a lot.  But when he was there, in my sights, I just...couldnât do it.  He looked at me once, accidently, right at me.  I saw into his eyes, and there was nothing behind them.  No spark, no life.  Just...empty.â
 âWhatâs good and whatâs evil gets a little blurred when weâre looking at people we know, Rhee.â  A little too philosophical for herself, Ember had to admit, but it sounded appropriate.
 Rhia paused for a moment, thinking.  âItâs so much easier to see the world in black and white, Ember.  I donât know so much about gray, or what to do with it.â
 Ember smiled and put a hand on Rhiaâs shoulder.  âYou go with your instincts.â
 The turian chuckled and looked down at Ember.  âMy instincts got us into this mess.â
 âAnd now they got you out of them,â Ember said.  âYouâre too hard on yourself.â
âOnly cause I have to be. Â And thanks, Ember. Â For everything.â Â Finally turning back to face Ember, who smiled in reply, Ember saw those yellow eyes sheâd fallen for back to normal.
"Let's burn some sky, Shepard.â
NaNo Day 7.5 - Mass Effect
And itâs the first of May, first of May, outdoor f-
 The music cut off as Shepard quickly stepped out of the elevator.  She made a mental note to talk to Fletcher about changing the elevator tunes again.  On the rare occasion that they housed diplomatic visitors or other important personnel, a rather ancient song about outdoor sex was hardly the song that she wanted.
 Then again, the idea of the Turian Councillor awkwardly shifting his weight gave her no small amount of pleasure.
 âGood morning, Commander,â Tarissa said as Ember stepped out into the CIC.  âYou have received a new message at your private terminal.â
âThanks, Tari. Â Howâs the crew today?â Â Ember stepped up to her terminal, tapping a few keys to bring up the message. Â It was from the Illusive Man, which made her arch an eyebrow.
 Tarissa turne to face Ember, standing up a little bit straighter.  âFunctioning fully, Commander, but I think Rhia wanted to see you down in the guns.  Is there anything else I can help you with?â
 Thinking, the Commander shook her head, then pushed off from the console.  Rhia wanted something.  The Illusive Man could wait.  After the whole debacle on the Collector ship yesterday, she figured she deserved some off time while the Cerberus team was investigating the dead Reaper a few systems over.  âNo, thatâs all for now, Tari.  Thanks for the update.â
 âOf course, Commander,â said Tari as she went back to her work.  Ember had started with a few doubts about the necessity of a psychologist, but Tarissa was a hell of a yeoman, too.  After all the paperwork and filing that sheâd done in the Alliance Military, not having to bother with 90% of that was a blessing she could not fully appreciate.
 Glancing up towards the front of the ship, she changed her not-yet-fully-formed plans and decided to pay Fletcher a visit.  Maybe he and MARIS had stopped fighting over the desktop background.
 He swiveled around in his chair as she approached, grinning wide, which meant that he had some kind of smartass comment ready to deliver.  âHey, Commander, the next time we decide to walk into a trap, Iâd appreciate a warning first.  Iâm thinking about starting to charge a fee every time I have to save your ass.â
 Ember smirked, folding her arms and leaning against the side of the entryway.  âCould always just bill the Illusive Man extra hazard pay, Fletcher,â she replied.  âI assume everythingâs going well up here?â
 âItâd be better if you could bring me some more hand towels,â Fletcher said, as though a pilot asking his captain for towels was a perfectly ordinary thing to do.  âIâm running out.â
 Arching an eyebrow, Ember uttered a sigh.  âI know Iâm going to regret asking this, but what do you need so many hand towels for?  I brought you two more last night.â
 âMr. Achean is attempting to block all aural sources of my voice,â MARIS said, her voice distinctly muffled in several spots around the cabin.  Glancing about, Ember saw more than a few speakers that were covered with taped-on hand towels.  âThough his determination is impressive, I would appreciate it more if his efforts were spent on flying the ship.â
 Fletcher uttered a victorious âa ha!â and lunged, slapping a towel onto yet another speaker, this one out of the way and hidden from Shepardâs sight.  âSheâs just jealous because I can do both at once,â Fletcher said, sounding as though this simple explanation was enough to excuse the bizarre motion heâd just made.
 âI have attempted to explain that his actions are fruitless, but his persistence is astounding.â  MARISâ voice came from somewhere else within the cabin, and Fletcherâs head was turning fast, trying to locate the source of the noise.
 Ember just shook her head and pushed off, turning to leave.  âJust donât break anything,â she said as her goodbye.
 âI wonât if I get enough towels!â came Fletcher from behind her.  She was already halfway down the hall, and she headed to the elevator soon after, heading down to the guns.  Rhia was waiting for her.
 ----
 âIn the middle of some calibrations?â
 Rhia turned to find Shepard jogging into the forward battery, dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants.  âHa ha,â Rhia replied, tone utterly flat.  She didnât even bother to turn around.  âYou laugh now, but when it comes time for these guns to fire, youâll be thanking me.â
 âIâll make a note of it,â Ember said.  âYou wanted to see me?â
 At that, Rhia straightened.  She turned around and faced Ember, and Ember immediately dropped any pretense of this being a casual visit.  Those eyes were just a tiny bit wild.  âYou okay, Rhia?â Ember asked, genuinely concerned for the Turian.  She hadnât ever seen Rhia like this, and the pit of her stomach was telling her something was off.
 âNo,â came the curt reply, âbut I will be.  Iâd like your help with something, Shepard.â  She nodded towards the hallway, striding past Ember and out of the batteries.  Curious, Ember followed, leaning on the railing across from where Rhia had stopped.  While Rhia was hardly a happy-go-lucky individual, she almost always had a wry comment or a curious insight to deliver.  The last time Ember had seen Rhia so off was when she was telling Ember about her mercenary squad back on Omega - and how theyâd all been betrayed and killed, save the betrayer, a man named Sevrath.
 âWhat is it?â
 âSevrath.  You remember, right?  The one who got my team killed?  I found a lead on him.â  Rhia was tight, wound up, her speech quick.  She was excited.  âThereâs a man named Fade on the Citadel, he helps people vanish.  Word is that Sevrath was seen talking to him.â
 Ember nodded, seeing where this was going, but she wanted to know anyway.  She folded her arms, looking up at Rhia, concerned.  âWhat do you plan to do with him when you find him?â
 At that, Rhiaâs mandibles flexed outward a bit, which Ember had by now learned was the Turian equivalent of a wide smile.  âWell, you humans have a saying.  âAn eye for an eye.â  Sevrath took ten lives from me, ten good lives of good men.  I intend to pay him back in full.
 Ember frowned, taking in a breath and slowly exhaling it.  Rhia really had changed in the two years that Ember had been dead.  The Rhia she knew had been a good cop, worked for C-Sec, even applied to become a SPECTRE.  The Rhia she knew had done her best to work within the law, bring justice to criminals, fix things from the inside.  The Rhia she knew had been a vertiable paragon of righteousness.
 But the Rhia she knew had died along with her comrades, and now, here they were.
 Ember didnât like it, but her own trail of blood carved across the galaxy was not exactly revenge free.  The tale of the sisters came to mind, where one had duped her into killing the other, and Ember had not-so-subtly killed the one who had duped her.  SPECTRE status had perks, and being above most of the law was one of them.  Ember rarely killed for personal reasons, but there, she had made an exception.
 And, much later, realized that sheâd done something wrong.
 âYou sure thatâs how you want to play it?â  To anyone else, the question was loaded with subtext and doubt, but Ember had none of either in there.  Rhia had done her right so many times.  Rhia had flown through hell and back with her twice now.  Rhia had saved Emberâs life as much as Ember had saved hers, and there was no one that Ember trusted more in the galaxy - especially not their benefactor.
 âIâm sure.  I donât expect you to agree with me, and I donât need you to - but Iâd like your help,â Rhia stated, the indication clear that sheâd be going with or without Ember.
