Monique
On a sunny afternoon, in a park who many new as Central Park, it felt so dreary to her. Watching the kids play in the park as their parents spoke of their highest achievements and what they dreamt of at night. She observed young teens awkwardly attempt at a first date. She then turned her attention to the happy go-lucky couples dreaming of futures they would share with one another whilst hearing the elderly converse about the journeys they shared together. This was all quite daunting for her. If it wasn’t for the fact that she didn’t believe that she was made for love or to be loved, it was this gut wrenching feeling that she felt as though she didn’t belong. She sighed at it all as she packed her items into a bag sack and readjusted the hood on her obsidian cloak. It did well to hide her in the shadows as she steadily walked in the tall shades of each towering tree hoping no one would notice her “shady” antics. The sun was in the right position as more and more shade grew from each tree. She never wanted any of this. Powers she couldn't control. A life that felt not of her own. And to top it off, she can still hear it. The sounds of a world not wanting her here. It screeches. It bellows. But what's worse of all is no matter how many times she has tried to remove herself (by any and every means) the world continues to taunt her. Keeping her here, as if chained yet yelling at her to go away. How discomforting it all is.
As she walked towards the busy streets of a bustling city that never seems to sleep, she paused for a brief moment at the bulletin that was posted. So many lost and runaway kids were posted all with the hopes of having them return home safely. As soon as she saw her poster, she ripped it out. A flame conjured in the same hand that held the poster. Before she could utter any thoughts, she heard a commotion coming from downtown. Now what? She thought to herself. She tried ever so hard not to be pinned as the hero of the town, or of any town really. She never wanted to play hero, she just simply wanted to live a life all of her own, without any hearsay or anyone attempting to use her. Who plays hero when no one’s asked for it? Yet, deep down inside she could never stray away from a cry for help. As she slowly crept onto the scene, she found a boy about her age trying to fend off a foe. She asked herself, does he really need help? He had it under control. She was observing him from a distance, a long, silver haired boy who tried his best to counterattack monsters (seemingly not even from this world) with a sword. What is he, an anime character? Does he really need my help? Right before she walked away, she saw his attacks quite not up to par with the monster's strength. Oh fuck it. She teleported there...and funnily enough there it was. Where their eyes intertwined. His soft deep-ocean blue eyes piercing directly through her demonic red eyes. And for that split moment, she forgot why she even teleported over to his rescue in the first place. Her face flushed a tinge of pink seeing him stare back at her. But the moment was interrupted by the beast's load roar.
The boy: WAIT! You can't fight him!
BET
She turned her attention to the foe behind her. A gangly creature towered over her at seven feet. Its quartz colored eyes violently stared back at her as it snarled through its nostrils. Inhuman claws as sharp as blades steadily rose up to only immediately pull down in its attempt at attacking her. In a matter of seconds, her skin readily transformed into osmium, a heavy metal she had read once in a book that she noted was quite dense. To her delight, it was dense enough to not only stop the oncoming attack but break apart the monsters claws. Blades then formed from her arm, forming an outward scythe on both sides. She smiled from ear to ear, as if knowing that this battle was done for. The monster roared once more, going in for another charge attack. The moment was a blink once and miss it, for in moments, the beast was cut into pieces. She made a circular figure on her fingers and brought them up to her lips and began to blow, creating a flame tunnel that would consume the fallen foe.
Passerbys cheered at the site of the slain beast as the boy tried picking himself up.
:Hey wait up!
He reached out to her, in the hopes to get to know her. However, when the fires died down, and the smoke cleared off, she vanished without a trace to be found.
She had appeared at the top of one of the buildings, catching her weary breath. The fight, to her, was both exhausting and exhilarating. It was almost as if she hit a state of euphoria if that boy hadn’t interrupted her feeling. She knew if she lingered any longer, he would ask her questions and she would reluctantly tag along on whatever it was he was going to do. And even though she was curious about how a person like him could be on par with a beast like that, how could she forget the cruelty of humans? How could she, for a moment, let her guard down? She knew all too well how awful others can be. Sure, she's saved people before but they've always turned on her. For cash, for protection, for the single fucking thought that she'd even hurt them they always turned on her. She knew he would be no different. Even though in the brief interaction she had with him she thought he was cute, a guy with those eyes-you-can-get-lost-in, he was just another disappointment waiting to happen.
