There’s something you need to know about me. My life pre transition was entirely different from the life I live now. I don’t mean just in the fact that I’ve got tits and long hair now either. I mean, it was an entirely different version of me and the brand I carry with me as Darkfire. I ran with a crew, for starters. We were an edgy bunch, trying desperately to make names for ourselves in a city that, quite frankly, didn’t give a single shit about us. DarkFire was just a name idea doodled on some scraps of paper and the whole Fear Patrol's most wanted criminal thing had only barely just begun–and at the time it was only because of the double ability thing. It hadn’t even scratched the surface of where I am now.

I started off doing petty small potatoes kind of things. Smalls thefts and ding dong ditching essentially. Look–I was younger, and RJ was a terrible influence for me. It wasn’t until a little later that I'd realized just how bad of influence he’d be. Let's just say he, much like me, is at the top of the Fear Patrol’s most wanted lists–but for different reasons. I ran with his crew for a while though, I was looking for anything and everything to get myself away from the demon I’d been seen as when my childhood trauma happened. Mom, dad, my friends, the 1000s of others that I killed that day. I was trying to do anything and everything to get myself out of that shadow and to help myself forget.

Ironically enough, that time in my life that I so desperately cling to the idea of digging myself out of bad memories, has become bad memories themselves. It's a part of me that I can’t escape really, much like that fateful night back all those years ago. The car accident, my hometown. Everything. Damn, it’s like my whole life is one big traumatic experience slowly unraveling and unfolding in front of me. For as bad as that time was in my life though, RJ had always been there to make sure I didn’t die. He’d always made sure I was looked after, of course, that was partly due to his crush on my sister, but I'd still appreciated it. It was during one of our little escapades that we really bonded and became close. I didn’t know how he was going to react to seeing me transitioned. I closed my eyes and let all the memories flood to the back of my brain as I desperately tried to get that image of Crystal out of my head.

Crystal was RJ’s girlfriend.

Stormcaller and I stepped inside. It was like everything hit me all at once. The loud music, the heavy neon, the industrial atmosphere. Everything hit me at once. I'd been in clubs, hell I’d been in several clubs but for some reason, it all hit me at once. The exhaustion. I hadn’t even realized I was as tired as I was until I stepped into that building. Maybe it was the trap I’d expected or maybe It was the fact that It’d been only a couple months since I’d been shot and impaled. Either reason, I watched as a black pool opened up at my feet and I jumped in.

I woke up an unknown amount of time later, laying on a bench in that park. Shit–shit shit. Was this real, or was this some graveyard bullshit? I sat up, the pain roaring back into my body. I’d suddenly become hyper aware of all the wounds I’d suffered. My head was spinning, it felt like I was simultaneously dehydrated and bloated at the same time. I struggled to stand, igniting a flame on my hand. I wasn’t going to take any chances if this was some kind of trap or game that RJ had set. Sure, we’d been long time friends, but he was also a notorious monster and loved to fuck with people. I wasn’t going to be surprised if this was something of a fucked-up test of his to see if I had grown or whatever.

“OK RJ, you can cut this shit I know this is you.” I yelled out, immediately annoyed. I could feel the anger boiling in my blood. Which was odd because I had been excited to see him. Why had I suddenly been so angry? There, of course, was no answer. I walked a little towards the playground. Last time I remembered there being some swings that were moving like a horror movie. Today everything stood still, the wind blew but everything was still, which made it even creepier to me. I shivered. It was night too, which was also off putting considering it was early morning when Stormcaller and I entered Diablo.

“Storm!?!” I called out. Nothing. My inner voice was silent too.

“Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.” I heard, emerging from all around me. Mask slowly stalked her way out from behind some trees. The flame in my hand grew darker.

“You.” I grumbled.

“You know darkfire. May I call you darkfire? Or would you prefer mother? Anyway, you know, you are so incredibly easy to break into.” She spoke in that same nonchalant monotone she had before, the same way she spoke in the warehouse with Simon.