 Ember considered telling Rhia no, considered saying that revenge would do nothing to soothe the wound left by Sevrathâs betrayal.  She considered saying that such an undergoing would only lead to ruin or worse, but she didnât.  This was Rhiaâs choice, and it was Emberâs job to help her friend.  âAll right.  How do we find Fade?â
 âAlready done. Heâs got contacts in Zakera Ward, and if we find one, we can find Fade..â  A short pause, then with a nod, âAnd thanks, Shepard.  I appreciate you taking the time to help.â
 Ember gave a small grin.  âFor you, Rhia, anything.  Iâll let you know when we get in close.â
 Rhia turned and headed back into the batteries.  Ember watched her go, wondering if sheâd made the right call in supporting Rhia in this.  The legal repercussions didnât worry her, but the effect it had on Rhia sure did.  Seeing Rhia in any sort of pain set Ember off faster than anything.
 Rhia had been there at the start, when no one had believed Ember about Saren.  Ember was sure Rhia would be there at the end.
 And, maybe, Ember would tell her what she really felt.
 -----
 Zakera Ward was home to Captain Bailey of C-Sec, and MARIS had tipped Shepard and Rhia off to Fadeâs name appearing in several C-Sec reports.  Given that they had no leads other than that to start with, they walked out of the entry checkpoint and right up to Baileyâs desk.
 âShepard, good to see you aliveâ Bailey said with a nod to Ember as they approached.  âWhat can I do for you?â
 âIâm looking for a local forger.  Goes by the alias of Fade.  Know anything?â
 âYeah, I know him,â Bailey said, his feelings about Fade crystal clear.  His eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward onto his elbows, voice dropping a bit.  âHeâs been a thorn in the Network divisionâs side for the last year.  He works with the Blue Suns.â
 âWhere can we find him?â Rhia asked, perhaps a bit too eagerly.
 Bailey gave a harsh chuckle, looking up at the turian.  âIf I knew that, heâd be in a cell.  Best I can do is put you on the trail.â  He tapped a few keys, pulling up some reports.  âThereâs a warehouse in the marketplace, some of his contacts work out of there.  Feel free to ask them some questions - or him, if you find him.  Gently.â  He glared up at Shepard and Rhia.  âI know how you can operate.â
 Ember gave a sheepish grin, but nodded all the same.  âAll right.  Thanks, Bailey.  See you around.â
 âYou need anything else, lemme know,â he said as he went back to his terminal.
 Ember jerked her head towards the travel station, and in a few moments, the two were standing in front of a clearly marked shipping warehouse.  âThis look like the place?â Ember asked.
 âLooks right,â Rhia confirmed.  âWhoeverâs here should have some thugs inside.  Be prepared.â
 Ember grinned.  âWith a life as exciting as mine, I have to be.â  She tapped the entry panel, and the double doors slid apart, revealing the interior.  It was big in here, with crates and boxes stacked in disorganized piles.  A few light panels kept it decently illuminated, and most importantly, two large krogan were lounging about for no apparent reason.
 As Ember and Rhia stepped in, the krogan took a few steps towards them.  Neither of them really backed down, and Ember was getting all too close to punching one of them in the face.  A noise caused Ember and Rhia to glanced to their left, and from around the corner of a pile of boxes, a Volus emerged, his distinctive breathing noises startlingly apparent now.
 Ember arched an eyebrow and looked down at the volus.  âFade?  Youâre not quite what I expected.â
 âLooks can be deceiving,â the volus breathed.  âWhich one of you needs to disappear?â  A stubby arm reached out, sweeping over the two in some kind of grand gesture.
 âActually,â Rhia rasped, âI was hoping you could make someone reappear.â
 The volus thought for a moment.  âWe donât...offer that kind of service,â he said, tilting his hand claw things left and right.
 âMake an exception,â started Rhia threateningly, and her heavy pistol was in her hands and pointed at the Volus before she finished saying, âjust this once.â
 âDamn it.   Shoot them!  Shoot them, you lumbering mountains!â The Volus was shouting at the krogan, who took the opportunity to look at each other.  By the time they looked back, Ember had her shotgun out and trained on the group.  With a jerk of his head to the door, one of them decided for both, and the krogan walked right on out of there.
 âSo hard to find good help these days,â Ember quipped.  âMaybe you can, though.  Weâre looking for a client of yours,â she said as she moved forward, cracking her knuckles.
 âNot mine!â protested the Volus, backing up until his back was against a crate.  âIâm not Fade!  I just work for him.  Sort of.â
 âFigures,â Rhia muttered.  âMaybe youâd like to tell us where to find him,â she said as she popped the heat sink off her pistol.
 âY-yes!  Of course!  Heâs in the factory district, in the old prefab foundry!â  The volus was nearly shaking, terrified by the two much-taller beings in front of him.  âHeâs got a lot of mercs with him, all Blue Sun.  Harkin thinks theyâre protecting him.â
 âHarken?  The C-Sec officer?â asked Ember.  âI remember that skeezeball.  Heâs using C-Sec to help hide these people?â
 âNo, no, no, no.  He got fired a while back.  He just knows how to use the systems,â the volus explained.
 Rhia frowned.  Or, her mandibles shifted down and forward a bit.  As close as she ever really got to a frown.  âBastard.  Letâs go,â she said to Ember.  Ember nodded.
 âSo, Iâm...free to go?â The volus could hardly believe his luck.
 âSure, but if Harkinâs not there, weâre coming back for you,â Rhia said as they headed through the doorway.
 The volus just sighed and trudged away.
"Think that was too mean?" Rhia asked innocently.
Ember just gave her look, mouth straight and one eyebrow arched up as high as it could possibly go.

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NaNo Days 4, 5, and 6 - Angels and Demons, part I
Iâm an angel with a shotgun, fighting âtil the warâs won, I donât ca-
 After quickly racking the weights, Shyla swiped a thumb across the screen of her smartphone, cutting off the ringtone that was reserved for one person in particular.  She both eagerly awaited and completely dreaded this person calling, for entirely different reasons.  On one hand, it meant that they had a task, and she no longer had to occupy herself with appearing mundane.  On the other, it meant that she had to be around her mentor.
 And back on that first hand, it meant she got to be around her mentor.  The fittingness of the ringtone was exactly why she had assigned it to Chaya.
A flat âWhat?â was all the out-of-breath Shyla answered with, bringing the phone up to her ear.
 âHello to you too,â Chaya nearly purred on the other end of the line.  Shyla was glad Chaya wasnât here in person to see her blush.  âAre you busy?â
 Shyla glanced around her, eyes sliding over the weights on the rack and the few other people that were working out at midnight on a Friday.  She was panting and leaning on one of the machines, letting her burning muscles take a breather while she chatted on the phone.  âNah, Iâm good.  What is it?â
 âAre you sure, sweetheart?  You sound out of breath,â Chaya replied.
 âI just benched 300,â Shyla said, frustration creeping into her voice.  She knew how she was.  âOf course Iâm a little worn out.â
 âHmm, good.  I did say the new body would be just as good as the old one.â  There was a slight pause where Shyla suspected Chaya was smiling.  âIâll be there to pick you up in a few minutes.  Weâve got a task.â
 âWhat is it?â
 âYouâll see,â she said before hanging up.  Shyla pulled the phone away from her ear, looking at it as though it had betrayed her before setting it down next to her water bottle.  Taking a swig from said bottle as she headed to the showers, she wondered just what Chaya had for her this time.  A few days ago, sheâd helped guide a dragon back to the Library from whence it came.
 Dragons were peculiar creatures.  In the material world, they were massive beasts, often able to fully wrap themselves around a skyscraper.  In the Aether, they were apparently small furry beasts that only vaguely resembled the dragons of popular folklore, serving as librarians, archivists, and organizers for the chaotic swirl that was that dimension.  Of course, as all of the information they got from the Aether was from Aetherborn, it was of dubious veracity.  Even Morena had told more than her share of lies about the place, as was their custom.  It might even be a rule.
 The aforementioned dragon had wrapped itself around the Empire State Building, scared of the âcrawliesâ down on the city streets.  The crawlies had, by this point, summoned some high artillery to get rid of the creature, and Jarrek had called for backup upon arriving at the scene.  Shyla and Chaya had been said backup, and escorting the dragon back to one of the weak parts of the veil had been a relatively simple matter.
