Sooner Nation - FICTION

Part XXIII

Norman, Oklahoma
Caryn had really hoped that time away, time spent learning to be a hero, would have made it easier to come back to the OU campus. It hadn't. It was so familiar it felt as if she'd never left. And everything she saw still reminded her of Ben. There was, thankfully, some distance now, but it still hurt to drive past their favorite restaurant, the street where she would have turned left to go his old apartment, the spot there near the bookstore where they'd first met. She thought, once again, that once they figured out the whole story with the prophecy and what it meant to their lives,she might try to find Ben. At the very least, there were questions left between them. There were things that needed to be said.

She tried Cerise's phone again, but still no answer. She was aware of Cerise on that day like she'd never been aware of either of her sisters before. She could feel Cerise shining like a beacon. She didn't know where her baby sister was, but there'd be no problem tracking her down. Caryn piloted her rented car around the streets, closing in on her sister's location.

She weaved through the congested traffic north of campus, avoided the street where Ben had turned away from her and climbed into Ashley's car, but made her way to a narrow residential road. The south end was lined with large Victorian style buildings that had been gutted and made into multi-unit apartments. At the north end of that road, however, were small single family homes, the type that would be owned by a retired couple or a single adult. Caryn imagined she could see the light from Cerise shining through the windows of a neat single story home near the corner. The yard was planted with several old trees overhanging the driveway, and an ornate dream catcher hung from the porch. Caryn parked in the street and studied the house with the eyes of a Hero. Something wasn't right. Something had her nerves on edge.

She stepped out of the car, graceful and dangerous. Her eyes narrowed. Her sister was in that house. But there was something else. She could feel it's power.. no... his. There was something definitely masculine about that power. It was familiar in a way that made her nerves ratchet up and her stomach turn. Whatever he was, whoever he was, she did not want him anywhere near her sister. Despite the need for discretion, Caryn activated her magical defenses. She stood on the porch for a moment, listening, but all she heard was a faint whisper of melody, a whisper that triggered a memory in her, just out of reach. She shook it off impatiently.

Caryn readied herself for trouble, wished she had Ahren at her back, and pounded on the front door of the little house. She waited, but there was no answer. She pounded again and she thought she felt some reaction from Cerise inside but she had no idea of that was a good thing or a bad thing. Caryn sighed. So much for discretion. She turned and slammed one booted foot into the door, just under the lock. Before her magically enhanced strength, the door latch did little more than chuckle weakly before giving way. The door flung open and Caryn took a single step inside, pausing to let her eyes adjust.

She wasn't sure what she expected to see, but an old man standing in his living room wasn't it. Cerise jumped up surprised and happy and shouted out, "Caryn!" but the man took a step forward, blocking Caryn's view of her sister with all the attitude and obvious threat of a rottweiler with a level stare and curled lip.

Caryn cocked her head and let a confident smile bare her teeth. "Who are you?" she demanded, "and what the hell are you doing here with my sister?"

However, at the same time, the man barked out, "Who are you and what do you want with this girl?"

"Rory! It's ok. This is my sister!" Cerise said and darted past the man to fling herself on Caryn. As happy as she was to find Cerise safe, she still got a nasty uncomfortable vibe from the man and she didn't take her eyes off him.

"Your sister! Well, isn't that wonderful!" he said, but Caryn had the feeling he wasn't nearly as happy to see her as he would like Cerise to believe.

Caryn carefully extricated herself from Cerise and stepped forward, putting herself between the two. "And who is this, Cerise?" she asked.

"This is Rory! He's my-" Cerise started forward, then stopped talking abruptly when Caryn blocked her with one outstretched arm. "Caryn! He SAVED me. TWICE. He's the LAST person you need to protect me from!"

Rory stood with his head cocked and a expression Caryn interpreted as watchful readiness. "Caryn, is it? Believe me when I tell you that I want nothing more right now than your sister's safety and continued prosperity."

"Can Caryn have some coffee?" Cerise asked brightly as she dragged Caryn into the room. Caryn went along, but never took her eyes off Rory. Something was just not right there.

"Of course," Rory answered, but to Caryn it sounded more like a growl than a gracious welcome.

They settled at the kitchen table and Cerise regaled Caryn with the terrifying story of her last few days. Caryn was horrified at the danger her sister had avoided, especially when she realized that Chi Omicron was a recruiting house for Carnies and that they had been after all three of them for years, but still... somehow it just seemed a little too convenient that Rory had been right there each time. It didn't ring true for her, and the feeling of the magic that was oozing off him set her teeth on edge. She made a quick note to herself to let Harvey Maylor know about the Carnie threat on college campuses, then turned her attention back to her sister and her strange friend.

