Nightingale_NA

In my experience as a Dark Defender of 5 years, primarily solo, I would drop Tenebrous Tentacles and Nightfall. Glad to see Torrent and Life Drain were dropped. Then get Shadow Fall, Dark Pit, and Petrifying Gaze in there sooner. You may also want to grab Moonbeam. Howling Twilight is often nice as a stun, but I think you can put it off until later. As for Dark Mastery, I like them all.

(( Actually it is supposed to be the nice part of town, in a nice building, well decorated and furnished and clean. Very business modern like. I had not yet time to write this post. ))

The streets of St. Martial bustled busily this time of day. The Chateau Rouge stood well, just off the center of it. Being both an apartment complex and a business firm, zoning for the structure was a bit complicated. But Ms. Scarlet used her contacts well to get it placed as close to the commercial center as possible.

She left her car behind, choosing instead to walk this day. She paid no mind to the other pedestrians however, instead admiring the structure. There was nothing particularly special about the building's design. For the most part, it stood straight and tall as any other city skyscraper. For the first 11 floors, it took the shape of a wider and deeper rectangle, filling most of the building's plot, minus some outside gardening and the back alley. The next and final 5 floors formed a smaller rectangle, in all dimensions, located centrally above the rest of the building. As most buildings of the style, it's entire outsides were panelled in glass, providing the multiple rooms above with plenty of light and wonderful views.

The empty lot across the street drew her eyes for a brief moment. It was an eyesore. The business previously located there went under. Someone bought the land, tore down the old building, then went defunct themself. Now it seems someone had dumped an old bus into the lot. She made a mental note to make some calls about that.

She stood in front of the Chateau Rouge. Her image consultants came up with the name. She mentally noted to fire them the next time. The image of a deep red carnation flower adorned the top of the name. That was her touch.

Ms. Scarlet entered through the main doors. No one jumped to attention in any particular fashion, or really took notice. She was not known down here. She prefered it that way. Instead she was just another patron and potential guest. To her immediate right spread the reception counter for check in and guest services. There was some new employee there that she did not recognize. But that did not matter. To her left was the door and dark red windows leading into Ruby's bar and grill. It drew in some 'guests' that might not otherwise take notice of the establishment here. Shockingly, few of the patrons appeared as business professionals, but rather filled a variety of looks. Not to mention that a good majority were likely supers.

Farther into the ground level, spreading out towards the right around reception sat the rest of the lobby. The cool, crisp right angles of modern business featured heavily, full of neutral tones and devoid of decoration with the exception of the red carnations featured throughout.

A second counter sat along the far wall of the lobby. Near it, signs stood advertising her brokerage firm, and the benefits of membership. In red, above the counter, it read, 'Scarlet Society.' Employees were stationed on hand to answer questions and sign up new members. Other companies could also send their representatives to this desk, though the business also provided phone and internet services for accomplishment of all the above.

One area of the lobby was arranged as a lounge. There, seating and coffee was available. Four televisions streamed in the latest from CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, and the local Arachnos 'owned' station. On regular intervals, the feeds would pause while an advertisement for the Scarlet Society played. In another section, a small number of internet computers were available for public access. And there was also vending available, whether one wanted snacks, drinks, or the latest newspaper.

To the far right side of the lobby were the elevators, several of them, between the two counters. Ms. Scarlet walked directly to them and pressed one of the 'up' buttons. Upon arrival, she entered and the door closed. A variety of buttons were available. At the bottom was an 'L' - the lobby, where she had come from and the ground floor. Next to that sat a 'B' - the basement level. Upwards, the buttons were labeled with numbers 1 - 9, indicating the various rooms available for rent, either as long term apartments or for shorter durations as desired. At the top, sitting midline above the rest like the apex of a pyramid, and written in red, was a button marked 'SS' - the Scarlet Society. She pushed it.

Officially, it was the 11th floor. She exited the elevator and entered into a small lobby. A counter sat just off the side, providing further information services. In front of her stood the very thick and deep red glass double doors leading into the center of operations. Before them stood several guards. Those standing stiffened. Those sitting stood. She was recognized at this level. Nonetheless, she withdrew her ID card and swiped it through a computer near the counter. It buzzed happily in confirmation of her identity.