 She dropped her bag down by the sink and turned on the cold faucet, splashing some cold water on her face before glancing at herself in the mirror.  She looked the same as she had right before it had all changed - same dark hair, same straight eyebrows, same pointed chin, same large port-wine stain covering the right side of her face and neck with red splotches on her brown skin.  Sheâd used to try and hide it, growing her hair out to cover it and always wearing hoods or hats.  Now, she didnât care as much if people saw her.  They usually didnât remember her anyway.
 When she was sure no one else was in the showers, she stripped off her clothes and set them aside with her bag, shoving them into a locker.  Stepping into one of the stalls, she hung her towel over the door, then cranked on the water, soon filling the small stall with steam and hot water.  The warmth rolled over her, coaxing some relief out of her aching muscles and cooling her down after the strenuous workout.  Her hands were worn and red, her muscles weak from the exertion, and her short hair was clumped together from sweat and now shower water.
 Leaning against the wall of the stall, letting the water run over her skin, she briefly recalled three weeks ago, before sheâd met Chaya and John and everyone.  Before sheâd been aware of a thing called the Library and back when being an agnostic had seemed perfectly reasonable.  Before sheâd been changed from a human being into something that was just pretending to be one.
 -----
 âHello, love.â
 The searing fire that had comprised Shylaâs entire body for the past few seconds stopped suddenly, and her eyes snapped open.  She coughed out her held breath, gasping for air and rolling onto her stomach, nearly retching onto the white floor of wherever she was.  The return of sensation and breathing had thrown her for a loop, and she was working to reconcile the clashing signals from all of her senses, which were blurred into one giant neural mess.
 Her reflexes kicked in and she gave a small shout, scrambling onto her back.  There was a blurry figure in front of her that she wanted to get away from, at least until she could recover.  Her brain was desperately trying to resolve the events of the last few seconds with how she got her, and it was doing a very poor job of it.  Her muscles felt slow, clogged up with rust and dust and as though they were made out of lead.
 Sheâd been driving the humvee, the desert road stretching in front of her, the sun in her eyes as the mid-morning light did as best as it could to pierce through her sunglasses.  Sheâd been laughing at some joke Higgins had just made, something about a pineapple and a garden hose, and then thereâd been a flash, and a boom, and scorching pain from her feet, and then nothing - until now.
 âWoah there, dear, calm down!  Iâm not going to harm you!â
 She closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down.  Deep breaths, splayed and contracted fingers, count up from 0, remember your name, remember your home, remember your life.  Force the thoughts into line, control your muscles, discipline discipline discipline.
 After a moment, Shyla opened her eyes.
 She was lying down on the floor of an all white room, with no entrance or exit in sight.  Nothing was in the room save for her and the still-blurry figure in front of her.
 âWho the f-â She croaked out the first few words before dissolving into coughing.  Her vocal cords felt the same as her muscles - unused for a logn time.  âWho the fuck are you?â Shyla croaked out before coughing again, her vocal cords also possessing that same rusty quality that her muscles had.  âWhere am I?  What the hell happened?â
 âIâm Chaya,â the woman said as Shyla rubbed her eyes, finally getting the last bits of blur from them.  Straight blonde hair, almond-shaped green eyes, very pronounced eyebrows that were currently furrowed in concern.  Strong cheekbones and a full jawline, her pink lips curved into a slight smile.  The curves on her face were gorgeous, but Shyla suspected that a frown or grimace would use those curves to terrify rather than charm.
 Shyla just took a moment to stare at Chaya, admiring her, trying to look over and remember every inch of the beautiful woman that stood before her.  âI, uh, Iâm just gonna stay down here for a little while,â she mumbled throatily, trying to avoid letting Chaya get a look at her own face.  Her Tennessee accent was coming through loud and clear, despite her vocal issues.
 âTake your time.  Iâm here to help, and thereâs a lot of things you have to get used to.â  Chayaâs voice was soothing, reaching deep in Shylaâs brain and calming her scattered thoughts.  It was like a familiar seat, somewhere that Shyla could use as a base to go from, somewhere safe and comforting.  It was also, she noted, something she could easily fall in love with.
 After a few more deep breaths, Shyla took stock of the area once more.  Nothing had changed - an endless expanse of white, two people.  Shyla was dressed in one of her tank tops and some jeans.  Chaya was in a white shirt and a short jacket, along with jeans and a belt.  âChaya.  Iâm Shyla.  Shyla Vantras, 1st Armored Division, United States Army.  Where am I?  What happened?â
 âYouâre in Limbo,â Chaya replied, taking a seat as well and crossing her legs.  Shyla could hear the capital L.  âYou wonât be here long.  This is just orientation.â
 That got Shylaâs attention.  âOrientation?â she repeated, mimicking Chayaâs sitting posture, keeping the right side of her face turned away from the woman.  âWhat the fuck are you talking about?â
 âWell, Shyla, youâre dead,â Chaya said as though she was giving Shyla the time of day.
 âIâm...wait, what?â Shyla was pretty sure she had misheard.  âIâm dead?â  Chaya nodded.  âHow didâŠâ And then it all made sense - the flash, the pain, the sound, the sudden darkness.  Forgetting about hiding her birthmark, she looked right at Chaya, horrified at what sheâd remembered.  âOh my God, it was an IED.â
 âSorry, love,â Chaya said somberly.  âNot the best way to go, Iâm afraid.â
 âNo shit,â Shyla snapped back.  âWhat about the others?â She leaned forward, crawling closer to Chaya, her eyes pleading with the woman.  âHiggins, Williams, Diaz!  What happened to them?â
 âI donât know.â
 âWhat do you mean, you donât know?  You brought me here, right?!  What the fuck happened to my team?!â Shylaâs confusing quickly gave way to anger, and she leaned forward to get right in Chayaâs perfectly sculpted face.  âWhere are they?!â
 âI donât know, dear,â Chaya admitted, not budging.  âI wasnât there.  Youâll have to speak with Charon.â
 âWho the fuck is Charon?â Shyla demanded, staring into Chayaâs eyes as her own face twisted in anger.  Mystery after mystery, and Shyla hated puzzles.
 âThe ferryman,â Chaya answered, as though Shyla should know that.  She didnât seem to notice or care that Shyla was about two seconds from punching her.   âIâm someone rather different, and I canât answer all of your questions - but I can answer most of them.â
 Glaring up at Chaya, Shyla said nothing for a few moments, breathing hard to try and contain the rage that threatened to bubble over.  Apparently, she was dead.  She was dead and gone and she didnât know what had happened to her buddies or her life or anything.  She was furious with this, with this entire situation, with everything going right now.  With this woman, this startlingly beautiful woman who was acting so superior, with her muscles that felt weighed down as they did in her dreams, with the sudden change and this white room.
 She decided that she wasnât going to take it anymore, and she lashed out at the only person she could.  Would it do anything?  Probably not.  Would it make her feel better?  It always did.
 With a sudden lunge and a yell, she reared back her right fist to smash it into Chayaâs jaw.  Her movements were slow and choppy, though - whatever rust was still there was hindering her.   Chaya was either much better at this or expecting it, as she leaned handily to the side and deflected Shylaâs blow, grabbing her by the shoulder with her other hand and pressing her down to the ground.  She followed up by twisting Shylaâs other arm around her back, pinning her down before Shyla even had time to react.
 Shyla struggled against Chayaâs startlingly secure grip, but Chaya held fast and tight, immobilizing Shyla.  âAre you done, sweetheart?â Chaya said in a saccharinely sweet tone, honey dripping from her words.  Shyla merely growled, fire clouding her head, the desire to smash in Chayaâs nose growing exponentially with every word that the woman said.  âWe have a lot to discuss, and your desire to bash in my skull wonât get you anywhere.â
 âShut up!â Shyla managed to get words out this time, and she practically spat them into Chayaâs face.  She struggled against the hold, attempting to throw Chaya off, to no avail.  Her struggling got worse, harder, and she could feel pain in her held arm as she pulled.  She didnât care too much, the pain was just validation that this was screwed up, that she needed to break free.
 As she struggled, unable to keep the anger going from physical violence, the pain in her arm gave way to the pain in her chest, a deep ache that was tearing at her inside.  They were gone.  Her comrades, her brothers and sisters, her dear friends that were the only people she really trusted, were gone.
