It Happened at Westbrook

[Frozen Princess]

Sunday afternoon ,1630 hours Central Time, somewhere over Minnesota.

The Air Force pilot was making his way towards base, actually way ahead of his flight commander and team.

"Red Dog, get back in formation or I'll have you on report!"

"He's always doing this ma'am. This is what we've been saying. Should change his codename to Hot Dog! Has to be the first one to land!"

"Duly noted, Sergeant. That boy's going to get himself in serious trouble, if I don't bust him all the way back down to Airman, first!"

"Red Dog, this is Turkey Trot, you get the field commander any madder, you'll catch hell from her! Come back in!"

"Base to Air Squad Three, Captain Hennessy, I need you to land immediately at Duluth Air National Guard. Incoming meteor, trajectory taking it to a direct hit outside Westbrook. Do not approach home, repeat do not approach home! T-30:00."

"Base, we had a hotshot head your way, Red Dog broke formation..."

"Do not pursue! Land your crafts, Captain! That's an order!"

"Acknowledged, Home. Fly Girl over and out. You heard Westbrook gentlemen and lady. We're rerouted to Duluth. Duluth Air National Guard, this is Captain Elizabeth Hennessy bringing in four to roost with you for a spell."

"Roger, Captain. Clear to land, welcome to Minnesota, Fly Girl and crew."

1500 miles east, over the Atlantic, Ember of the Sea cruise ship, 1859 local time, T-1:00

The passengers watched in awe as a bright light from the sky got brighter and brighter, and streaked past, heading for the States. Several sonic booms rattled through the ship. The captain called for a full stop to check if any damage occurred. Thankfully, there were only rattled nerves, including his own.

Westbrook. Midwest USA, 1700. Zero Hour

Sapphire Davenport tapped her papers together as she looked at the camera. This was her first news broadcast as an anchor, and she was only being tested in the spot. The 5-4 long haired dirty blonde smiled as the red light came on. She was live for channel 3 Westbrook. "Good afternoon, Westbrook, it's 5pm, time for the early report, I'm Sapphire Davenport..."

The building shook as there was a loud explosion, and screaming from the offices outside the windowless studio. "... the hell was THAT?!"

She was the first one out front behind the anchor desk and to the door, looking out the window at a newsroom that didn't have a single window left in one piece. An eerie pinkish purple glow covered everyone outside the only unbroken window, on their floor, anyway. Pretty much everyone was also on their hands and knees, some still with hands over their ears.

As many of those on her side of the door tried to guess the weird color, varying from purple, pink, magenta and some others, Sapphire whistled for attention. "First off, the color is puce, second let's focus on the real issue! Westbrook just became National news, we need to tend to our own injured and get out there and cover the story... Before the networks swoop in!"

"Or the government, Scoops. Don't forget the government."

"You're not helping, boss man." Sapphire sighed with a pinched nose. "Conspiracy theories are not facts. You know I love focussing on the who, what, where, how and why."

"You forgot the when..." The boss countered.

Sapphire wasn't in the mood, and countered right back. "Five pm, and thirty-seven seconds. That's the when."

Westbrook College, Student Park. 5:00:33 pm

Ginger Aylesworth was out for her afternoon run, heading out of the park and back towards the Delta Lambda Pi Fratority, where she was head sister, when the meteor could be seen, as well as a certain flyboy coming in just as hot.

When the meteor exploded, throwing her to the ground, she watched in horror as the jet crashed just over the ridge. She couldn't do anything between her ringing ears and being a bit too close to the action, as the pinkish purple light engulfed her. She just decided to curl up there near the flower garden and close her eyes for a bit... At least until the headache went away, she figured she could handle tinnitus for a while.

Main and Beaumont, border of downtown and suburbia. 1700

Sitting in her car on a stakeout, brunette Detective Erin Holmes was momentarily distracted by the meteor. She could also hear the unmistakable roar of a fighter jet, and stepped out to watch. "Probably that one plane jockey, hot dogging, again. He's going to make a mistake one day and crash that thing..." She went back to watching the house when the meteor exploded, causing the jet to crash. Unfortunately, the meteor explosion threw the youngest detective on the force to the ground. She lifted her head to watch the flaming wreckage plummet into the ravine. "Owww. Crap..." She groaned as her head plopped back to the pavement.

777 Sunset Street¹. Backyard, Westbrook suburb. 4:59pm

"Windy! Come inside and get cleaned up for supper!" Mr. MacEnroe called from the kitchen door.

"In a minute, Dad! I need to make this jump. I won't win the long jump if I don't clear 22 feet!" The redhead pixie cut sophomore at the high school, called back. She set the tape measure down and went to the beginning of the run to her sandbox.

"She at it again?" Mrs. MacEnroe asked her husband as she came to the door, causing him to scoff and look at her. They could see the meteor streaking.

As Windy was airborne in her long jump attempt, it reached 5:00:37, and the meteor exploded. She hit the sandbox face first and her parents were thrown back as they were all illuminated in the pinkish purple glow.

No one would learn of any effects until 19 hours later, lunchtime Monday. This is their stories.


¹-The first Easter egg, so to speak. Windy's home address is a salute to the classic TV show, 77 Sunset Strip.

@Inkybus
@Plague Raven

OOC THREAD

 

[Inkybus]

⌈Meanwhile, in the burn ward of the Community Hospital:⌋

I unwrapped my hamburger, when suddenly on the horizon of the balcony/rooftop adjacent to the employee restroom I saw the UFO that was presumably a meteor streak overhead. The surprise and the shockwaves of the sonic booms I could feel in the marrow of my bones, the sound deafening me as well: I dropped my late lunch as well as the soda I held in my opposite hand, taking a step back from the railing to raise my hands and cover my ears.

'What in the hells is going on?!' was the only thing I could think of, as I witnessed the birth of a new era. The pink-purplish hue of light passed over me but it did not feel as warm as the sound- and yet, everything tingled!

Then, not even a minute later, I knew nothing else: the curtains of my consciousness left me in the darkest place as I fainted.

 

[Plague Raven]

Nonspecific Park

Akira looked at the sky as it prepared to transition into night - or at least, it should be.

"Those are not normal."

Alien colours decorated the horizon. As they got brighter, it became a lot more obvious - a glowing meteorite was hurling into the Earth!

Akira instinctively ran away from the meteor's trajectory, successfully escaping its wrath. When he felt he was safe, he slowly approached it, not expecting it to explode and send its radiation right in his face, causing his glasses to crack ever-so-slightly.

"I'm going to need new ones," Akira uttered, then turned to the source of the meteorite. Before he could take another step, a sharp pain invaded his head, forcing him to sit at a nearby bench for a change to rest.

Meanwhile, right beside Ginger

Humans were not the only ones to drain this radiation.

Enter the humble sunflower. Despite their simple, arguably delicate appearance, they have the ability to soak up toxic chemicals often found it radioactive zones.

Needless to say, a whole bunch of them can do a lot more.

The sunflowers that rested beside Ginger would not only be affected by the very same pink glow. They would embrace it ans bathe in its light, the same way they would bathe in the very sun. These sunflowers would begin their mutation, starting off with growing many times their, quickly forming shade over Ginger.

Once Ginger came to, they covered her with ease, as if they were trees in a dense forest.