The card looked much like any credit card, with name, a long number, and a photo. The background was red with a stylized 'SS' in the top left corner and a 'large' watermark of a carnation in the center. It quickly disappeared back into her purse as she walked through the entry passage. Carnations decorated the area with increased frequency, followed by other greenery.

The hallway opened up near the center of the building, within the smaller rectangle, into a large open atrium area. Two elevators rode upwards along each of the four walls. Several individuals flew up and down the open center. Some others simply leapt or teleported. Looking upwards, she could see the balcony hallways marking each of the remaining 5 floors. Along the ceiling, in the center, large sunlight panels let in natural light to the base floor. On her level, at the center of the atrium, stood a fountain surrounded by beautiful plants and sweet smelling flowers.

The rest of the base level, the 11th floor, spread out in all directions to fill out the large rectangle. There were offices, conference rooms, lounges, recreation, a computer room, a gym, tactical simulations, and a very well insulated firing range. The above floors featured more offices, some small laboratories and research centers, and some extra special private rooms.

Most of the membership and many employees lived in the below apartments, enjoying the perks of SS discounts, all as part of the package. But for those needing very special conditions or privacy, a number of rooms existed above for these purposes.

For all the simple business-like decorum, it played down the great number of hidden cameras, microphones, and weapon emplacements...for security of course. And a dedicated security staff, directly employed by the Society. There were enough supers around as well of course.

With proper greetings from those educated enought to know who she was, Ms. Scarlet took the elevator up to the highest level and dissappeared into one of the rooms.

(( Questions? Direct to ooc. ))

That does bring up an interesting time problem with Nightingale. This is PCU, but you are talking time, so....

In the thread, Nightingale has been depicting events as if she has been gone for 3 years, because in real time it had been about that long. But I doubt that much time has actually passed on the forum. It may not have even been one year. But I have no idea.

It does not concern me, but it is a bit of a conundrum.

I think you already know, but I must, that by that he means real time.

*crash*

"What the heck is going on out there?"

A moment later one of the living quarter rooms opened, Melissa's human form emerging from the door. Once again she is dressed in her soft pink blouse and short gray skirt. Coming into the main chamber, she looks everything and one over. "It's about time you got here...had enough fun with the darkness?" She smirks and walks further into the room. "I see we have some more guests...," taking in the appearance of Techsupport and Cooling System. "Welcome to the mad house. Your rooms are ready and there is a mint on your pillow." She frowns, "Umm...Cowman...who is your friend there.... Date?"

"Not quite," the woman said, the one Cowman had pulled through the portal with him. She slowly picked herself up, stretching tight muscles, as if she hadn't moved for awhile. Distinguishable features included the woman being nearly nude, except for the fact that her entire body was covered in a black ooze, which also soaked her hair. It slowly dripped from her, but never seemed to leave her or spread far.

Problem was, other than that, Melissa was looking into an oozy mirror image. Or, perhaps the oozed Melissa was looking at a mirror of her normal self. Simaltaneously the two women spoke, "You're me. No...I'm me...you're something else." Each pointed at the other in accusation.

(ooc: hehe...if it helps, Melissa is actually fair-skinned, and looks completely normal in her human form, the wraith-form is of course a black incorporeal blob. Sara, ie Ms. Nightingale, is gray and shadowy all the time.)

Weak from her injuries and having lost her voice completely, Melissa reaches a finger to Mystic's cheek and lightly traces a 'Y.'

Melissa's condition had not changed. Whatever damage had been done to her was beyond any simple bruises or cuts, of which she didn't seem to have in the first place. She was fading fast, and if the riddle to saving her wasn't solved soon, she'd likely be lost forever. She struggled to speak again, again only one word vocalized, "...dark."

(ooc: heh...I'll clarify once again, Melissa is not Nightingale Completely different person ...and Cowman, how cold! hehe)

Melissa lay motionless in Mystic's arms. She seemed nearly elsewhere, completely oblivious to the actions of others or what was happening with the orbs. She mouthed one word again, her tone flat and her volume barely noticeable, "Need..." If there was anymore, she had a difficult time making it verbal.