 Higginsâ stupid jokes and the way he smiled that cocked smile after delivering a pun.  Williamâs voice, her guitar, her beautiful singing when they had nothing else to do out in the desert. Diaz, sweet Diaz, with his four siblings and outbursts in Spanish and their long discussions of if Han or Luke would make a better Jedi Master.
 And now, they were all gone.
 Hot tears formed as she remembered them, as the desperate pain in her chest grew louder and larger and all consuming.  Holding it in was not an option, not anymore, and her struggles against her captor only intensified as her friends came to her mind.  âJust...shut up!  Fuck you, Chaya!  What the fuck do you know?!â
 âEveryone gets here by dying, and some of us,â Chaya whispered quietly, steadfastly holding on to Shylaâs arm, âhave to watch their loved ones go right before.â
 The words pierced through her veil of anger, though it didnât make Shyla stop, it did make her slow down.  She was silently crying now, the occasional sob shaking her, and she finally ceased her movement, unwilling to fight in this state - not when the fighting didnât matter.  Chaya let her go and slid off of her, sitting down next to the newly deceased woman, waiting patiently for her to clean up.
 Eventually, Shyla rolled over onto her back, drying her face with her tank top.  She looked up to Chaya, who was staring off into the distance.  âIâm sorry,â Shyla said as she sat up.
 âItâs all right, dear,â Chaya said with a sigh.  âItâs all in the past.  You got lucky,â she continued with a sad, gentle smile, âyou died quickly.â
 There was a secondâs pause, then Shyla pushed herself up and moved into Chaya, wrapping her arms around the other womanâs torso in a tight hug.  Chaya stiffened for a second, surprised by the contact, before she relaxed and slid her hands up to gently rub Shylaâs arms.  Shyla only tightened her embrace at that sign, rubbing her nose into Chayaâs neck.  Like it or not, Chaya was now the only person she knew, and the only one who could help.  Could be worse.  A lot worse.
 She smelled a little spicy, Shyla discovered.
 Eventually, Shylaâs grip loosened, and she went back to sitting on her own feet.  âOkay,â she began.  âWhat do I need to know?â  She didnât bother to hide her birthmark anymore.  Chaya seemed like the kind of person who didnât care about it.
 âLetâs start at the beginning,â Chaya replied.  âDo you believe in God?â
 -----
 With a burst of flame, Shylaâs wings vanished.  Chayaâs did the same, with a flash of light, and the two of them were standing outside of the local branch.  âYou still havenât told me what weâre doing,â Shyla said as they ascended the steps and walked in through the front door.
 âI figured the surprise would be more fun.â  Chaya made a beeline for Johnâs office.  Shyla decided to hang back and enjoy the space.
 The local branch of the Department of Morality, subset of the Library of Babel, was much larger on the inside than the outside.  A brilliant blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds served as the ceiling, and a thick sheet of glass was the floor.  Below was an endless abyss into the earth, skillfully carved statues and rock formations lined the sides and ledges.  The middle ground was an office building in most appearances, but the interior decoration was a strange mix between a marble castle and a supervillain lair.
 The room was filled with dozens of people walking about, all of them possessing a pair of either feathered or scaly wings.  As Shyla had learned, the angels and demons of the modern times did rather resemble the ones usually portrayed - human beings with wings and maybe a tail - but their function was rather different.  Dying had opened her eyes to the existence of the Library, and had oddly enough given her a bit of a promotion - from soldier to demon.
 Far from being representatives of ultimate good and ultimate evil, angels and demons tended more to order and chaos.  The material universe was the only place of balance, where the magic of the Aether was filtered through laws and rules into a useable form.  Sometimes, it went a little wrong, and thatâs when the Library sent for the bigger guns.  Though obfuscators could handle the occasional outbreak of knowledge or void creatures, larger groups required more firepower and expertise.
 Thatâs where the Department of Morality came in.  With resources and training to deal with almost any situation that didnât require a seraphim or archon, the angels and demons fought as one unit, going after rogue members of their own orders or agents of void or aether as the mission demanded.
 Chaya was an archangel, leader of her own little squad.  Turns out that the military structure wasnât just made for humans.  Shyla did a short jog, bringing her up behind Chaya as the woman took flight, soaring up a few floors to Johnâs office.  Shyla followed, landing a bit rougher.
 Johnâs office was a bit sparser in terms of decoration from the rest of the place.  A wooden desk sat near the back with a holographic computer set atop it.  No pictures or plants were around, but there were a few framed photographs sitting on the des.  John was in one or two, with others containing family members.  Or, Shyla presumed they were family.  They didnât really look like him, though.
 The man himself carried one hell of an air of authority.  He was a tall man, built like an ox, with short-cut brown hair and a variety of interesting scars dotting his body.  His square face was chisel-cut, with thick, dark eyebrows and a mouth that looked far more used to a frown over a smile.  Chaya had anecdotally mentioned to Shyla that she had only ever seen him smile once.  After seeing him only once, Shyla believed her, but the pictures showed off a different side - someone who had a gentler side.  Shyla hadnât seen it yet, but sheâd heard some stories of the archangel in action.  They were both terrifying and inspiring.
 John glanced up from his typing as the women walked in, looking over the edge of the âscreenâ at Chaya, who was smiling wide.  Shyla was in her usual frown.
 âSorry, John.  Had to pick up the new recruit,â Chaya replied to the unspoken accusation of lateness, nodding slightly towards Shyla.
 âIâm not that new,â Shyla protested, crossing her arms as her frown got lower.
 âCompared to the rest of us, love, youâre practically a baby.  Even Tamzinâs got a bit on you.  Speaking of whichâŠ?â Chaya said as she turned back to face John.
 âSheâs on her way,â he replied, leaning back a bit in his chair.  âI sent her a message after I sent you one.  Please, have a seat.â He gestured to the empty space in front of his desk.  Two comfortable looking chairs materialized out of thin air to accommodate the women as they sat down.  âThereâs been a void breach.â
 âI feared as much,â Chaya said.  âWhere and how big?â
 â5th Ward, cordoned off a two block diameter, four block square area.  Obfuscators are in play with local authorities, arcanists have blocked off the area from non-Librarians.  Go in, suppress the void, close the breach.â  He spun his monitor around to show them an unfolding schematic of the area.  The affected zone was darkened and outlined in red.
 Frowning, Shyla leaned forward.  âWhat about the void makes them unable to handle by standard SWAT response?â
 Tapping a few keys, John changed the few, bringing up pictures of known void monsters.  âThis is why.â  Looking at them, Shyla could understand why the request got bumped up to the Morality agents.  Bristling with sharp points and strangely bent joints, large parts of them were also either missing or oddly invisible.  In their places were angular, jutting extensions of...nothing.  Pure black, darker than black even, and Shyla had trouble focusing on the ends - her eyes kept trying to resolve them into a point, but no matter how much she focused, it always seemed to go smaller and smaller and smaller until she lost it.
 Blinking several times, she squinted to try and find it, but it never got there.  She finally looked away, rubbing her eyes and trying to clear them.  âOkay, woah, thatâs not...yeah, I get it.  The Void is nothing, right?â
 John nodded.  âIt goes beyond nothing.  Nothing is the absence of anything, or nonexistence.  The Void is something - it is distinctly something, and that something is the complete lack of anything.  If a thing is, this is not.â
 Shyla frowned, tilting her head.  âIâm having a little trouble with that concept.â
 âDonât break your brain on it, love,â Chaya said.  âWeâll need that for the fight.â
 A knock sounded, causing everyone to turn around.  Tamzin walked in, taking a seat in a third chair that materialized in.  She was taller than Shyla by a few inches, with her usual neutral expression set beneath fierce eyes and a small nose.  An unkempt mop of platinum blonde hair sat on top of her head.  She was dressed in what appeared to be army fatigues, though Shyla didnât know if sheâd been in the military when sheâd died.  She didnât look dangerous, but Shyla had seen enough of her to know that she was a foolish assumption to make.
 âTamzin,â said John simply.  Shyla gave her a small nod, which Tamzin returned.