 

[Frozen Princess]

Downtown Westbrook near the Channel 3 Studios. 5:15pm

Sapphire was holding a microphone to her mouth as she looked in the camera, while chaotic scenes of First Responders were everywhere. "Police, fire and paramedics are swamped in the wake of the in air explosion, that happened at the start of the five o'clock news. Many offices had just let out, and if you look around," she pointed for the camera to pan around at all the broken office windows throughout the immediate vicinity and beyond, to all the broken glass littering the streets and sidewalks, before coming back to Sapphire. "There isn't an unbroken window within at least a five block radius. We're roughly one and a half blocks from Channel 3, where a makeshift headquarters and triage center has been set up at the downtown park.

I spoke briefly with a Lieutenant Pepper Anderson¹ and she has asked that if you are not downtown, not to come here for any reason. If you aren't injured, stay home. If you need medical attention, go to your closest hopital ER or an Urgent Care. Thousands have been complaining from tingling, ear ringing, headaches and various other non life-threatening injuries. There have been many treated for cuts and scrapes from falling or exploding glass, and several have actually been sent out of here to Main General here in downtown. Sapphire Davenport, Channel 3, live."

777 Sunset Street. 5:18pm

Windy groaned and spat the sand out of her mouth and shook her head. "Man, my ears are ringing... No, ringing, Windy ol' gil, not stinging. They don't hurt... Geez can't even have a conversation with yourself." She crawled out of the sandbox and walked wobbly over to her parents, who were also coming to.

"I think that meteor we were watching blew up." Her dad said.

Windy gave him a puzzled look. "Theater threw up? How does a building throw up? And why would you even say that?!"

Her mom shook her head, "Not theater! Meteor! And it exploded! Clear your ears!"

"Meat spears and potatoes? That's dinner? I thought we were having lasagna², my absolute favorite!"

Both parents sighed and the teen helped her parents up. They shook their heads, no sense trying to talk to Windy, until her ears stopped ringing. It was going to be a quiet dinner.

Westbrook College. 5:40pm

Ginger groaned as she came around.

"Easy does it, Miss, we're finding a lot of collapsed and/or injured individuals across the city." He pointed up to the sunflowers. "It was almost like these Kansas Sunflowers were protecting you from anyone who meant you harm."

Ginger looked at the EMT, and then around her. "These aren't Kansas Sunflowers, and even those don't get that big or group together like that..." She then turned to them and looked up with a smile, "But whatever, thanks girls, way to look after a sorority sister in need, especially the head of the college's only fratority." She turned back to the EMTs. "Someone help me to the fratority house... I'm still a little loopy."

One of the EMTs nodded. "I guess so. I'll do it. What's your name?"

"Ginger Aylesworth. I'm a sophomore here at the college to be a fitness trainer and instructor."

Main and Beaumont 6:00pm

"Dispatch calling Detective Holmes, do..
You... Copy?!"

With a groan Erin reached for her radio and clumsily flipped it on. "10-33. Repeat, 10-33. 10-20 is Main And Beaumont. 10-34 is 1800... Ooohhhh." She again lost consciousness and would next wake up in Main General downtown.

Dispatch called for any available unit to respond, and within minutes an off-duty EMT and a police cruiser was at the scene. "No visible injuries, but she appears to be in shock. Worse case I've seen."

"Thanks Anna, let's just get her downtown, ASAP." the officer nodded to the EMT. "Your station wagon just became an emergency vehicle, every ambulance is tied up."

Monday morning 7:15am, Channel 3 News

The news director put his hands on his hips and glared at Sapphire. "Don't you ever sleep?! You were broadcasting until three am when the fighter jet wreckage was found! Go back home and get some rest, Scoops!"

"Not with a story this huge."Sapphire took a sip of her Faygo Moon Mist³. "I want to be here if and when a piece of that space rock is found. Besides, a story this big, you're going to need all hands on deck!"

The boss just threw up his hands, rolled his eyes and walked away.

Main General 7:15am

Erin Holmes was dressed and had just signed her release papers. "I need to get to work. I'm sure even the detectives are involved in this investigation, and continued clean up."

"You really need to take it easy, Detective. You were in shock when you arrived." The nurse advised.

MacEnroe residence 7:15am

"Windy! Get a move on if you're walking to school! You're going to be late! School starts in half an hour!" Mrs MacEnroe called up the stairs.

Windy flew down and out the door, "On it! See ya after school at the restaurant, Mom!"

¹-In memory of Angie Dickinson. Police Woman star.
²-shout out to Garfield
³-Basically a generic Mountain Dew. Faygo comes in 24 oz bottles.

 

[Inkybus]

Community Hospital - Amaya "Melia" Sosa
When I roused, it was early in the morning of the next day and I felt great! With a yawn, I stretched and noticed I was still in the community hospital I was supposed to be working in: one of my co-workers came in a bit later, as I looked out of the window and informed me of what happened. The meteor shattered in an explosion that would have shattered the windows all over, if they weren't already broken, and I went unconscious; no one was able to wake me until now and they were speculating if I'd fallen in a coma but that was clearly not the case since I had finally woken up.

She took my hand, then, and suddenly a flood of information rushed into my mind: I knew her entire genetic makeup, every bit and every piece of scarring she'd gotten in the last few years and I noticed how my co-worker had bad eyesight, no doubt deteriorated over the years. And I felt the push to do something about it. I squeezed her hand a little, as though I appreciated her concern, and forced her tear ducts to start the waterworks. She blinked, a bit surprised at the tears, the hand that was free raising to brush them away: and while she did that, her retinas re-structured themselves to better capture the light. Her eyesight improved just a little bit!

I had to stop myself! I finished the work, making sure her eyesight would not deteriorate as much as before over time and forced my hand to let go, pulling it back to me: what had I done?! Was this... alright? 'What am I going to do?!' Was the question that kept repeating in my head: my colleague, blushing over the waterworks, stood and turned around, excusing herself for the sorry sight.

"It's alright: I am thankful for your concern." I told her truthfully, with a brittle smile: I did my best to hide my panicking. I hoped she was still too blurry-eyed with tears to see my expression, as she ran out.

A run-down home the Hijos de Renzo use as a safehouse - Schro

Schro awoke with a gasp: the meteor! Where was-

Before he could continue on that train of thought, he felt his senses expand. His awareness flickered from himself and he felt a push on his shoulder: Vito was urging him not to get up so suddenly and that he collapsed the day before.

"It's good to have you back, hombre."

Schro blinked at that, feeling a headache and Vito swallowed thickly, removing his hand. "What happened? I remember the meteor screeching overhead..." Then, his confusion gave way as a new kind of awareness tugged at his senses. His gangster kindred spirit was telling him how he'd collapsed and had been brought back, when suddenly it was as though Schro was telling himself that. And he understood, finally: he was behind Vito's eyes, looking at himself. Fuck, but he looked as though he was having one of those bad hangovers. Feeling disgusted with himself, the human that had inexplicably received these powers sat up on the couch he'd been lying in and waved away the concerns of Vito.

"We will talk about this more later: I'm taking a shower. Can you make us coffee?"

 

[Frozen Princess]

Reboot Monday 8:20am

It's the morning after a strange meteorite exploded over Westbrook, a medium sized town, somewhere in the Midwest on Sunday afternoon at 5:00pm

Ricci and Associates, Downtown Westbrook

Gabe Ricci waved Rebecca Knight into his office and pointed to a seat. "Good morning, Rebecca. Hope you slept well. I'll cut right to the chase. Already our phone lines are being clogged with irate Westbrookers asking some of the dumbest questions I've heard since I left New York, three years ago." He grimaced as he rubbed his face. "They want to sue, the meteor, or God, or the Devil or whoever sent it here."