A second later a dark mass fell ungracefully from the orb, impacting the ground as a solid mass. Though no wounds were visible across her nude body, she was obviously injured. Badly injured, she didn't move at all, her eyes closed, her breathing very slow. In but a whisper, she forced out a single word, slurred from her pain, "Darknessss..."

"Not to mention us.... So what are we to do? I'm about clueless at this point. The whole technology of this thing befuddles me. As for the magic, dark as it is, it has done nothing that I am familiar with or can relate to."

Melissa pauses a moment to let everything sink in, then continues, "I don't know...have we tried talking to it yet. If it called for us, maybe it's just waiting for us to say 'Hi.' However we do that...maybe..."

Her formless mass floats closer to the device. Several bolts of electricity pass through her, she seems unharmed by them however. After a moment she questions, "Jason...get your time reversing thingy ready. I'm going to try something..."

Melissa studies the spinning device very closely while Jason gets prepped. Upon receiving the green light, Melissa suddenly flys directly into the path of an orb, her incorporeal form vanishing within it....

"You have got to be kidding me...." Melissa sighs, and she holds what must be her hand against her head, "All this righteousness is giving me a headache. ...Just bury the thing and post a guard. Good enough for me.... And what of the reflection...different how? Of course it's going to look a bit off, it's a curved surface," as she hovers over towards the orb Cowman is looking into to take a look for herself.

"Prophecy.... Wait a moment, you're saying this thing asked for each of us specifically? If that's the case, then why are we all stepping into this trap? Whatever was in that orb tried to kill us. Who knows what might be unleashed when we're all here...possibly by our simple presence alone." Melissa's ghostly form hovered there, looking at each individual, the pinpoints of light for eyes being the only indication that she was indeed turning her head slightly. Again her voice came through indistinguishable lips, "We already know that device is full of evil. Maybe it's a prison. I don't know. All I know is that up until we started messing with it, it was leaving well enough alone. I say we keep it that way and ditch it where it was found." Again her eyes swiveled to each individual, looking for responses.

Melissa looked at her...self. "Two of me. Well, that could be...fun." Before her thoughts could finish however, Jason popped and everything was restored once again. "Oh drats. And I feel we are no closer to knowing anything about this thing. Who were they, and where are they going?"

Melissa returned just in time to hear the Mystic mention wraith again. "I'm sorry, you say this Wraith is a person? I admit I'm of little help there, I don't watch much television. Perhaps someone else?"

"In the meantime...if this is no longer Kansas as you so put it...where are we? Or maybe, when? And for what Corvus said, it would be insanity to try the same thing again...so why don't we try something different. Choose a different orb this time...and be ready for anything. Should it be worse, I am confident Jason has his end under control...even if he is show-boating."

Melissa floated there, waiting for Mystic to do his thing, recalling to mind her arsenal of abilities.

Melissa glanced over at Mystic as he suddenly finished typing away at the console and began speaking. "Hey...Zombie-boy. What have you been doing over there so frantically? And what's this sudden wraith talk? You mean the horse-thing...I suppose that could be considered wraith-like. I'm no expert however."

Melissa hoped Mystic might explain himself soon. Meanwhile she glanced over at the unmoving robot. "I'm up for another go Jason. One moment though..." She got up and made her way over to Tock, and started rummaging through his items. Finding a satchel of vials, she took them, "With lugnut over here disabled, we might need these. One more moment."

Melissa headed down the hall where the old lady had indicated rooms were available. Finding a door with her name on it, she took the key card that was there, opened the door, removed the name plate, and stepped inside. The door closed and locked afterwards, but after a few seconds Melissa floated through the door and back into the main chamber, once again a formless black mass with starlight eyes. "Ready."

Melissa continued to lie on the floor, waiting for the little droid to recover and respond to her. In the meantime, she focused on the ancient artifact, wondering what else could be inside that.