 âTamzin!â Chaya said joyfully, standing up quickly and moving to embrace her friend - an embrace Tamzin returned with a smile.  âGood to see you, dear,â
 âAnd you, Chaya,â Tamzin replied, her Russian accent coming in thick.  âShyla, John, good to see you.  What did I miss?â
 John indicated her empty chair, and she and Chaya sat back down.  âVoid breach, two block square area.  Weâll be going in as soon as youâre done arming up and we have word from the Obfuscators that the area is clear.  Weâve got sightings of the usual monsters: carnages, all-eaters, and entropics.  Make sure youâve got some remaker.â
 Shyla had never gotten a part of her taken by the Void, so being remade was not something she was looking forward to experiencing.  Hopefully, sheâd never have to.
 âAny questions?â John asked as Tamzin was looking over the area.
 Shyla half-raised her hand.  âHow do we close it?â
 âVoid breaches happen when enough matter is taken from somewhere to elevate a consciousness inside the void itself,â John continued.  âThey have the strength and intelligence to open up a rift in the wall and hold it open so they can send their monsters out to feed.  You need to literally enter the rift, destroy whatever is holding it open, and get out before the collapse locks you in.â
 âIs not very common,â Tamzin said, âand so requires special team.  We have done this many times before.â
 Chaya nodded, crossing one of her legs and smirking at the map.  âAlways a treat when we get to bring out the big guns.  You have experience with artillery, correct?â  Shyla nodded.  âSometimes it gets that bad, but this one shouldnât, provided we close it fast enough.â
 âSo, what do we get to use?  What kind of big guns are we talking about?â Shyla asked, confused.
 Chaya and Tamzin just smiled.  John gave a slight sigh.
 -----
 "You've gotta be shitting me."
 Shyla's eyes were desperately trying to take everything in.  Rows of weapons, each one elaborately decorated and covered with strange symbols that seemed to resemble complex mathematics. Â
 âIs not trick,â Tamzin said as she stood near the edge of the door.  She was armed with what appeared to be a glowing, mother-of-pearl pistol.  âIs part of job.  Fighting monsters requires special gear.â
 âThis is...this is incredible,â Shyla said as she examined a solid black revolver sitting on a stand by her.  âWhatâs up with all these weapons?â
 âArcanists, darling, are the Libraryâs greatest gift to man,â Chaya said as she put a white futuristic-looking chestpiece on.  It adjusted itself, resizing to her fantastic musculature and body shape, and then it started to slide armor plates out.  After a few seconds and plenty of metal clicking, Chaya was fully clad in a suite of pure white armor.  âAnd this is why.â
 John picked up a minigun that looked like it had come right off the roof of a humvee. The gun itself was pulsating, and every now and then, a jolt of pure white electricity would spark across the gunâs barrels.  The gun itself looked rugged and beat up, but the sigils told a different story.  âEvery weapon here has been specially worked on by top Arcanists to work against the Void creatures, along with anything else we encounter.  This one is named The Big Stick.â
 With a motion, he twisted the handle, and the gun itself folded in upon itself, the parts compacting and compressing and defying many known laws of physics until it was approximately the size of a paper towel roll, which John hung in a little holster on his waist.  The whole process took less than a half-second.
 Shyla just goggled.  â...holy shit.â
 Chaya smiled.  âPick what you like.  Youâll have to return it when weâre done, but you can take anything you can handle.â
 Shyla had been eyeing one of the miniguns herself since she walked in, and she walked over to a different one - one that seemed to be made out of a highly polished black metal.  It was accented with lapis lazuli lines and symbols, little carvings all over the weapon.  Take it in her hands, she hefted it experimentally, holding it in front of her and doing a few quick swings with it.
 John didnât so much as raise an eyebrow.  Chaya did.  âYou wish to start with World Eater?â John asked.  Shyla nodded, sure.  âVery well.  Be sure to grab spare ammunition and be sure you can control your trigger finger.â
 âI know what Iâm doing,â she said as she mimicked Johnâs action, twisting the handle.  It, however, didnât respond.  Curious, she tried again.  No result.  Frustrated, she twisted her other hand, and thatâs when it started to shrink.  The barrels retracted, the assembly shrank, and soon Shyla found herself holding a rather heavy cylinder.  She too set that in a pouch on her side, then moved over to the sidearms, deciding to strap on two unnaturally large caliber pistols, named Ascent and Descent.  Ascent appeared to be a pure white with thin golden spiderweb lines throughout the entire body.  Descent was pure black, with red lines doing the same thing.
 âWhatâs with the names?â Shyla asked, reading a small placard next to a shotgun that appeared to be randomly fading in and out of existence.  Apparently this one was called âIncisorâ.
 âThese weapons are works of art, Shyla,â Chaya said as she pulled a gauntlet attached via a small, thin hose to a battery-like pack from the wall.  âEach one took well over several years to create and perfect, and so each one has a history.  Taking a normal weapon is sometimes a good base, but many of these have some kind of tale to tell from well before the Arcanists got to them.â
 She fastened the Walkman-sized pack to her belt, then slid the gauntlet on, taking off her existing one.  Nodding in satisfaction, she lowered her hand and started looking at some of the other weapons.  âUse one enough, listen well to how it works, and you may yet learn it.â
 Nodding slightly, but more concerned in what was around, Shyla continued to look at the racks.  Not all of the weapons were modern - there was what looked like a plain wooden bow, a decorated longsword, even an ordinary leather sling.  Some older-styled armor, a few other chestplates like the one Chaya had grabbed, even some bulletproof vests.
 âAnd I canât take everything?â Shyla asked, only sort of kidding.
 Chaya and Tamzin shared a smile.  Even John seemed to slightly grin, maybe by a millimeter.  âWe all want to,â Tamzin said from the door.  âBut, no.  Take just what you know.â
 âRight,â Shyla said as she slipped on some leather gauntlets, feeling strength surge through her.  Theyâd been marked Samson Gloves, and the feeling was making her grin wide  âGood thing I know a lot about all of this shit.â
NaNo Day 3 - Sageport Pt 1
The Endless Garden was a place that sat on the eastern edge of Sageportâs walls, and the constantly creeping vines were a minor nuisance for the guards patrolling said wall - hacking away at them did relieve some boredom, but if you hacked away too many of them, they tended to get uppity and start swatting at the perpetrator.
 Fortunately, Crowe was far away from that.  How far, he wasnât sure.  The normal laws of space didnât seem to apply in the layline convergence that was the Endless Garden.  From the air, it seemed barely two miles in total area, but it always seemed that large, until suddenly you had passed over it.  He distinctly remembered flying over it for upwards of 30 minutes on one occasion, glancing down to see the entire Garden area, and then glancing behind him to see the city far in the distance.
Now, though, he was surrounded by flowers in every color of the rainbow, along with some that he was weirdly sure heâd never seen before. Â Gigantic blue and green trees with trunks as thick as his mountâs body dotted the grove around him, stretching up into infinity. Â Daylight was completely obscured down on the forest floor, but the glowing moss bathed the entire area in a soft blue light. Â Flashes of green and red from the fireflies created a spectacular light show, and the rainplants that slowly floated about added a soothing pitter-patter of falling droplets.
 Crowe could almost fall asleep here, and on several occasions, he had.  But not today.  Today, Ember was supposed to report back on the other nations.  The spirit girl had been gathering intelligence from her counterparts in Syfalia, Arenrae, and the Soaring Hills.  There was much to discuss.
 Which was also why he was a little annoyed that she was late.  Heâd been standing here, in this small clearing, for over 20 minutes.  She was supposed to be here by now, and he was tapping his foot impatiently.  He had a date with Ciaphas that he had no intention to miss, and he was damned if some eyeless, confounding, flirty nature woman was going to stop him.
 âLate as usual, Em,â he muttered to himself.
 âCareful, Crowe,â came a sultry voice from behind him.  âImpatience in this forest makes the trees suspicious.â
 Whirling with a shout, Crowe almost fell backwards.  Ember was sitting on a low-hanging tree branch next to her winged cat, who was gazing at him with whirling amber eyes.  She was clad in her usual collection of leaves and skins, her midriff and shoulders exposed.  Her skin was the color of grass at dusk, blending in quite well to the overall color of the forest, and covering her eyes was her ever-present blindfold, fashioned out of clinging ivy.  Her oak brown hair was cut short all around, and her smile was dangerously wide.