“What are you talking about, who the fuck even are you? Some new wannabe villain?” I asked in hostility. I could hear the disdain in my own voice.

“Wannabe? My dear. I alone have accomplished more than half your rogue's gallery. Of course, yours is smaller, but still. I digress.” She sat on the bench, ushering for me to come closer and join her. I thought for a moment before stepping forward. I’d figured if she was going to do something, like attack me, she wouldn’t have given her position away so easily and invited me to join. I stepped forward.

“What exactly do you want? I am gonna take a shot in the dark here and guess your name is Woodpecker?” I asked.

“Guilty.” She gave a slight bow, gesturing vaguely. She tilted her head slightly as she seemed to be studying me. “Curious though. You seem to carry so much weight with you for such a tiny figure.”

I don’t know why I felt insulted by that, but I felt my hand ball into a fist. It probably had something to do with the fact that this was the person involved with the last several months of my life, involved with every issue I've had for months now. I closed my eyes and there they were.

“What would you know about the weight I carry?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“Oh. We know plenty about you.” They started circling around me like I was some kind of prey they were hunting. I suppose I was in this moment, but I’d be damned if I was going to let them overtake me in my own graveyard. It had to be the graveyard. It felt so off. I looked around and the night’s sky was upside down. The moon laughed–or grinned rather. I’d never really paid much attention to the things around me in the graveyard. I’d only ever gone through the motions of the scene and played it out enough to wake myself up. These were dreams of course. Very lucid dreams, but dreams, nonetheless. Right?

“You know about me, really?” I asked, the corners of my mouth curling into a grin. I may have been the prey in their eyes but one of my best friends growing up was a monster. I knew how to play the game. A small flame formed into a ball in the palm of my gloved hand. I could feel its heat caressing me.

“We know all about you, yes–” They continued to circle me. “We know about you and what you did to Harmony.” Even though they wore that mask I could sense the grin in their voice.

“You–” I froze. There weren’t many people that knew. Of course, everyone knew the story of AJ Green as a child devastating Harmony. My hometown. A small resource town outside of the city limits of industry, one of many, but one of the most important in the eyes of the Institute. The Governor had considered it a high priority, which is why my parents were stationed there to begin with. They, along with several dozens of other high ranking military officials, had kept it safe from outside threats. Most people aren’t aware of what lies beyond the city walls. There are monsters, yes. Not like dragons and shit but rampant animals that had never acclimated to the environment post the cataclysm. Rogue robotics and cybernetics patrol the “wastelands” as well as the infamous legendary darkfire herself, who is rumored to live beyond the walls.

Harmony had been a major industrial resource for Industry, providing one of the leading productions of metals and materials required for its cybernetic leap in technology, that even since my lifetime has seen major advancements. Harmony harvested Oils, metals from the ground and several other important resources the Institute considered necessary. Mom and dad were left in charge of operations. I remember soldiers constantly patrolling the streets and stationed at the school. They were friendlier than the Industry soldiers, that's for sure and Fear Patrol only had one small outpost in Harmony. My friend's parents had all been in that Fear Patrol unit too–I remember hanging out at their houses, but we specifically hung out in that parking structure, playing games and such.

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Memories of Harmony flooded into me like a dam cracked. There I was standing there with them again, all laughing and teasing each other as the fire grew in the background. The scene flashed again, and I was standing in front of Crystal. She yelled her usual accusations at me until I closed my eyes, focused and stepped backwards. Mask looked at me in the calm of that playground.

“See. So much within you. The sisters agreed I was perfect for this. You’re ripe for the picking dear. So much pain, so much torment and so much guilt. You feel guilty for that city, your parents. Those friends of yours. Everything that Harmony was, everything it stood for. Everything that had meant something to your childhood, gone, because you couldn't handle your powers–which at the time, you only had the one too.” There was that grin again. I knew they were enjoying this. What was this power I felt though? I’d fought many in my days, but I’ve never felt this before. As I focused, I could almost feel something pecking at my brain–at my memories–at my trauma.