Once the story was done, Rory sat forward and held Caryn's gaze, "So, while Cerise finishes her schooling here, I can remain and help her learn to use her powers to her best ability."

Caryn felt that teeth baring grin cross her face again. "No," she said firmly. "I don't think so. Cerise is coming to Paragon City with me. Today."

"Wait! Wait wait!" Cerise protested. "Don't I get any say in this?"

"No." Caryn answered firmly. "We have to stick together until we figure this out."

"Rory?" Cerise turned to the old man. "What should I do?"

Caryn ground her teeth and said nothing as her sister turned to the stranger who made Caryn so very uncomfortable. And something in his attitude suggested he wasn't any happier. Finally he sighed. "I'll miss you, child. But perhaps it would be best for you to be with family."

"But I-" she started until he held a hand up.

"Remember what I said. And this goes for both of you and your eldest sister as well. You MUST learn more about this prophecy and you much be at your strongest. If you truly have a demon as your enemy, you must be ready for her." He paused and then the intensity in his voice increased to almost a growl. "You MUST."

Cerise jumped up and hugged the old man while Caryn rose to her feet. "Of course, Rory. Will I see you again?"

Rory laughed quietly, "Oh, I think so, child."

"C'mon Cerise. Let's get your stuff. Just WAIT till you see Paragon City!"

---
Conall watched as Cerise skipped out of the house after her sister while frustration roiled inside him. He had hoped to mold Cerise, shape her, turn her into the weapon he needed against Ciara, but now she was lost to him. He sincerely hoped that living as a hero in Paragon City would toughen her enough. Otherwise, she and her sisters would die, and he would remain bound to Ciara...for eternity. It was intolerable.

His human face twisted with frustration and rising fury. It could not be allowed. His rage ripped through him and he transformed in a flash to his natural form. His wings - mantling over his shoulders - scraped the ceiling while his tail lashed around his hooved feet.

Excruciatrix scampers into the shadows and cowered as he tore every item in that small house to shreds, leaving nothing intact. No piece of furniture , no antique item of art, no clothing, not even the appliances were spared his wrath. When he could find nothing else to destroy, he stood, his breath heaving, his head lowered, his eyes burning. He turned his gaze slowly until his eyes found Trix where she crouched in a corner, her wide eyes fixed on him. She hunkered down into a tiny ball at his notice.

"Burn it down, Trix" he growled. "Let there remain nothing but ash."

Trix's terrorized cower slipped away and a delighted smile bared her fangs. She lifted into flight, gliding into the center of the house on her dainty wings, then landed lightly on top of the remains of the heavy wooden couch. With no delay she flung fire against the walls, the floor, the ceiling, the piles of destroyed items. The shreds of fabric and the splinters of wood provided excellent kindling and the fire roared up quickly. Conall nodded with satisfaction as the fire took hold. He opened a portal out of the rising inferno. Trix darted through ahead of him, and, without a backward glance, they returned home.

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Well, that puts a kink in Conall's plans.

Mayhem mission!

Wow!

Conall's reactions continue to surprise me just a little each time Very nicely done !

Part XXIV

The Ghosts Reborn Base
Cydney greeted her sisters with welcoming embrace. The three stood in the entryway of the Ghosts Reborn base, surrounded by blue and white banners with the gleaming skull logo, the austere stainless steel floors and walls reflecting the bright fluorescents back onto them. A small welcoming committee of members including Glacius9, Vir, Celestial Nav, and Neely stood by, but when Cerise's shoulders started to shake and three sisters stood clinging to each other, Vir raised one brow and waved everyone else out of the way. "They can find us later," he murmured in response to Nav's questioning look.

Several minutes of sobbing, shushing, and hugging later, the three stepped back. "Where'd they go?" Caryn asked, glancing around.

"I'm sure they're just giving us our space," Cyd answered. "C'mon, Cerise. Let's show you to your room, and then we'll give you the tour."

"From one dorm room to another, eh?" Cerise said a few minutes later, trying not to sound like she was pouting as she stood in the middle of the small room.

"So you'll feel right at home, eh?" Cyd teased. "You can unpack and settle in later. You've got a ton of people to meet.|

Cerise was dizzy trying to keep track of everyone. More names and faces than anyone could be expected to remember. And the base was huge, with those same metallic floors and walls everywhere. "Can I get a guide book, maybe?" she asked as they turned another corner and another enormous room opened up.

"You'll get it figured out, sis," Caryn promised. "Though I think some of us are still looking for the exit."