 âDid I scare you?â She asked, innocently kicking her legs.  Crowe nodded.  Her smile grew offputtingly wider.  âGood.  Itâs been too long since youâve visited, Iâd nearly forgotten how good you smell.â  She inhaled deeply, her cat slowly circling Crowe, who merely folded his arms and frowned.
 âCome on, Em, Iâve got somewhere to be,â Crowe protested.  Typical Ember.  Head in the clouds.
 With a smooth motion, Ember dropped to the forest floor, approaching Crowe with entirely too much sway in her hips.  Crowe towered over Ember by over a foot, but she didnât seem intimidated.  âIâm sorry, Crowe,â she murmured her right hand gently brushed Croweâs cheek.  She was close, uncomfortably close, but this was all part of the game that the two played.  âI donât mean to keep you from your duties.  Or the ones as a lover,â she added with a smirk.
 âYou just want to keep me here,â he said with a smirk just as confident as hers.  âCanât stand to watch me go, can you?â
 Ember grinned, then took a step back and turned around, hair flashing to the color of autumn leaves.  âOn the contrary, I enjoy watching you go very much.  It shows off your best feature.â  Her cat finished the circle, arriving next to Ember, who gently laid a hand on Edenâs back.  âBut as much as I would love to kidnap you, we have things to discuss.  Sit down.â
 Brushing some dirt off a fallen log, Crowe sat, arms refolding after he got comfortable.  âHow did the convocation go?â
 âThe black winds howl,â she whispered, every syllable still reaching his ear, carried by the wind.  âArenraeâs aggression has peaked, and Weaveâs words have fallen on deaf ears.â  Turning to face Crowe, she stopped in place, and Edenâs eyes found Croweâs.  The amber color was gone, replaced with a swirling sunset red.  âWar is coming, Crowe.â
 Sighing, Crowe let his chin fall to his chest for a second, picking it back up when he was finished.  âI was afraid youâd say that.â
 âThe King of Swords has begun massing his armies.  Syfalia stands to fall, unless they call on you for support or marshal some other great defense in their time of need.â
 âTheyâre going to call on us,â Crowe said, remembering something from his Sageport history classes.  âWe have a treaty that dates back centuries.  Weâll have no choice but to help.â
 âSo Seafoam told me, but Zephyr raised a new point.  Arenrae is not the only one preparing for conquest.  The Soaring Hills have begun their own schemes, and Zephyr has been watching, waiting, listening.  She is silent, but always present, and she has seen that the Hills are marshalling a garrison - a garrison they intend to send to Sageport.â
 Crowe suddenly sat up straight, unfolding his arms and now fully invested.  âWhat?  Why?  Whoâs leading them?â
 âPeace, perhaps against Arenraeâs ambitions should Syfalia fall.  Or to raze the city, should that be deemed necessary.  A country in the sky has great need for a corps that has flying beasts as mounts - and perhaps a great need to see them dead.â
 âHey now, Marleyâs a hell of a lot more than a beast,â Crowe protested.  Marley, somewhere far off, roared his agreement.  âAnd weâre no threat to the Hills.â
 âYet your dragons are tempting none the less.  Should anyone take Sageport, your dragons fall under their command - and they are a force to be reckoned with,â she said simply.
 âThen we wonât accept the garrison.  Too risky.  We can hold the city ourselves.â  Crowe stood up and paced, impatient to get back and report this to Ciaphas.  She needed to know.  The horizon was getting increasingly dark.
 âRefusing aid in a potential time of need may cause undue ire,â Ember noted.  âYour knowledge makes you dangerous, love, and these Hills forces are not to be underestimated.â
 âWho leads them?â
âA woman named Chaya,â Ember said as she once more approached Crowe. Â âHer soul burns hotter than a forge, and her passion for war knows no limits. Â If Syfalia falls, they will prove invaluable to the defense of Sageport against Arenraeâs newfound navy. Â If Syfalia lives due to your intervention, they may take the city while your forces are spread thin - or, they may attack Syfalia while the city is weak from the conflict.â
 Crowe considered this, rubbing his head in his hands.  Emberâs words sent shivers through his spine, and the more he thought of it, the more right she was.  There was no simple solution to this - refusing aid when an aggressor was knocking on their door was foolish, but if the Hills forces attacked from within, it could devastate Sageport - unless the mage guards managed to hold it.
 He had to talk to Ciaphas.
 With a sigh, Crowe stood up, stretching.  Ember stood in front of him, leaning slightly on her cat, and he watched him rise to his full height.  âAw, leaving so soon?â she purred.
 âSorry, Em.  Iâve got to head back and talk to Ciaphas.  Thereâs a lot we gotta do before Arenrae starts to march.â  He reached out and rubbed her head.  She frowned, then grabbed his hand and pulled him down with a âwoah!â, getting him face to face with her.  She was unnaturally strong for someone of her size and build.  He was gazing into her blindfold, but he felt as though they were looking right into each otherâs eyes.
 âWar is coming, Crowe.  I love you, and I need you to stay safe, okay?  You have to come back here.  You have to.â  She was almost pleading with him now, her grip on his cheeks firm, and her fingers shaking slightly.  âI havenât kissed you yet, and Iâm going to before you die.â
 âI look forward to it,â he said with a smile, taking her smaller hands into his and squeezing them.  âIâll be fine, Em.  Iâll come back soon.â  He let go of her hands, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight embrace - a move that caused her to stiffen, then slowly relax in the embrace.
 They finally parted, and Ember took a few steps back before turning around.  Eden came up behind her after nuzzling Croweâs leg.  âNow go, Crowe.  Have good sex, okay?â
 âYou know me.  I always do,â he said while flashing a grin.
 âI donât.  But Iâd like to find out for myself soon,â she replied with her own grin before vanishing into the trees.
 Crowe just shook his head slightly.  Thatâd be a hell of a question to ask Ciaphas.  âMarley!â he called out, and a roar echoed through the forest in reply.
 âLet's hit the sky!"
NaNo Day 1 and 2 - Superhero AU
Below Arken lay the thousands of twinkling lights, stretching out to as far as he could see. Â The skyscraper gave Arken a hell of view, hanging as he was on the side of the observation deck. Â His grip gloves were active and holding fast to the glass, his flight boots were primed and ready to go, and his hard light shield was shining bright, even against the cityscape below.
 The observation deck was empty at this time of night, a fact for which Arken was thankful as he prepared to descend into the streets below.  He checked his gear, running all of it through diagnostics and into the HUD built into his helmet.  20 years ago, heâd have had wires running everywhere.  Bluetooth was a godsend.
 Boots, green.  Grip gloves, green.  Shield, green.  Blaster, green.  Wireless receiver, green.  Detonators, green.  Turret, green.  Cable launcher, green.  All systems go.
 Time to fly.
âYou still look stupid.â
 Despite being close to letting go anyway, Arken nearly lost his grip in surprise.  Turning, he spotted Impact next to him, perched on the smooth glass as he was.  Clad in her usual armor and helmet, Arken couldnât be completely sure she wasnât smirking under there.
 âSays the woman dressed up like a street fighting ninja thing,â Arken countered, his helmet disguising his voice as it flowed out through the speaker.  His HUD immediately outlined her with a thin blue line - the same color that police and other friendlies had.  âAt least I have style.â
 âStyle that you ripped off from Iron Man,â Impact shot back.  âIs your theme song also Back In Black?â
 âNo,â Arken said pointedly as he quietly cycled that song out of his playlist.  âSomething by Daft Punk is more my style anyway.â
 âWhatever you say, red head.  You ready?  Weâve got work to do,â she said as she adjusted herself on the glass, leaning back against it and tightening her gloves.
 âAll green,â he said as a portion of his arm guard slid back and he examined the wiring within.  âYou pick first.â  Riverside, he thought to himself.
 âRiverside,â she said, no hesitation.
 He silently paid himself $5.  âCentral for me.â
 âDamn, you would.  All right, Iâll grab Underside.â
 âAnd Iâll take Gate Ends, which leaves Southside and Shinedocks for the cops.â
 Impact nodded.  âSounds good.â  She glanced him up and over once, the nodded once more, satisfied at her observations and/or his efforts.  Arken wasnât sure which.  âBe safe, Zee.â
 Arken gave her a thumbs up.  âYou too.  See you next week,â he called as he dropped from the observation deck.  Glancing back, he saw her diving as well, streaking through the air to the street level.