Rebecca Knight put a hand to her head. "Frivolous. Even if it could be possible, how would we bring whoever or whatever to court? We'd be the laughing stock of not just Westbrook or the state..."

"But the whole country. Exactly. Glad we're on the same page." Ricci nodded. "I need you to do what you do best. Advocate for the wrongly accused."

Rebecca's mouth dropped and her eyes grew wide. "How in heaven's name can I do that?! You just said... I-I mean, force of nature!"

Gabe Ricci smirked. "I see we are STILL on the same page. Dismissed."

Rebecca was to run interference for her own law firm. With a sigh, she got up, said, "I'll do my best, Gabe," and left for her own office to make some phone calls.

Westbrook High School

As the late bell rang for Windy's first bell Algebra class, she looked around at several empty seats. "Where is everyone?"

The teacher, just about to call roll, noticed them too. "That is a VERY good question, Ms. MacEnroe."

Westbrook College

As Ginger Aylesworth ran by where she collapsed the afternoon before, she noticed the giant Sunflowers still there. She shrugged and continued her run. "Guess I didn't imagine them that large after all." She mused.

Channel 3 Studios Downtown Westbrook

Sapphire Davenport hopped in a news truck with a cameraman. "We have a report of a piece of the meteorite being found in a park outside of town! Let's move!"

The driver looked at her with a nod, and took off out of the parking lot, tires squealing.

Westbrook Precinct 3, Midtown

Detective Erin Holmes saluted her Captain as she entered the station house. "What do you need me to do? Besides rest, because that wouldn't be by the book."

The captain frowned at her. "Very well. The paperwork. You have a report to make on the explosion of that meteorite yesterday afternoon that injured you, and any other details of what was going on at that moment."

Erin nodded. She knew that would have been unavoidable. Better now than later.


@CasualVelociraptor
@Inkybus
@MsBloom

Whoever answers first, please tag the other two, thanks

 

[MsBloom]

Rooftop Garden - Su-Ji's home.

Sunday afternoon, 5 pm.

It had been a sunny late summer afternoon and Su-Ji had spent most of it in the rooftop garden, casually dressed (as was often the case when she was at home alone) in sweat pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt, reading and listening to music. Nefertiti, her Norwegian Forest Cat had been strolling around the garden, trying to catch a small bird here and there, but mostly just finding new spots to lay down in the sun. Eventually she had settled on Su-Ji's chest, which was of course quite cosy but also slightly uncomfortable as Nef was a large cat weighing in at about 16 pounds and when stretching out easily covered all of Su-Ji's torso, tail not included. In a sense she was like a living breathing weighted blanket with built in calming sound effects also known as purring. All of this was quite beneficial to Su-Ji as it often calmed her erratic emotions.

They both looked up to the sky, somewhat startled by the sudden flash of light and noise. The approaching meteorite had been on the news for about a week but had been determined not to be a serious threat as most of it would burn up in the atmosphere and its estimated point of impact was well outside of Westbrook. Still, the actual event came unexpectedly. It was a beautiful sight though as the smaller pieces of burning rock dispersed across the sky.
"Too bad it wasn't dark," Su-Ji said in a soothing voice to Nef who seemed to nod as if she agreed but it was almost certainly just a reaction to Su-Ji's voice.
"That would have been a sight to see wouldn't it?"
She petted Nef's head and scratched behind her ears which soon had the large cat laying down again and starting to purr.

A few hours later after dinner and preparations for school the next day Su-Ji returned to the rooftop garden. It was almost getting to be a bit too chilly to sleep outside but with a sweatshirt, a blanket and Nef it wasn't too bad. It would probably be the last time that year she would fall asleep watching the stars though.

---

Monday morning, 6 am.

"To go?"
"Please!"
Then a sharp noise of pressurised steam being released.
"That'll be two eighty six."
Followed by a rattle of metal.
"Next ..."
"A large coffee, cream no sugar please. To go."
"Anything else?"
"I'll have one of those cinnamon rolls as well."

Su-Ji felt odd the moment she woke up to Nef's rough tongue against her face and or a moment before opening her eyes she was quite sure she was having the strangest dream about Lissa, the girl who worked at Marriott's corner shop across the street, 6 floors below. She could even smell the coffee as well as the freshly baked cinnamon rolls that she herself used to have for breakfast on her way to Westbrook College. As dreams goes it was quite odd but at the same time made sense since Su-Ji had had a crush on that girl ever since she started working the morning shift at Marriott's. Still though ... Why would she be dreaming of Lissa taking orders and serving coffee. And then she opened her eyes realising it was not a dream at all. Before she had time to follow through on that realisation she became aware of a more physical discomfort.

It was as if she had slept in a peculiar position but as she realised the moment she sat up it was a lot worse. The pressure she had felt against her ass and the upper part of her left thigh, along with the peculiar indeterminate pain she couldn't quite place, was ... she realised with no small amount of disbelief ... a tail. She had at first thought it might have been Nef's tail caught underneath her, not considering the improbability of the theory, but there it was an actual tail. What the hell was going on? Surely she was still dreaming ... a really fucking weird but perfectly lucid dream.

It wasn't until she had made her way to the bathroom for a shower that it all came crashing down on her as she saw her face in the mirror. It was her face, certainly, but it there were whiskers growing above her upper lip and she had pointy ears like a cat as well. As if this was not bad enough she then noticed that she did indeed have fangs and a strange itching sensation under her nails which she quickly realised were caused by retractable claws.

What the HELL was going on indeed?

"Well it looks like that meteorite somehow fucked with our dna," she told Nef who looked up at her from her litter box, responding with a chirping noise as if to confirm.
"Anyhow, we can't bloody well show up at school looking like this," she concluded and wondered if it would be better to shave of to pluck the whiskers.
The ears could be easily hidden with a hat. The tail though, now that was a wholly different cup of tea. She would have to cut out a hole for it in her pants, and underwear. She sighed and decided to deal with the practicalities of whatever the hell had happened to her during the night after she had showered.

 

[Inkybus]

Community Hospital - Amaya "Melia" Sosa
I watched my coworker leave and remained motionless for a minute or two even after the door had closed. Then, I stretched and yawned for a good half dozen seconds: rubbing the nape of my sore neck, I stood from the uncomfortable bed and stretched a little bit, before going to the bathroom to wash my face.

On my way there, my power informed me of the myriad bacteria, viruses and small insects that were all over my body. Within one second, all of them were either inert, comatose or dead, their primitive genetic makeup scrambled into uselessness. This was going to be a whole thing, wasn't it?

God damn it…

A run-down home the Hijos de Renzo use as a safehouse - Schro

On his way to the bathroom, Schro noticed how he exhaled carbon dioxide. Then, he heard the buzzing wings of the mosquito drawn to his breath. With a glare to the insect, the young man balled his hand into a fist and pictured himself smashing the annoyance between the palms of his hands.

Suddenly, his perception was overwhelmed with a huge threat, which went away as swiftly as it arrived. The mosquito, in the meantime, thought it was going to get smashed by the irate mammal it wanted to feed from. A threat that did not abate. No matter how much it dodged and weaved, the pale young man kept trying to kill it.