Woodpecker.

Was this their power? Did some kind of blood manipulation exist?

“We know all about you AJ. The Sisters do their research before we pick a target. I only explain this to you now, because who's going to believe you? You can’t exactly go to the authorities about us, can you? You’d have to explain everything. Ah, but you don’t even remember everything well enough, what started this all? Tell me–have you ever wondered why Fear has been hefty lately? Why have they been extremely focused on bringing you in? Did you even stop to consider why there were so many of them back at the warehouse? Why do you keep seeing the Ice one, the sniper? For a detective, you're kind of stupid sometimes, dear.” they sat, laying back on a table as they asked their questions. They had a point. I couldn’t seek help from any authorities. I was hotter than ever right now. I had wondered why too, I wasn’t as active as I’d previously been, why the heat? They clearly knew, but I doubted they'd just tell me things. Villains rarely helped beyond a certain point. Though they had provided me with important information–I knew this all had something to do with Harmony. Why else would they bring that up specifically and not something else about my life? Knowing AJ Green destroyed that place isn’t hard information to find. It’s everywhere if you know where to look–but the fact they know my name and identify me and darkfire together–This wasn’t good.

“Okay, I'll play along then. Why? Why has the heat been so heavy on me?” I asked, my own grin matching their smugness.

“You should pay a visit home sometime.” They said, hopping up from the table.

“Home?” I asked, confused now.

“Yeah. Harmony misses its harbinger dear.” They glitched out and back in again as they’d said that. Before I could say anything else though, the wind picked up and they disappeared in the gust. I sighed. I knew I wasn’t going to get a full answer, but I had something right? I turned, pivoting on my feet as I saw, another, standing in the distance. Another Sister maybe? I took a step closer and before I could even decide on what I was going to do a voice broke through another gust of wind.

“Wake up” It whispered. “Wake up. Wake up” It repeated over and over again in a low humming drone until finally it clapped in crescendo, and I jolted awake.

I jolted awake and slammed face first into the club again. The noise and commotion of the hustle bustle in Diablo hit me like a truck as I’d come to. How long had I been gone? Had I just been standing there or had my body moved while I was away?

“Hey, I’m going to take a peek in and see if RJ is here alright? Hang tight at the bar maybe?” Stormcaller asked in a whisper. I could barely hear her but nodded as I finally registered what she was saying. I strolled over to the bar and ordered myself a drink. Luckily, the mask was ID enough in most places that the bartender, a pretty young woman with purple hair and matching eyeliner, simply handed me the drink I’d asked for. She smiled at me, I smiled back, forgetting entirely that I was wearing the mask.

“It’s on the house.” She said, gesturing towards the payment option on the little Jefferson chip reader next to me.

“You sure?” I asked, my voice changer masking the obvious crack in my voice.

“Of course. RJ said you’re always welcome here if you ever decide to show up.” She said playfully. Her voice sounded so familiar to me. I couldn’t place it, but I said my thanks and took the drink., turning to watch the crowd. It was an amazing club. A club the size of an entire city block. To tell someone about it was hardly doing the size and atmosphere of the place justice. Industrial music blared, goth, emo, scene and all in between flooded the dance floors. People of all legal ages, criminals and civilians alike. This was one of those places that business got conducted in secret, or in the open. It didn’t matter much to people as long as they got paid. There were, however, few places in the club where business was conducted, privately. I spotted a deal happening in the corner. I recognized the gentleman in the booth, waiting impatiently. It was someone from Fear Patrol. Lovely. I tucked around the other side of the bar, keeping an eye on them but making sure that I was out of sight. Minimalist lights hung from the ceiling, the floors flashed different colors of the rainbow as the music changed, the walls oozed a crimson blood red. Waiters and waitresses wore uniforms that very clearly complimented their bodies.