As the memories of the battle flooded back into Mystic, he suddenly recalled something else. On the news, no more than a week ago, a special report talked about a superpowered vigilante called the Wraith. The report include several of this woman's acts, though some valorous, others were downright criminal and villanous. The latest sighting of the Wraith involved her using innocents as bait to lure some Hellion scum. In the aftermath, only the Wraith lived. The report had no real name or positive identification on what she looked like, except that she appeared only as a dark, feminine shaped cloud in a black dress. "Could she be...," thought Mystic...

"So, what's our next ingenious strategy," said Melissa aloud.

Melissa felt exhausted, having relived those last few moments so many times she lost count. After looking herself over, she breathed a sigh of relief, "At least I don't have to worry about how I was going to manage turning back to solid form, and getting dressed."

Melissa sat quietly on the ground while Corvus stopped Mystic and harrassed Jason about the red-headed woman. Absorbed in a meditation, she focused her gaze on the mysterious structure. "Whatever that thing was, it was definately negative, like death, and evil. However...none of those orbs emanate a similar aura. All dark, no doubt in that...but the magic is different. I cannot describe how they are different, for they are unfamiliar to me...but definately different."

Melissa continued to lie there, resting possibly, when she recalled the odd little robot. "By the way...Tik Tock...may I see that vial of pure light you have, and any others you may posess?" Her hand held out in expectation.

Melissa barely evaded the column of flaming spiraling in towards her...instead feeling the heat of it as is blasted the back wall. "This is nuts...and you are making me very upset!" Apparently that odd robot was taking care of the horse somehow, but Melissa was too focused to be paying any attention there. "That thing may be down, but I doubt that will save Mystic...." Closing to range and dodging another column, Melissa prepared her spell. "Now!," she thought as she muttered the final incantation and a hail of dark bolts launched from her, striking the Mystic and sprawling him back against the floor. Melissa continued to concentrate on her spell, maintaining the endless barrage. "Hurry...if he's anything like that horse then I am barely scratching him, but at least it will keep him down..."

(ooc: hehe...good call )

"Bloody...what the heck is Jason doing!," thought Melissa as things seemed to be getting worse. She wished she could throw a knife at the creature as well, except that she had no skill at throwing knives and she could not even handle a knife in her incorporeal form. And there was no way she was changing back...the form is probably the only thing keeping her alive so far, and she'd die before she appeared nude.

With the foreign being blasting the entire room, Melissa simply darted from each blast intent on her while trying to think of something she could do...

"You've got to be kidding me...," thought Melissa as the pseudo-ringleader Mystic hit the ground. In the next instant a burst of radiation from Corvus blinded the dark equine creature.

Melissa wasn't about to waste any time either. With a muttered word her dark body became incorporeal and formless, her braid unraveling into long shadowy waves, and her dark eyes changing to pinpoints of white starlight; dropping her clothing and nearly finished food where she previously stood. Another word, and her own dark beam lashed out from what must of been a hand. Sadly, the beam seemingly had no effect.

"Jason, end this nightmare," she called as she floated to a position in the room opposite where Corvus took refuge. She is not sure whether she is brave or foolish to remain in the open..., "Darkness will not hurt me...then again, I don't know exactly what this is...."

(ooc: ps...Corvus earlier referred to Melissa as Nightingale, though in fact Melissa has not used that word, and will not as she is someone else, just so we all know. no biggie =) )

"I'm sure we'd all prefer the universe in one piece...," came the woman's voice as the iris closed behind her.

She is a bit of an odd sight, a woman only 4 feet and 1 inch, thin as a twig, with grey skin and nearly black hair. Clothing her well-proportioned bodice is a soft pink v-neck buttoned blouse, a short grey pleated skirt, pink heels, and a small pink bow holding the braid in her long black hair.

"Sorry I didn't have the time to change into costume, but some Roger guy made it sound urgent and I didn't think it would be neccessary. My name is Melissa by the way, our resident expert on dark forces I suppose. You can spare describing that thing to me...the old lady gave me a brief breakdown on what we're up against. But right now, I'm famished"

Melissa moved to leap over the railing, possibly to the floor below, but then hesitated. Suddenly realizing she wasn't wearing the usual tight-fitting non-lifting skirt of her costume, she decided to take the stairs down. Upon reaching the table in the corner, she made up a small plate with grilled chicken and a salad.