In reality, Schro watched the mosquito duck unseen swings and swipes, before he closed the door to the bathroom.

An ugly smirk widened on his angular, masculine face.

 

[Frozen Princess]

2:55 pm Golden Spoon

Windy breezed into the Golden Spoon, surrounded by several of the brightest of the smart set in school.

"Think of the aerodynamic features? I mean your pixie cut is already a boon." A boy was saying.

"Plus, if you take us up on this, we can use some of the most durable materials known!" A girl stated.

Windy sighed and stopped at the door that said "Employees Only", "I appreciate this guys, really, especially since I need something that won't burn up... Man, I'm STILL hungry. Umm, and thanks for letting me borrow this dress, Molly."

Her mom was right there. "First off, what happened to the clothes you had this morning? Second, since when are YOU still hungry right after gym class?"

The boy, nicknamed Zapper because of his laser tag prowess, said without even thinking, "They burned off at lunch. I mean you shoulda seen Windy, Mrs MacEnroe! Zap! Zoom! Zip! Zow!" He made motions with his hands flinging them every direction.

Molly nodded, "Then in Physical Education, Whooossshh! Like the wind. Literally. We didn't see her leave, we just knew she had a tee and shorts on, we felt a gust of wind, and she was across the finish line, behind us, naked as a jaybird... in less than a second! Like just less. She even broke Officer Rainier's speed gun. It said 999E, and was smoking!"

Both parents looked at Windy who was blushing. With a shrug, she said, "At least I got an A, today? Heh, heh."

"You also got banned from running ANYWHERE on school property until you get clothes that WON'T burn off. And I WILL enforce it." A woman in a dress suit said, glaring at her while sitting at the counter.

"Yes, ma'am, Principal Hughes." Windy nodded, slipped past her parents, clocked in and got to work, waiting on tables.
------------

Unspecified park, outside of town

Sapphire was adamant. "Why did that take all day to film?!" Before the cameraman could answer, Sapphire shot, "Rhetorical! I'll tell you why! You couldn't keep me in focus, you didn't know how to pan... I mean, who doesn't know how to pan?! Rhetorical!" The red-faced reporter continued her barrage of things done half-assed or completely wrong by the cameraman, and finally threw her hands up in the air, "Is it any wonder I think all men are idiots?!" She glared at the driver as she started for the van. "You are probably the ONLY exception!"

With a face rub, the driver, who just happened to be the boss, pointed to the van. "She's the third, and last, reporter you're going to piss off at channel 3. You're fired. I want you to turn in your badge and clean your desk out as soon as we get back. Now I need to find Scoops a new cameraperson, one that isn't a complete moron, and try to salvage this story. Somehow."
----------------------------------------------

Ricci and Associates, Downtown

Rebecca had been on the phone all morning, took only half hour for lunch, and went back to it.

She had a stack of notes, quotes and ideas from all over the city, including other law firms not as well established, or recognized as Gabe's. She hung up the phone, after thanking the mayor, and tossed her pen on the desk. With a sigh, she rubbed her face. It looked like they'd survive this after all, but only a client... With a REAL problem... Could end Rebecca's current nightmare.

 

[MsBloom]

Channel 3 Offices.

Fresh out of college with a degree in film and photography Edith couldn't believe her luck when what had begun as an underpaid internship at Channel 3 now seemed to become a real career opportunity when she was approached to replace Scoops cameraman, at least temporarily.
"Sure boss. I can do that. Thanks for the confidence and opportunity."
To work with Sapphire "Scoops" Davenport was definitely a step up from being an in studio camera assistant. Though she was rumoured to be difficult and have high expectations. Now all Edith had to do was to not eff things up.

 

[Inkybus]

Ricci and Associates entrance - Amaya "Melia" Sosa
I felt a little bad at having deceived the animal shelter I'd volunteered at last week: but I was not going to just abandon ol' Lim after I finished talking with the worst kind of humans after politicians… lawyers.

It was a necessary evil, or so I kept telling myself.

I went ahead and swiped a service dog vest too, just to make sure that they wouldn't turn Lim away at the door. At the entrance of Ricci and Associates law firm, I acknowledged the security people manning their post at the desk, as well as the intern setting up and checking for appointments.

"Good afternoon: my name is Amaya Sosa. I would like to speak to someone who can set me up with a solid lawyer group. I was informed that yours was the best."

Construction and Gang zone - Schro

Schro was having a good day. No, scratch that, he was having a great day: he had found one of those Ballas boys and orchestrated a one-man ambush. Then he'd invited the guy he had given a one-sided beatdown (courtesy of the godly amount of misdirection he had available to himself now) to a 'fair' rematch.

Of course, he had followed the sucker home and witnessed just how the bloodied numbskull told half a dozen of his crew to beat him half to death.

And now he was having an exhilarating sprint through the dilapidated houses that were still under construction, with a few gangbangers hot on his heels with various implements of hurt, such as lead pipes, broken bottles and switchblades. He idly wondered if they'd carve him up, if they managed to catch up.

But, of course, he wouldn't let it come to that: with a pull on his power, he made them all go stock-still, as hooded and masked figures with the colors of the Hijos the Renzo masking or somehow showing their affiliation. Of course, no one that did not see and hear Schro could see this very same illusion.

"Surprise, shitheads!" The gangbangers heard in their heads and when they whirled around to face the sudden attackers, they readied themselves to defend against the many pipes and baseball bats that their attackers had.

But, of course, only half of those people were real: and when the Ballas were busy parrying or evading an attack that never connected, the three companions that Schro had prepared dropped their man in one blow. Or stunned him long enough to get another hit in to put them out for the count.

And Schro himself, taking some bricks lying nearby, also put the hurt on by flinging his very accurate projectiles in tandem with mere hallucinations.

 

[Frozen Princess]

All the commotion near the Golden Spoon caused everyone to crowd the windows, craning to look. Some of the older people, including a guy who told funny stories, one about a naked runner, another about a jungle wild man with an affinity towards strumming, and a third about a rodent going crazy in a church down south¹, called the police.

Windy, though, had a temper, and her waitress job actually was something that helped calm her down, and frankly, this was aggravating. This Gang Violence crap was out of hand. She went into the bathroom, slammed and locked the door, and returned in her mom's old racing fire suit, pink, with lemon-lime stripes along the arms and legs, grabbed the helmet that went with it , said, "I hope I'm right about this," and zipped out before any one could blink. A cheerleader from the school started fanning herself, sighing, "hope she comes back soon..."

Wendy had been right. The helmet, and gaudy pink racing firesuit could hold up to her speed. Testing her stamina, strength, willpower and speed to their limits, she created mini tornados around the gang members, and sent one flying brick back from whence it came. Hopefully, Schro was hiding at this point and it just hit where he was hiding.

"You stupid guys are always fighting and it's nonsense! This area is now protected by Velocity! Get! Lost! And don't come back!" Her voice came from everywhere, bouncing off the buildings.

Meanwhile, Erin Holmes, still at her report she knew was going to be all day, grabbed her hat and walked out the precinct, just for Windy's velocity to rip it off her head and blow it down the street. This had been the fourth interruption today. She pulled out her police issued gun and fired it in the air. "All of you! Including the Wind maker, wherever you are! Freeze! Hands where I can see them!"