 How she managed to do things like stick to glass, he didnât really know, and he didnât particularly feel like thinking on it at the moment.
------
 âYou have a problem.â
 Rhiaâs voice caused Arken to jump in his chair and quickly alt-tab away from the subreddit devoted to the local vigilante called Impact.  Whirling around and slightly red, he gazed upon his friend. She was standing there with folded arms and slightly to one side, tanned skin occasionally dotted with a small bead of sweat and dressed in a tank top and bike shorts.  A duffel bag with a big water bottle was set down next to her.
 Her dark eyes shone, seeming to pierce him, as they always did.  Her smirk caught onto his heart and pulled it along, as it had been doing since the first time.  Dark hair was currently tied up into a tight bun, the better to keep it out of her eyes.  Her arms and legs with very toned, and Arken was pretty sure she could snap him like a twig if she ever really wanted to.
 Theyâd met a few months ago over their mutual interest in not failing pre-calculus.  Theyâd bonded over a continued mutual interest in not failing pre-calculus, so regular study meetings had turned into conversations on the best PC games and agreements to play some TF 2 together.  From there it spiraled into which Avenger was the best (Iron Man, obviously, but she prefered Black Widow) and movie recs.
 âItâs not a problem!â he finally got out, momentarily taken aback by her sudden appearance.  Words sometimes took a bit to come out around her.  âItâs a...hobby.  Thing.  Come on, a costumed hero?  How is that not awesome?â
 âSure it isnât,â she said with disbelief as she pulled out a rolling chair and sat down next to him.  He could smell the workout on her, a heady scent tinged with a slight sweetness.  âThe first step is admitting you have one.â
 âYeah, yeah,â he muttered as he brought the tab back up.
 âAnd I thought youâd be more interested in Zero Point, with his suit thing,â she said as she leaned back in the chair.  Arken felt a little sorry for whoever would sit down next in it.
 Arken chuckled, then shook his head.  âI could build a suit like that in my sleep.  The construction is shoddy and the design is terrible.  Who gave him that idea anyway?â
 Rhia shrugged, absentmindedly checking her pulse as they were talking.  âMaybe he decided the city needed more than Fletcher.  One guy with a bow and arrow canât cover everything, so more decided to join up.  Whatâs the word on your lady hero?â
 âNothing big since she foiled that hostage deal a few weeks ago.  A few sightings, the occasional stopped mugging, thatâs about it.â  He turned back around and brought up the browser window as he spoke, scrolling through the entries.  He was pretty quiet on the Fletcher and Impact subreddits, but he had an official account for the Zero Point one, as Zero Point.  People liked asking him questions and for pictures.  Reporting crimes came next, but his stock answer was to talk to the police.  He was enough legal hot water.
 âSee, I donât get her outfit,â Rhia said as Arken pulled up a candid shot of Impact.  She pointed to parts of her armor.  âIt doesnât look very comfortable, and what kind of visor is that?  Wouldnât that just block vision?â  The visor in question was T-shaped, clearly inspired by a certain space opera culture.  The rest of her outfit was armored, sticking close to her skin but seeming like an odd cross between a ninja, a pro skater, and an army commando.  Her joints were unarmored, but covered up with black fabric.
 âHey, sheâs a fighter, not a tailor.  Maybe it isnât her number one priority,â Arken suggested.  He remembered the trouble heâd had with Zero Pointâs outfit.  Padding on the inside of a metal suit was hardly an easy thing to figure out.
 âIf I was in that costume, itâd be number one,â Rhia countered.  âYou think sheâs doing good?â
 âWho, Impact?  Sheâs doing amazing good,â he said excitedly.  He had a bit more personal experience with this, which he couldnât tell her.  âShe cleans up this city, she keeps it safe, sheâs...sheâs fantastic.  Plus she saved my life that one time,â he finished nonchalantly, trying to brush it off.
 Rhia didnât buy it.  She grinned and gave him a light punch on the arm.  âAww, someoneâs got a crush.â
 âI do not have...oh, yeah, no point in hiding it,â he said with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head.  âI do have one.  Who wouldnât?â
 âYou donât even know what she looks like!â
 âDo I have to?  She obviously cares about the city.  I hope I get to meet her again.â
 With a small smile, Rhia clapped Arken on the shoulder as she stood up.  âGo fight a gang or something.  Maybe sheâll show up to save your ass.â  Hoisting her bag onto her shoulder, she stretched as she finished standing.  âGotta run.  Iâll see you tonight for study.â
 With a small wave, Arken turned back to the screen.  âYour turn to buy the pizza!â
 ----
 Zero Point and Impact were sitting on top of a roof, waiting.  The night was cool, and it was still early - the last few bits of pink and orange were still visible on the horizon.  Red and white lights were crawling below them like ants, the occasional sound of a car horn piercing the otherwise comfortable silence.
 âAny news on Reactor?â Arken said.
 Impact shook her head.  âNothing since the escape.  Better for him if he keeps his head low, anyway.â
 âDidnât you break in through the wall last time?â
 At that, Impact laughed, then shook her head.  âActually, no - I put an explosive tag there so heâd be focused on that while I sneaked in through the back door.  Iâm not that obvious.â
 Arken nodded approvingly.  âNice tactic, Iâll have to remember it.  The wall thing, I mean.  Iâm not sure stealth is part of my playbook.â
 âWith a suit like that,â a voice behind them said, âI couldnât imagine why.â
 The duo turned to spot a man in a purple-and-black outfit behind them, sporting a mask.  He was carrying a bow and a quiver full of arrows.  With a simultaneous sigh, Impact and Arken relaxed, putting down their respective weapons.
 âHow did you get up here?â Arken asked.
 âGrappling reel arrow,â Fletcher said.  âHad to take out my noisemaker arrow to fit it, but itâs become surprisingly handy.â
 âDo you still have the boomerang one?â Impact asked, amusement clear in her voice.
 âHey now,â Fletcher warned, ârespect the boomerang arrow, and respect comes back to you.â
 Silence.
 âYou know,â he continued, unable to keep his smile.  âLike a boo-â
 âWe get it,â the others said in unison.
 âYeah, yeah.  Whatâd you call me up here for, shell head?â
 Impact spoke up.  âGot a tip.  Bank robbery, tonight, First National.  Rumor is the Queenâs behind it.  Think you can lend a hand?â
 âIâve got two, so chances are good,â Fletcher said as he twirled around an arrow shaft between his fingers.  âAny more details?â
 âAside from that sheâs hired Breaker, Edge Guard, and Cynic to help her,â Arken added, ânot really.  We did some fact checking, and this isnât a wild goose chase.  The cops know too, but this is above their pay grade.â
 Fletcher laughed derisively.  âItâs way the hell above my pay grade.  Which is nothing.  But, sure, Iâll help out.  When does it go down?â
 âAbout a half-hour,â Impact said as she stood up and stretched.  âReady to go?â
 Reaching back, Fletcher put the shaft back into the quiver and pulled out one with what appeared to be steel cable attached to it.  âI am now.  Hereâs hoping we donât all die!â
 âCheers to that,â muttered Arken as he tapped a few keys on his wrist computer.  âPatch in, comm 140.85.  Check.â
 âRead you,â came Impact though his ears and his headset.  âCheck.â
 âI love threeways,â said Fletcher, also through both.  âCheck.â
 âLetâs go!â called Impact as she jumped off the roof.
 Arken and Fletcher stared at her, then at each other.  Finally, Fletcher gestured.  âThought you had nerves of steel, Ironfist.â
 âJust the shell, man.  And stop calling me that.â
----
âImpact!â
 Arkenâs call went out as bullets pinged against the wall behind him.  A laser swept overhead, turning the drywall into scorched dust, and the sharp stinging scent of ozone reached Arkenâs nose through his helmet.  The bank lobby had been turned into a warzone as Impact, Zero Point, and Fletcher fought against the Queen and her so-called Pawns.  Debris filled the place as bullets, blasts, and lasers were flying all over the place.  To his left, Impact was ducked down behind a marble pillar.  Fletcher was nowhere to be seen, but he was up to something.