What if it wasn’t like that she heard herself asking. It’s always been like that. They’ll try to treat you to something because that’s the thing to do when you’ve rescued them. They treat you nicer, they try to keep you around, then they find out you’re a runaway kid from the Organization and they just turn you in. she retorted back. Too many times has she trusted someone to take care of her. Too many times she had trust that they wouldn’t be like the last person. And too many times was she brought back to that place. That fucking god awful place. The cold walls and the pushy demands. Kill that. Kill him. Kill her. It's kill or be killed. Do this. Do that. Run here. Run there. And they'd always tell her she's the best at what she does. She's the best at everything so we can't let you go. We can't set you free. You're a caged thing. Only to do as we tell you to do. Do what we say. Do what we want. No. NO. NONONONONONOFUCKNO. She'll never go back. She’s ran away from home three times, and this time will be her last. And even if they manage to capture her again, she’ll do what she knows best and run. Run far away. She’ll keep running and teleporting away from here. But she knows, this world can't hide you forever. She knew this all too well.
The sun had set on this busy city. She had made her way to a quaint little villa that sat miles away from the city where the rich come to play during the summer days. Luckily, it was nearing winter. The only ones that stay are those who intend to place themselves in solitude. Those who still want to get away. Those who can still afford to be away. Most houses, however, remained empty. Silent. She liked that. She could pretend she was coming home after a long day at whatever kids 17 year olds did and can comfortably lie down without having to worry. She didn't have to sneak into 24-hour gyms just for a god damned rinse off or steal peoples soaps and shampoos so she didn't have to feel like she was covered in dirt 24/7. She could calmly take a bath, treat herself a little and give herself some time and space to figure out what her next move was and she could finally lie down on a soft bed. That was until she realized someone already was here.
Lee
: You're joking right? You have to be joking. That just sounds fake.
Lee: I'm telling you it's fucking real! It literally happened while you and everyone else went goofing off.
: We weren't goofing off, right Karin?
Karin: Well, I was.
:Same here.
: Well, I ain't gonna lie, I was honestly using this mission to take a vacation. It said town by the sea. Haven't seen the sea before.
Lee: See!? Goofing off! Danny, you, Karin and Alexis were just out goofing off. Also, we literally go to the bar by the sea what the fuck are you talking about.
Alexis: No, you and the boys go to the bar by the sea, Karin, Terra and I go somewhere else.
Karin: Even then, we don’t even go to the beach nearly as often as we should.
Alexis: Exactly, I think our next vacation should be us girls living it up on the beach.
Danny: Y'all are getting off topic here. Look Lee, no one was there to confirm your story. Some chick with red eyes and red hair couldn't have just teleport to you then use elemental magic to slay something that doesn't even originally manifest here. That's the definition of impossible. If people can do that then we'd all be out of a damned job. Besides, I heard elemental magic is ancient stuff, there’s no way in the high heavens that anyone is capable of that.
Lee: BUT IT HAPPENED.
Alexis: Yeah right, and pigs can fly here. Nice try Mister I'm-ranked-number-one-so-I'm-the-leader. You’re trying to tell us that your dumbass got knocked down??
Lee: Okay but I, too, can get knocked on my ass every once in a great while.
Alexis: Uh-huh surre, wanna chime in here at any time Karin? Tell your brother he's being ridiculous?
Karin had opened the door to their villa near the town. She laughed at the entirety of the conversation.
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Karin: Look, Lee, you can make things up all you want. You either got the job done or you're trying really hard to make some bad-butt chick of your dreams appear.
She placed down all of the things they had gotten at the nearby store they were goofing off in.
Lee: I'm not making her up!
Karin: Look, I know how hard the break up between you and Alice was, but just because she is the way she is doesn't mean you can go making up some other girl that blatantly doesn't exi-
Alexis: Uhhh....guys...why does it feel like someone's been in here?
Lee: For once, I think you're right. Something doesn't feel right.
Danny: We definitely told the others we were splitting up into groups of three to four to cover more ground, right?
As the four of them were now on alert, scanning every corner of the room before deciding to split off to see what had felt so off, the doorbell rang.
Danny: Alexis, I thought you said no one was near this house
Alexis: No one's supposed to be. Lilith made sure that this house was vacated so we can use it as our base for the night.
The doorbell rang once more which was then followed by loud, thunderous knocks. Danny made his way to the door as Lee cautiously made his way to the kitchen. As the door opened, he spotted her. The Girl he told everyone about.
Person at the door: Good evening, children. I was wondering if you might help me for a bit. My name is Doctor B.
Danny: What's the B short for?
Doctor B: That matters not, what matters is I am in need of assistance and I was hoping you kids would help.
Doctor B had pulled out a lost child paper with a picture of a girl on it. The very same girl whom Lee had just described. The same girl who had hid herself in the kitchen who's eyes meet Lee's. Eyes that cried and pleaded please oh please don't give me away. An ominous aura was filling the room, making Danny, Karin and Alexis feel uneasy. Even if they were hiding this kid this guy claimed ran away from him, what made him think that they were just going to easily give her back?
Doctor B: You see, my daughter, Monique. She's gone and ran away from our home. Perhaps it was something I said, or something I did, but any who she's been missing for about a month or two and I'd really appreciate it if you children could help me. I overheard from the people on the street that that young man in the back has seen her before.