Windy, however, had already headed back to the Golden Spoon, where she got the mother of all kisses from the cheerleader (who Windy had a secret crush on, so she REALLY liked that!), pats on the back from her friends, and a salute from the guy with the funny stories, who promised to write a tale about this. Principal Hughes and her parents, however, were only happy the suit and helmet held up, none the worse for the wildest speed they'd ever been on. All three tore into her about Windy letting her temper control her, instead of her controlling her temper.
---------------------------------------------

Gabe Ricci stuck out his hand as he approached the young woman. "That would be me. Gabriel Ricci, shall we go to my office on the seventh floor? Hello, pooch." He smiled as he led her and her dog to the elevators. "Ms Burbank, have Rebecca Knight meet us there. This sounds right up her alley." He turned to Amaya. "I actually stole her from one of the law firms here, and put her on the ground floor. She's been with us since the beginning."

Rebecca smoothed her suit just as Gabe and Amaya would arrive. "What's up, Gabe?"

"I'll let Amaya here explain. She wants the best team, and I know you're itching for a good case." He turned to Amaya and nodded. "You can take it away at your discretion."
------------------------------

Sapphire sighed, and rubbed her face, leaning back in her chair in the film editing room. She looked over to the boss, and one of the interns she knew could handle a camera. "I haven't found much we can actually work with." She nodded to the woman. "Seen you around, but I don't think we've had the pleasure yet." She stood up, showing she was not much over 5 foot. 5-4 to be exact, and held out her hand. "Sapphire Davenport. And you are...?"


1-This, of course, can only be Ray Stevens.

 

[MsBloom]

Channel 3 Editing Room.

"Edith ... Edith Wilson," Edith said and shifting from one foot to the other, wiping her hand against her black slim fit jeans before taking Scoops' extended hand applying a light pressure.
"I graduated from Westbrook College a few months ago," she added and casting a glance at the editing monitor gave a nod.
"You working on the meteorite?"
She opened her small shoulder bag and too out her private digital camera.
"I might just have something. I was thinking this might be one of those events people keep talking about for years to come and figured that there would be money to be made from pictures of it so ... I well ... I snuck up to the roof of the hospital and caught this."
While she had been talking she had plugged her camera into the editing board and now pulled up a short video of the meteorite just as it broke into pieces.

 

[Inkybus]

Ricci and Associates entrance - Amaya "Melia" Sosa
"Nice to meet you, Gabriel Ricci. I'm Amaya Sosa and this is Lim."

I extended my hand, which I'd covered with cotton gloves, and shook his. I did not take my gloves off and kept my eyes locked with his until our hands separated once more.

Following Gabriel to the elevator, I nodded almost absent-mindedly when he told me of the circumstances which led to Rebecca Knight joining the law firm in the first place. Lim sat down obediently at my side until the elevator came to a full stop: I was glad that I'd gotten permission to take him, as he was the best behaved dog at the shelter in the first place.

Finally, I came face-to-face with the mid-twenties lawyer Gabriel wanted to take care of my request.

"Good afternoon: I am Amaya Sosa: I am looking for a good lawyer team to represent me in any future cases, as well as review contracts and explain them to me in layman's terms, to keep me away from pitfalls in the fine print. And to advise me on matters of the law. I want client confidentiality, so that what I'm going to tell you now will not be divulged without my consent if we do not come to an agreement."

Construction and Gang zone - Schro

Schro's day took a turn for the worse when a pink blur began to zoom counter and clockwise around the rival and his own gang members. The brick he had thrown flew back and nailed him in the abdomen, bruising his gut.

His body evacuated his lunch back the way it'd come in, and he took a bit to recover before getting back to his feet. Most of his group were strewn about, with some scrapes, scratches and bruises from the debris hitting them before: swearing a blue streak, the young man spat out the last bit of vomit from his mouth, bitterly commenting, in the end.

"Velocity? What a shithead poser: that costume is nowhere near red enough. And He had the gumption to confront a Kaiju…"

"What?"

Was the confused question that one of his friends asked, as he tried to find his feet.

"Nevermind." BANG!

Schro replied, gaze settling on Erin who had shot in the air just then. He muttered curses in spanish, murmurings settling in the end.

"Ah, la concha de tu madre… vamonos, hermanos."

He told the rest of the group to get up and going, while one of the Ballas boys scrambled to his feet, eyes on Erin, wary: he seemed to be hesitating whether or not to grapple her in order to wrestle for her gun. Was she going to let that happen? From just behind her, Erin heard the rustling of a plastic garbage bag, as though someone had stepped on it on their way to her: was she being ambushed? Was this why the Ballas gangbanger thought he might have a shot at disarming her?

In truth, it was only her who heard the noise of someone stepping behind her, Schro already bending her aural senses to his whim. The Ballas, however, was a very real threat- though he was not exactly seeing the policewoman in his mind: he thought he was squaring up with another gang member, who was taking aim at one of his own friends. Would he be courageous enough to commit? Would Erin shoot him dead before that happened?

Either way, the Hijos de Renzo were scrambling up, using this welcome distraction to run for cover and the alleys, scattering like rats from a sinking ship.

 

[Frozen Princess]

News 3 Studios

Sapphire gave a light smile, "Westbrook born and bred, then. You know our town pretty well, then?" Obviously rhetorical, but answering it would give Sapphire more information on the inner workings of Edith's mind. Her reporter instincts kicking in.

Looking at the footage she was trying to shoot at the park, she nodded. "Follow up, actually. This blurred, unfocused, bouncy shot that idiot cameraman took is supposed to be the ravine both that Air Force jet AND the space rock fell into outside of town." Sighing, she pinched her nose, saying to her boss, "Look at this, you can't even see the small piece of rock I have in my hand for what was supposed to be a closeup!"

She turned to Edith as Edith ran her footage. "No shaky movements, clarity... Hmm, that puce color emitted only when the rock started to break up." She looked at Edith. "How are you feeling? No ill effects? A lot of people outside actually passed out, or covered their ears when it exploded. Even on the other side of the soundless newsroom studios on the third floor." She put a hand to her chin, rubbing it in thought. "You're already miles ahead of that other guy, just on initiative alone. Especially going to the roof of Main General, a ten story building, like that. If you were trying to impress, you did it. I'm duly impressed, Edith. I thought I might end up getting stuck with the cameraman I went live with Sunday afternoon." She gave a wink to the boss who rolled his eyes.

"I have a studio to run, Scoops. I can't follow you around all day."
-------------------------------------------

In front of Erin's Precinct

Erin, heard the noise from what sounded like just out of her peripheral vision. She pointed to the one gang member, as her hand holding the gun aimed it in the other direction. "Don't. Move." She ordered as she called to the side. "Out of there! Hands where I can see them!" She radioed into the building she was just in front of. "I could use a hand out here. Backup. ASAP." As some gang took off, she growled, "Ah! Bueno, ¡mierda en un palo!" When three officers came out, two went for the gang member right in front, and Erin pointed with her head, for the other two follow her to the side... where they found... Nothing?! "Madre de..." Erin fumed, tensing up. Her face turning into one big scowl. The officer squeezed her shoulder. "Probably was a cat, Erin. Relax. You've been through a lot the last twenty-four hours. Just book who you caught... Uh? Where's your hat?"

"Blew down the street a good block or so from cyclonic winds." Erin fumed, pointing the direction it went, re-holstering her gun.

The officer looked around at the wind damage everywhere, shrugged, and sent her back in while he searched for her hat.

Golden Spoon

After Windy's lecture, she changed back into the borrowed dress from Molly, and went back to work. Normal conversation started up again.