It was a scene club for sure. Different abilities flashed around as well. I watched as someone spun some water in their hands, flinging it at another person that stumbled about drunk. I watched someone light another person’s cigarette. This was definitely a place I should hang out in more often, there was just this weird disconnect in my brain when it came down to anything from the undercity. Stormcaller rounded the corner as she strutted her way over.

“Enjoying yourself there?” She asked with a smile in her voice.

“Yeah. I admit I should come here more often.” I nodded.

“Good. Good. He’s here by the way, you ready?” She asked, reaching out and grabbing my shoulder.

“Yeah...” I sighed. “I think I am.”

“Alright. Let's go then kiddo.” She said, taking my hand and leading the way. I grabbed her hand and followed. Somehow it felt right to me?

“Hey really quick, who's the bartender?” I asked, setting my empty glass down.

“Oh, that’s Bell, RJ’s younger sister.” She said as a matter of factly. That was Bell? The last time I saw her was when we were younger. I remembered that she and I were close. It had been ages. After the incident in Harmony, resulting in 1000+ dead and myself in the Basement for a time–I had re-emerged from The Basement under a heavy period of watchful eyes, doctors and military officials. The Institute decided I was a public threat, which was fair, but it made for rough reformative years growing up as a teenager. I had managed to gain some semblance of control in my life when I met RJ and company though, so I supposed that was why this family mattered so much to me, even considering how I felt about RJ at times. Bell had been one of the first people I grew close to after being released from the Basement. It–does things to you. I don’t wish that life on anyone. Which is why I still wanted to burn Jess’s house to the ground for even suggesting that I should give myself up. If they discovered that I was AJ and Darkfire? If they discovered that the harbinger was the same as the vigilante of Industry? I’d be sentenced to life down there and it wouldn’t be a nice time like it is for some folks. I’d be thrown into the B wings. A wing is where you want to end up IF you have to go there. B wing, however, that's where things get dangerous. That's where the bodies come from.

“That’s Bell?” I asked as we rounded the corner to an elevator.

“Yeppers. I heard you were close back in the day.” Stormcaller said. Stormcaller hadn’t exactly known who I was, outside of what maybe this family had said. Machines I’d hoped they didn’t tell everyone who I was down here. I followed along into the elevator as the music dinged a sort of melancholia vibe. The little Jefferson unit popped up on the screen with his little smile and when chimed in with each floor we passed. The elevator dinged for the 13th time. Thirteen. This club had thirteen floors to it. How high up did this thing go?

“Alright, this way.” Stormcaller skipped a little out of the elevator and into the hall. It looked more like a loft than a hall. A fireplace, several expensive couches, countertops made of mahogany wood and stone. The window blinds were pulled open as the sunlight broke through. Of course, it was artificial sunlight but still–the club descended 13 floors under the city.

“Holy shit, this is amazing.” I whispered. Stormcaller laughed.

“Come on, isn’t darkfire supposed to be a rich acolyte up on the upper levels? You’re telling me you haven’t seen anything this fancy before?” She asked, musing a playful tone.

“Believe it or not, I’m not overwhelmingly adored or anything. No, I don't get to see the insides of fancy offices and the like too often.” I stuck my tongue out. The number tag on the door read 3:33. Must be the outbound call tag for phones or something. I sat uncomfortably on the couch as we waited. Stormcaller, who clearly had been up here a few times, took her mask off. She was incredible, to be honest. Several piercings covered her. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, especially by that built and toned body she had, but yeah, color me swooned.

“You know, you can take the mask off yourself. I’m not gonna tell anyone.” She gestured a (my lips are sealed) motion with her fingers. I shook my head.

“I appreciate the offer, but I would rather not.” I nodded. She shrugged.

“Suite yourself.” She sat on the couch opposite me, fixing her black thigh highs. I watched momentarily but averted my eyes as the door opened. A man I hadn’t seen in years emerged from the office.

“Well–well–well. I was wondering when I’d hear from you–, please come in. we have much to discuss.”