 Heâd told them to keep Queen and the others occupied.  Cynic had been taken out early, Arken having thrown him through one of the walls and into the vault door.  Breaker was zipping around the area, firing electric blasts as Queen commanded her robotic gatling guns to fire on the pair.  Edge Guard was waiting for a command to strike, energy sword at the ready.
 This looked bad.
 âLittle busy right now!â she said, glancing out only to duck back quickly as a lightning bolt shot past her face.  âShit!â
 Breakerâs cackle echoed throughout the lobby.  âCome on, Fletch,â Arken muttered into his comm.  âWe donât have all day!â
 âI said keep âem busy!â Fletcherâs frustrated whisper came in over the radio.  As far as they;d seen, heâd shot off one arrow at the start in a random direction, then vanished in the chaos that followed.  âBlow something up!  Canât Impact make her fists explode or something?â
 âI need something to hit!  Thereâs no openings!â she shot back, looking to Arken.  âZee!  Do something!â
 With a sigh, Arken flipped up his wrist computer, typing in a short command.  âI canât fly after this, so if we gotta run fast, I really hope you can carry me up those walls.  Get ready!  Iâm gonna knock out her bots!â
 Impact nodded.  âJust do it fast!â
 With a silent count to three, Arken confirmed the power transfer.  The lights on his feet and arms sputtered and died.  A whirring noise began to sound as his suit stored up the power, building it and building it up, ready to release it all in one burst.  The lights on his suit began to glow brighter, brighter, and electricity began to spark across the exterior.  âGo!â he yelled, a split-second before the wave.
 A dome of blue light swept out, enveloping the bankâs bottom two floors and a good portion of the outside.  As the wave hit an electronic, it sputtered and died - or, in the case of the lights, exploded in a shower of glass.  The bank was plunged into darkness as all lights, including those outside, went out at once.
 The robots spun to a stop, their gatling guns falling silent.  âWhat the fuck was that?!â came Breakerâs voice in the darkness.  âZero!  Iâm gonna rip that generator out of your spine if I ha-â
 Her sudden protests were silenced as Impactâs kiya echoed throughout the lobby.  At the same time, Arkenâs shield and blaster materialized, and he rolled out from behind the building.  Red light bathed the area, his weapons sending constantly shifting shadows and light patterns onto the walls - and right onto the Queenâs wide, angry eyes.
 âEdge!â she cried, pointing her finger at Arken.  Without waiting to see why, Arken jumped back - and the space he occupied was filled with the blue slash of Edgeâs blade.  A follow-up slice was deflected by Arkenâs shield, purple sparks flying from the contact point as Arken braced against the hit.
 With a pump of his right arm, Arkenâs blaster transformed, the hard light folding in on itself dozens of times and unfolding into a long broadsword.  He shoved back against Edge, sending the man back with a grunt, and Arken brought his weapon around in a follow up strike.
 Edge blocked it handily, surging inwards and slamming an elbow into Arkenâs armored chest, making Arken cough and stagger back.  The swordsman wasted no time in pressing his offense, powerful blows coming at Arken left and right, and it was taking Arkenâs full effort just to stay alive.  Block left, block high, sidestep a thrust, hold fast against a smash, parry a slice, an-
 Shit.
 Arken cried out, the burning sensation in his leg from Edgeâs blade sending him to one knee.  A savage kick from Edge sent him down onto his back, his shield and sword shattering to pieces that vanished when they fell apart.  Edgeâs booted foot slammed into Arkenâs chest, holding him down.  He followed it up with his eyes, focusing on the bright blue tip of the sword hovering just over his helmet.
 âAny last words?â Edge said, computerized voice ringing clearly in Arkenâs earpiece.
 âYeah,â Arken grunted.  âD-â
 He didnât even get a chance to finish the line before Edge was swept off of his feet and sent flying, slamming into and demolishing one of the marble pillars.  Chunks of it crashed to the ground around Edgeâs unconscious body, and Arken followed the fist that sent Edge flying to see Impact as the owner, her hand pulsing with a bright green energy - along with the rest of her arm.
 âNice save,â Arken said as he took Impactâs offered hand and was pulled up.  âWhat about Breaker?â
 That question was answered as he saw a sudden spark of lightning in the corner, and a harsh scream came from Breaker.  âEat it, bitches!â she yelled as she threw her hands out, sending a massive bolt of lightning at the pair.
 With a small shift, Arken pulled Impact back, throwing himself in the path of the bolt.  It struck his chest, sending a gigantic surge of power into his suit - a surge that flowed through a system built for just such an occasion, as capacitors and switches worked to send the electricity into his formerly dormant systems.
 âImpact!â Arken yelled again, and she squeezed his hand to let him know she was there.  Breakerâs laugh started to slow as she realized that neither Zero Point nor Impact were twitching from her blast, and that laugh turned to a shout of panic as Arken finished his superpowered throw.
 Impact soared through the air, leaving a colored green silhouette of herself behind every few inches.  Her knees were tucked in, turning her into a human cannonball.  A few feet from Breakerâs face, she unfolded herself, and Breaker got the hardest kick in the teeth sheâd ever gotten.
 Impact landed feet first on the adjacent wall, hitting a three-point stance on the vertical surface.  There she stood, glancing down to admire their handiwork.  âNice toss, Zee.â
 Arken flashed her a grin she couldnât see and a thumbs up that she could.  âNice hit.  Now whereâs the-â
 âQUEEN?!?â came a bellow from behind them.  Said Queen was standing tall, spotlights shining on her - ones that she appeared to have tossed out herself.  âYou fools have ignored me for the last time!â
 There was a whoosh and a thunk, and the Queen suddenly flew forward, falling face down against the floor.  A second of silence, and she moaned, out like one of the other lights.
 Mystified, Arken and Impact looked at each other.  Fletcher swung down from a duct, then strolled over and picked up what looked like an arrow shaft, grinning.  âTold you.  Boomerang arrow.  Respect it.â
 ----
 The mop-up was done fast.  The three costumed ones had fled the scene after Queen was down, finding solace on their original rooftop.  The night was a bit quieter, the streets a bit safer, and four dangerous criminals were now behind bars - or, would be.
 âI still canât believe your arrow hit,â Arken said incredulously.  âHow did you even...just...how?â
 âTrade secret,â Fletcher said.  âYou two enjoy the night.  Iâve got other business to take care of.â
 âLike what?â Impact asked.
 âOh, you know.  Stuff,â was all he said before firing off an arrow and riding the zipline down, whooping all the while.  Arken and Impact watched him go, then glanced at each other, then back out at the city.
 âSoâŠnow what?â Arken asked as they looked out over the shining lights.
 âWhat we always do.  See you next week?â she said as she stood up, ready to leave herself.
 âSure thing,â he replied.  âYour turn to buy the pizza.â
 Impact froze.  âWhat did you say?â she said slowly.
 âUh...your turn to buy the pizza?â he repeated, turning to face her.  âWhy?  Do you not like pizza?â
 âOh my God,â she gasped, taking a step back.  âA...Arken?â
 Arkenâs head whipped to face her, and he scampered to his feet.  âW-what?  No.  No, Iâm not...how do you know?â
 âYou idiot,â she said with a laugh, folding her arms and standing slightly to one side.  âI brought the pizza last time.â
 It clicked.  He reached up with trembling hands and popping the snaps on his helmet, pulling it off and holding it under his arms.  His hair whipped around in the wind, and he was almost shaking as he said the name.  âRhia?â
 Impact reached up, pulling off her faceplate.  Brown hair rolled out as her helmetâs back flipped down, and her smile was wider than heâd ever seen it.  There was a moment of silence, and then Arken started to laugh.  It spread to Rhia, and for a short time, both of them could do nothing but laugh, the tension of the moment and of the night melting away.
 When Arken could finally breathe again, he took a few slow steps forward before breaking into a run, nearly tackling Rhia as he embraced her.  Armor clashed against armor, but he refused to let go, holding her in a tight hug.  After a second, she raised her arms and wrapped them around him.  âWe have a lot to talk about, you know,â he said.
 âYeah, we do,â she said as they separated, their arms still resting on the otherâs shoulder.  âYou said something about a crush?â
 Arken laughed again.  This one was a little more nervous, but her continued smile turned it genuine.  â...oh, shut up.â