"Y'know sweetie," the cheerleader smiled, playing with Windy's short hair as Zapper and Molly started to leave, "I've been waiting for a girl like you... What say you and I go out? It's obvious we both could show each other a good time."

Windy gulped, blushed, went pigeon toed and stammered, "I-I-I think, I mean, ummm, I guess, that is... I'd like that.... umm... Loni."

Loni ran a finger down Windy's cheek to her chin, where she gave it a forefinger flick, winked, and said, "Later, sugar." She turned, and sashayed out, giving her hips just a bit extra sway for Windy's benefit. This caused Windy to turn even redder in embarrassment, finally having to look away.

"Oooo, somebody's crushing! And a cheerleader, yet! Who obviously likes YOU! Yowza!"

Windy pout glared (yes, it's a thing), "Gah! Shut up Zapper Frees! No I'm not!"
------------

Ricci and Associates

Rebecca pulled out a chair, "Have a seat, Amaya." She smiled as she took another across from her. "Sounds like you've got quite the story. Why don't you tell us about it. From the beginning. Thanks Gabe."

Gabe had supplied her with a pen, seeing Rebecca had already brought her legal pad. He knew the woman probably also had a pen, but didn't spot it when she sat down."Any ideas who I should give a heads up?"

Rebecca nodded, from what she heard already. "Lucy and Reggie."

"Sounds right." Gabe took his chair and pulled out his own legal pad and pen. "Let me get to work on the draft for the confidentiality. Although not signed, rest assured, it'll be binding already, with ink to paper. I'll have Ilona, who you met at the reception desk, type it up. It'll be done within an hour and be ready for your signature. I want it to include what we're discussing, so I do need to hear the story. Please continue, I'm listening." By starting this now, Gabe was insuring Amaya's reasons wouldn't go any farther than Gabe, Rebecca and her team.

Rebecca nodded to Amaya. "Nothing will leave this room if we can't, but I need to hear the story first."

Having said that, she turned to Gabe, "I get where you're coming from, but shouldn't we be using the bare bones one, and just fill in the specifics as Amaya explains things? Confidentiality is important to both of us, and she wants it in typewriting, I'm sure. I know I would."

Gabe nodded. "See? This is exactly why I stole you from McGraw, Monroe and Levy a little over a year ago."

"And I'm the one who convinced her nephew to join us instead of his aunt's firm." Rebecca smirked with a wink, towards Amaya, as Gabe brought the paper for Amaya's perusal and signature.

"RE-Becca!"

"That was not privileged information, Gabe!" Rebecca laughed.

Of course, once Rebecca heard about the powers, she would want the case, and help Amaya.

 

[MsBloom]

News 3 Studios @Frozen Princess

"Actually I'm from Buffalo, New York originally. I just moved here for college four years ago," Edith corrected her new boss with a friendly smile.
"But I do know the ins and outs of this town quite well though. At least for an outsider."
This was true. Over the last four years she had ridden around all over Westbrook on her motorcycle looking for interesting places to photograph and not just the more easily accessed locations either. She had at one time even found her way into the sewers and taken som rather interesting photos of the older parts of the tunnels and even found a small community of homeless people living down there, some of which had allowed her to photograph them.

She shook her head when Sapphire asked her if she was feeling any ill effects from having been exposed to the meteorite as it exploded.
"I was feeling a bit nauseous this morning but it passed after I had breakfast and a shower, and now I'm feeling just fine."
She took a second look at the material the previous cameraperson had filmed and once more shook her head.
"Did this guy get his education and training inside a cornflakes box or something?"
It was perhaps not a nice thing to say but it was honest. She had rarely seen such sloppy camera work, especially not from a so-called professional.
"Do you want to go back to the park for another shoot?" she half-asked, half-suggested.

"I can drive," she quickly offered after hearing the studio manager tell Sapphire he didn't have the time to follow her around all day.
Edith certainly had nothing else to do all day and would certainly not mind following Sapphire around, or driving her around, all day.
"We can take my motorcycle. The handheld easily fits into my back pack along with a wireless microphone and a tripod, should I need one."
It was after all how she got around Westbrook on her photography quests and there was room enough for an intrepid reporter on the back of her motorcycle. She even had a spare helmet under the seat in case she found herself with an unplanned passenger.

 

[Inkybus]

Ricci and Associates offices - Amaya "Melia" Sosa
Soon enough, I was presented with a confidentiality contract: I was going to be given the right to a client confidentiality, with a clause that could render topics that were discussed on the premises moot if I divulged them to third parties.

I received the document with the signatures of Rebecca and Gabriel on the contract, and was reassured to speak of the reason that'd brought me to their offices in the first place.

"I won't beat around the bush. The meteorite that blew up yesterday had a very weird effect on me: when I woke up from unconsciousness after the blast, I learned that I could find out what ails living, biological beings like humans and animals, and heal them."

It was a half-truth, but I was not going to be foolish enough to reveal what my powers could let me do in truth. No, that was a hand I'd keep close to my chest. This card was enough on its own, for the time being.

"Having Lim here is a blessing, because I can show you and you can draw your own conclusions. Would you allow me to heal Lim's crooked tail, notched ear and his limp for proof?"

Everyone could see what I meant: my canine companion had a slight limp, ever since I'd met him. It was from an old injury near the lower spine, connected to his left hind leg. His tail was, similarly, crooked, from the same injury probably. And his left ear was missing a chunk, that had been bitten off by something or other in the past.

This was the main reason I'd adopted Lim from the shelter. It was a net positive for me that he was such a good boy, though.

Schro's apartment - Schro

Running was a pain, Schro decided. He held his bruised abdomen and limped along after the ordeal with the new speedster deciding to make their debut.

"This sucks."

He muttered to himself, after dismissing his gang who wanted nothing more than to lie down and just sleep all the scrapes and blue spots off as much as possible. Rest was the only thing they looked forward to, after running from the boys in blue.

The cognito hazard was of the same mind, really, though he would have beaten someone half to death for a good painkiller at that time. No matter who they were. Stewing in his wrath, the super-powered villain returned to the squalor of his apartment, kicking the door closed and barring it with the inside bar before scraping off his outfit with the exception of his underpants and dropping face-first into his pillow.

He really needed a nap.

 

[Frozen Princess]

News 3 Studios

Sapphire raised an eyebrow as she looked between her boss and new cameraperson, as he snorted back a chuckle. "You gotta love us New Yorkers, even upstate can be on the same page, I actually asked him that, to his face. Ha! Corn flakes box!"

Sapphire shook her head, "Okay, you two, I get it." She smirked, "I personally thought he went to clown camera school myself, but never said anything." She went serious. "It's just under 24 hours since it exploded, but the Air Force has only sealed off the ravine area. Park's still open, and I kept the interesting fragments I found far enough from the impact site, which is actually IN the ravine. A few hours of daylight left, let's go." She grabbed her News 3 blazer, gave Edith directions to the park, and they would set out.

This time, Sapphire was certain the follow-up would go off without a lot of nonsense. Or retakes. Including the close-up of the small rock fragment that just fit in Sapphire's palm, with multifaceted extraterrestrial crystals embedded in the stone. When the light caught it just right, there was the puce like glow.
------------------------------------------

Ricci and Associates

Rebecca sat at the table, but pulled her chair away to take a good look at the dog, before she and Gabe exchanged glances.