Everyone's attention was directed at Lee who was still staring at Monique.
Doctor B: Well?
Lee: Ahh...ahhh..AHHHCHOOO.
Lee let out the loudest, yet fakest, sneeze he could ever conjure up.
Lee: For fucks sake, finally.
He turned to everyone's attention, acting as if she wasn't there.
Lee: Ever get a sneeze you can't sneeze and when it finally happens there's just this beautiful clarity. Anyway, I have no idea what you're smoking Doctor B. Does the B stand for bullshit and that's why you don't want to tell anyone? Cause that's a load of stupidity if you ever can think, what? A girl with red hair and red eyes could ever possibly exist?
Lee walked over to the front of the entrance, pushing Danny aside with the attempts to block Dr. B’s line of sight. He grabbed the piece of paper and scoffed at it.
Lee: And look, the powers you listed here? So fake. You can't just teleport AND use powers that manipulate nature. That's impossible. You get one or the other. Not both. Genetically I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E. Like really, come up with a better story to snoop on some teens.
Karin chuckled a bit, catching onto the coded message Lee was signaling. Both Danny and Alexis started bursting into laughter, lifting up the ominity.
Danny: Yeah, like what kind of person has this ability?
Alexis: I know this is a world full of super powered beings but this takes the cake.
Doctor B's smile immediately turned into an annoyed frown.
Alexis: Listen, mister whatever-your-name-is, we were under the impression no one was going to be here during this week. After all, it's nearing Harvest day and we wanted to beat our parents here so we can have some celebrations after midterms. It is the last time we'll all be in the same town after all, right guys?
Everyone nodded.
Alexis: So, we'll take this just to get you to leave? Alright? Have a good night.
As Danny closed the door on Doctor B, he saw that the doctor’s face had turned from annoyance to displeasure. He knew they were lying. He could tell it all on their smug little faces. But whatever, he'll find his way in there to prove himself right soon.
Karin: Is he gone?
Danny checked the windows and saw that he was slowly reaching the entrance of the walkway. Dr. B had looked one last time, piercing into Danny’s gaze which caused Danny to shiver up.
Danny: He’s gone for now.
Alexis: Alright, now that weird old man left, let's go searching.
Lee had already gone up and left to his quarters, leaving everyone else to assume he went to search on his own. He locked the door behind him, putting sound dampening runes down
Lee: You know, if you try to leave now he'll just capture you.
Monique was attempting to leave the villa through Lee's room. She put her stuff down and quietly sat down.
Monique: You're not going to out me, are you?
Lee: Why would I? You helped me out today. The least I can do is repay you. I don't like to be in debt.
Monique: Haven't heard that before.
Lee: What's that supposed to mean?
Monique: Means what it means. Just cause I saved you doesn't mean you owe me a thing. Most people just try to send me back to that man. I mean you've seen the reward money, haven't you? I think he’s asking for a solid $200,000 for me.
Lee: That guy at the door? Your dad? Man, he's willing to pay that much for your return.
Monique: HAH! Dad? Don't go fooling yourself. Have you seen the greys on that man? Looks more like my fucking granddad. If he was anything to me. He's a fucking monster. And I've been gone way longer than a month or two.
Lee: What'd he do to you?
Monique: What didn't he do. Everything from manipulation to -- nevermind. It's none of your business.
Lee: You're right. It's not.
Monique: So you're going to out me, aren't you. Cause you don't believe me.
Lee: Never said that.
Monique: Then what are you going to do?
Lee: Probably use you to prove to my friends that I'm not crazy. Question you about a few things. Like why are you at our villa?
Monique: Wasn't aware the Duville's had children with different colored hair. Thought their kids were off in Paris or some shit.
Lee: Uhh
Monique: Oh didn't think I did my homework. I know this isn't your villa either. I know y'all are just squatters. Ain't nothing I'm gonna do with that info though.
Lee invited himself to sit near Monique. He stared at her as if she were a piece of art. A piece of art that hasn't been completed. With no response as to whether he was allowed to sit near her, he sat a few inches away, giving her space but at the same time being so close he can notice everything else about her. Like how small the mole was near her left eye and how her hair which he noted was similar to the color of sunsets had a little bit of a curl to them.
Lee: So now what? You know if you leave, he's going to go after you.
Monique: And if I stay I have to talk to a bunch of people I don't want to deal with and ask me questions I don't really want to answer.
Lee: Well, you really don't have to.
Monique: Yeah right, aren't they all curious how I killed something that doesn't really belong here. Or even curious why I'm even here.
Lee: What do you mean?
Before she could even speak, she heard from the outside someone calling out for her. And to this day, to this very day, he can never erase what she had looked like under the light of the full moon. The terror in her eyes. The shivers that went down to her spine. Tears already forming. She stared back at him, almost begging Help me.