"I definitely want this case." She said, with her brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Would you allow the rest of the planned team to witness this as well?" She looked to Gabriel. "Gabe, I think Beau McGraw should be included, but that's it. Between Reggie, myself and Beau, we have nearly a quarter century of experience, Reggie almost 20 in medical, which this could technically be. Beau was thinking about going into the medical law part."

Gabe rubbed his face. Looked like Rebecca was going all in on a big chance. What Amaya was referring to, was the stuff of superhero comic books, not real life.

The physics, considering the meteorite explosion, had to be what Rebecca was betting on. "You better be right about this, Ms. Knight." It'd been a while since Gabe used that tone with her, but Rebecca only gave a stiff nod. "It's up to you, Amaya. We work for you. Do you want your whole team to witness this, or just Rebecca, Reggie, since he is medical law, and myself. I can have all three here in a few minutes. Or just Reggie, if that's the plan."

 

[Inkybus]

Ricci and Associates offices - Amaya "Melia" Sosa
Rebecca wanted the rest of the team to witness this. Good: this meant that she was accepting to take me at my word. I was happy that I'd manage to persuade them at this juncture, since that was the biggest hurdle I'd thought of in the scenarios I thought up as I began to prepare for this meeting.

I had a way to acquire funds now, in case I needed it, in the form of reparations if anyone revealed my newfound powers before I was set up: there was no longer a pressing need for secrecy, what concerned my healing capabilities.

"I do not mind: please, call them at your leisure."

Gabriel was obviously skeptical of me; this was alright, since I would have reacted the same way if I were in his shoes.

I scratched Lim, who was sitting beside me like the goodest boy he was, behind the ears. His tail moved minimally, as he was trained not to move overmuch in a public setting like this. He was still as professional as any service dog, despite his old age.

 

[MsBloom]

News 3 Studios/The Park

"Hold on then," Edith said after having handed Sapphire the spare helmet, kick started the motorcycle and pulled out of the studio's parking lot.
There was some traffic as people were now on their way home from work but Edith navigated the cars, buses, bikes and pedestrians with both skill and creative driving sometimes choosing nontraditional and less than legal paths but she got hem both to the park with very few stops and did so well before it would be too dark to get any good shots of the crash site.

Edith took a look around the park, nodded when Sapphire pointed out where she wanted to stand when reporting. It was a good spot where the ravine could be seen behind her. She set up the tripod, checked the settings on the camera for light and focus before giving Sapphire an all clear nod. There were no shaky or blurred images, not even when she first focused on the ravine to then zoom back until Sapphire's upper half came into focus. Even the close up of the weirdly shimmering piece of rock was in perfect focus and even if Edith had not actually planned it she caught the light just right for the rock to give off that same glow the meteorite ha spread across the sky the day before.

 

[CasualVelociraptor]

On Sunday at 4:30 PM, Alex Guthrie had run away. They just couldn't take their father's abuse of them or their siblings Chloe Rose and Edward anymore. They'd decided they would stay at the usual flophouse behind the grocery store where Joe wouldn't dare find them. There, someone could help them numb the pain of their entire fucking life with alcohol, weed and meaningless sex just to feel something until they got to school in the morning and pretended like everything was fine.

They'd dabbled in both, as well as crossdressing since they were fifteen and liked to feel like someone's bitch; whether the person doing the domineering had a vagina or a penis didn't matter, because nothing mattered anymore. Sure, she studied hard and got good grades at school, but she didn't think she'd ever get into a good school with her father drinking half his paycheck, so they'd realistically have to take a dead-end job and also sell their body to make ends meet. Though occasionally they'd see Kim Su-ji's long, dark waterfall of hair and sigh. wondering what kind of light their good friend could be to them if they only confessed what they knew in their heart. Then, on the way free running through the woods where no one would see them, or tell them what to do, the meteorite hit Westbrook, knocking Alex flat on their face.

Then, in the witching hours of Monday morning, a dark voice had hissed in their ear, "Risssse, Aleexxxaaaa" and so they did, despite knowing that their name was not Alexa. Or was it? It felt...familiar, somehow. As if a nightmare turned into a dream, as if they were walking around these woods in an evening gown of sorrow, their roars of anguish echoing across the world yet never being heard. Nothing but them, naked and without their dirty clothes, and now with completely female anatomy (what?!) but having to survive in what felt like a new world for them while still going to school the next morning despite being unable to sleep. And how were they going to get clothes, if not from their house.

The darkness soon provided an answer, with a dark gothic dress conjured out of thin air. Some people who didn't know Alex very well whispered about the "new girl," but they could have sworn that their acquaintance Blair Bailey, who usually didn't make much of an expression, gave them a knowing smile. They also hoped that Su-ji would do a double take of recognition, bewilderment, and maybe excitement in a way Alex knew they couldn't have commanded beforehand. Since Alex had never said anything about starting HRT yet had breasts that filled out a dress now, perhaps that would garner the raven-haired Asian's interest. Whatever the case, it soon got them thrown in the principal's office and sentenced to after-school detention for breaking the dress code by showing shoulder.

Now, having paid their debt to society for having bare skin, they were in a T-shirt and hoodie after school, approaching the Golden Spoon to apologize to Principal Hughes, and try to perhaps explain better what happened.

And yet a dark voice whispered, RIP HER APART OUT FOR ORDERING YOU AROUND!

"Ahem. Principal Hughes...?" Alex asked in a small voice.

 

[Frozen Princess]

Golden Spoon

Hughes looked and smiled thinly. "Alex. Let me start with saying it was nice seeing you embrace your feminity." The principal, motioned to the counter stool next to her and offered some of her fries as Windy also took a double-take, with a grin.

"Daaaammnn! Looking fine, Alex!" Yeah, now that she has visible breasts. Clearly, Windy needed to also admit to herself she was lesbian, which she hadn't admitted. Half the school suspected it.

"Windy! We just got on you about your temper! Do you need another one on your manners?!" Hughes sighed, tersely. Windy shook her head and slunk off to wait on a couple who just came in and sat at a booth. "Sorry about that. She has a girlfriend. She just doesn't want to admit it to herself, yet." A sigh. "What can I do for you, that I'm able to, that is. I will say we have a dress code for a reason, modest, not baring anything.... unless you're in cheer and dance, and only at practice and games. Is it your dad again? Or should I rather say, still?"

@CasualVelociraptor

Ricci and Associates

Gabe nodded and actually stepped out to gather the others Rebecca wanted, giving them a minute. "Haven't I seen you at Community Hospital, over on Tenth? Planning on making a career of helping others, medically? We definitely need more care providers that are personable."

Two minutes later, Gabe would be back with a late 40s medium built black man who actually looked like he could pass for 35, a blond guy who was definitely late 20s, maybe around Rebecca's age (27), that looked like he did some kind of sports off the clock, considering how toned and tanned he was, and a bespectacled raven haired woman, slightly smaller than Rebecca, that definitely looked wet behind the ears just out of law school.

As the three introduced themselves and shook hands with Amaya, Rebecca briefly filled them in, and Reggie took another look at the dog. "You're here as part of my team to help make sure she doesn't get taken advantage of. It'll all become clear once she finishes her demonstration." Rebecca explained, with nods from the other three.

Reggie stood up. "Dog's decent age, I could see some grey in his muzzle. Somewhere between seven and nine, I'd imagine." He put a hand to his chin and remained standing, as Beau and Lucy sat. "Go ahead, I have to remain standing, Gabe noticed me in my office like this. I'll be going to the improv theater after, and want to be in my professor persona."

"Method acting lessons." Beau asided to Rebecca who gave him a puzzled expression. She nodded with a non vocal, but mouthed, "Ah."

@Inkybus

Unspecified park, outside Westbrook

Sapphire talked briefly about what had happened at the now fenced off ravine, recapped what happened roughly 24-25 hours prior, showed off the rock as well as walked the path it had taken on its earthward trajectory, pointing up for Edith to catch some of the damaged and scorched treetops and branches.

She turned back to the camera, microphone in hand, wrapping up, "There's an estimated 1500-2250 injuries from the meteorite's explosion that required at least overnight stays in local hospitals, numbers still coming in. There's still only the one fatality related to the meteorite. We're going to stay on top of this breaking story as it continues to develop. From the park of the impact, Sapphire Davenport, Channel 3 News."

She turned off the mic. "And that's a wrap. Finally. I figured we'd have this done in less than two hours with the right camera operator." She headed towards where they parked. "Have a favorite restaurant in town? If not, might I suggest Wings Express, and depending on how hot you like 'em, the Mango Habanero sauce." At least, that was Sapphire's favorite, and as hot as she dared, although they did have Five Alarm, as well.

@MsBloom

 

[CasualVelociraptor]

"Why don't you call me after your shift is over and I'll tell you and your girlfriend all about my femininity, Windy (@Frozen Princess)?" Alex proposed despite the words coming from quite outside their own brain, perhaps from the "Alexa" side. Then they winked, the purring pansexual person smooching their hand and then blowing a kiss to the swooning waitress. "Uh...I'm, I'm sorry, maybe you're right that I showed off too much of my femininity. I haven't really been allowed to express both sides of me until recently, and it's overwhelming."

Then they stared down at their hoodie and sighed as they thought about that dress.

"I know...but this was the only thing that I managed to clean in time before having to leave again," Alex sighed. It was a lie, but not that far off from the parts of the truth that wouldn't get her thrown in an insane asylum.

Oh yeah, Principal Hughes. I danced naked and howled at the moon for what felt like all of last night while imagining the darkness wrapping around me, and this dress was made by a demon. I'll take that scarlet A on my forehead now, please.

"It's...gotten...worse. Chloe won't say anything, but...he...reapeatedly." They had never admitted it to anyone, except...

Then the lights began to flicker and their body tremble beneath their hoodie as the tom-enby started to unravel, hand on face from anxiety. "But wait, how do you know anything about this? I specifically told the school psychologist not to say anything about it!"

"So, if you'll excuse me, I am an adult and I don't answer to you after school hours, Principal Hughes!" Alex declared in a huff, not wanting to talk about what happened as the monster that the meteorite had bonded to them fed off their shadow.

"Windy, so...weird night last night, huh?" Alex asked Windy from the bar.

 

[Inkybus]

Ricci and Associates offices - Amaya "Melia" Sosa
"I worked there as a nurse in the ICU, before I quit this morning."

I confirmed for Rebecca: that explained why she felt a little familiar before. I must have seen her at the hospital some time or another.

A couple of minutes later, Gabriel returned with a few more colleagues, older and younger than Rebecca herself. I obviously did not take my gloves off when I shook hands with them and introduced myself.

"Alright: before I begin, please take note of Lim's ear and tail. It's the last time you will see these injuries."

With that said, I took off the glove from my right hand and stood up, pushing the chair away and kneeling next to my dog.

"Down."

I commanded him, and he lay down obediently. I then put my hand on his head: information came flooding through me and I reviewed his situation- it was the same as the first time and I cajoled his brain into rest: with Lim asleep, I commanded his excess fat to be removed by his cells, to transform them into stem cells that the body would use to replace the missing chunk of ear. And then, I went over to his crooked tail and removed the damaged cartilage, recycling it and using more biomass to create new bone to replace the one that had not healed right. His tail was then good as new.

Last but not least, I cleaned up the bits and fragments of bone that had been stuck in his leg and giving him a limp, breaking the matter down and letting his body remove all the unnecessary parts naturally, with the guarantee that nothing coming out would hurt him.

After that, my power woke him right up again. From the outside, it all had taken less than ten seconds.

"Good boy, Lim."

 

[MsBloom]

A small farm outside Westbrook - Blair.

Sunday had been a good afternoon for Blair, even if it had meant that the library closed earlier than on weekdays. It was however mostly on weekends they managed to slip away from the farm and the hard work their family expected of them there. They had been reading up on Nietzsche and also studied some astronomy because of the meteorite that was due to pass Westbrook and impact in the ravine just outside the town. Years ago as they were denied college funds by their parents, or even permission to go off to college at all, whether they got a scholarship or not, they had learned the hard way not to bring books home but also to check out the books and hide in the park, or some small café to read after their brothers had tracked them down and physically dragged them out of the library.

True they were legally adult and had been for three years, and there was a college right there in Westbrook but all their life they had been ridiculed and mocked, beaten and verbally abused for everything they ever were and their self-image had followed suit. They were simply not worthy of a higher education, that was for posh and stuck up people, and in the Bailey family posh was not a good thing to be. Perhaps if they had not at the same time been built heavy and strong like the rest of the family they might have been allowed to leave as they would then not have been useful around the farm. As it now was they were just as strong as their brothers, if not stronger. Of course that didn't stop their brothers from abusing them nor did it give them the confidence to fight back, because they had been taught that they deserved the punishment they were subjected to every time they said or did something clever, something that obviously had been learned from a book.

On the way home they had stopped on a hill to watch the meteorite as it crossed the sky and had seen the explosion that broke it into pieces, one of which had struck close enough to them to throw them off the hill and into some bushes where they passed out from the shock wave. It was also there, covered in dirt and wet from dew that they woke up on Monday morning. Judging by the position of the sun they were definitely late for work and knew even as they brushed as much of the dirt off of their clothes that there was a beating waiting for them when they got back to the farm.

And just as they had thought they were greeted by their brothers who all stopped what they were doing and gathered around them in a circle.
"And just where the fuck have you been all night sissy," the oldest said and ground his right hand fist into the palm of his left hand as a threat.
"Yea. We've had to do all your work this morning as well as our own. You better fucking have a good excuse."
They didn't, at least not one their brothers would accept as a good excuse, so they cowered and just waited for the punch that was sure to come and when it did it landed right in their gut.

Oddly enough though they didn't feel a thing. And not only that their oldest brother let out a noise suggesting it had hurt him to punch them. Blair now looked up and without being able to explain what happened just knew that this was their chance. They took two steps towards their oldest brother, making fists on the way and then swung their right fist at him. The sound it made as it made contact with their brother's jaw, that cracking sound and the total absence of any kind of sensation other than the pressure of the contact as well as the fact that their brother tumbled backwards and fell down made them feel almost invincible. Next the swung at their youngest brother with the same satisfactory result and then they approached the third brother with their fists raised he actually retreated.
"That's right you fucking inbred hillbillies," they cried after their brothers as they withdrew into the farmhouse.
"You better fucking run."

Now having liberated themself from the oppressing abuse that had kept them cowering all their life they turned and walked back into Westbrook. They had no idea what to do with whatever this new condition of theirs was but they knew that this was their time, time for the world, not just their family, to start showing them the respect they deserved.