"This way, Cerise. I want to introduce you to one of my best friends." Cyd led the way deeper into the huge base. They turned into a brightly lit room filled with the sharp scents of disinfectant. "This is the infirmary, and this is" she said, and then cut herself off and sniffed - a sniff Cerise was long familiar with. It was the noise her sister made when she saw something she didn't like, but wasn't going to say anything.

Cerise turned her attention to the scene there. There was a man sitting on an exam table and Cerise noted with sharp interest the pair of gleaming deadly blades laying on the table beside him. Her view of the patient was blocked by a tall man wearing a doctor's white coat. All his visible skin was bright red, but he seemed normal otherwise. "We've got to stop meeting like this," the doctor said.

"Ya, you said that last time, doc," the man on the table said. "And the time before. You need new material. Just slap some surgical glue on me and let me outa here already."

The doctor assumed a thick "bad guy accent" and waved his arms theatrically, "We meet again, Mr. Four..." he said, then continued in his normal tone. "is that any better?"

"Ya, doc. I come here for the wit. Are we done?"

"Zem?" Cydney called out. "Everything ok?"

The doctor turned toward them, and Cerise gasped. It wasn't the doctor that took her by surprise, but her first view of the patient that made her eyes widen and her skin flush. The man sitting there with his shirt pooled around his waist was attractive in a hard, sharp edged way, as if just standing near him too long could result in a painful injury. He looked strong and mean and dangerous. His chest, shoulders, and arms were thick with hard, ropey muscle, clearly defined under skin dusted faintly golden by a lifetime under the sun, yet surprisingly smooth and unmarked. Unmarked, that was, except for a twisted burn scar that wrapped around his side and a puckered circle just over his heart.

Cerise felt herself blushing but was unable to look away. She noticed Cydney glancing at her with disapproval written clearly on her face, but she still couldn't take her eyes off him. It was like finding herself face to face with a beautiful but very deadly snake. She didn't dare look away.

She barely heard the doctor say, "Yes. everything's fine. Six-Four here is just working on his frequent patient rewards card. One more near-death experience and he'll get the toaster oven." The doctor turned back to the patient, "Yes, Six. we're done. You can go."

"Thanks doc," the man said, and hopped off the table. Cerise gasped again when he pulled the shirt over his upper body - a shirt that was little more than bloody rags.

"Don't thank me," the doctor answered. "I mostly just watch while you heal yourself."

Six-Four snatched up his blades, tucked them into his belt, and started to walk out. "Hey Sooner," he said by way of casual greeting. He glanced at Cerise, flicked his gaze over her in a frank appraisal the made her want to self consciously cross her arms, and then he paused to study her face. He cocked a brow and glanced atCyd and Caryn, then back to Cerise. "What's this? There's ANOTHER one of you?"

"Six-Four," Cydney answered, but Cerise noticed her voice was tight. "This is my younger sister, Sooner Red."

"Hi," Cerise said, shyly offering her hand.

Six-Four smiled, a show of teeth that did nothing to make him seem more friendly or even less dangerous. "Hey, kid. Nice to meetcha." he answered. He glanced down at Cerise's outstretched hand, flicked his gaze to Cyd's glower, then stuck his hands in his pockets and strode out of the infirmary and out of sight, leaving Cerise with a nervous and very confused flutter in her belly.

She glanced up and saw both Cydney and Caryn watching Six-Four darkly as he strode away, then Cyd looked back at Cerise and arched a brow. "So..." she said finally. "This is my dear friend Zemuron. Zem, this is my youngest sister Cerise."

Cerise shook Zem's hand, but kept glancing down the hallway where Six-Four had vanished. She was unaware of the dark looks flicking between her sisters and their friend.

After just a few minutes of friendly chatter, a bright white light flared at the back of the room and a wounded man in a blue on white uniform staggered out of the column of light. Zemuron sprinted to help him. Cyd waited a moment then called out, "Will he be ok?"

Zem nodded distractedly. "He'll be fine. Just needs a little attention from a good doctor." Zem looked up with a twinkle in his eye. "You don't happen to know one, do you?"

Cyd laughed, and guided Cerise out of the infirmary. "Completely overwhelmed yet, sis?" she asked

"Yes!" Cerise answered with a nervous laugh. "Cyd... this is... so..."

"I know. I felt the same way. But I've got one more person I want you to meet and.. that should help."

Cerise nodded and followed, still staring around the huge base with wide eyes. She had no idea how to find her way around. "Do people ever starve to death trying to find the kitchen?" she asked.

Cyd smiled. "You'll be fine. And... here we are." She gestured for Cerise to proceed her into a large fitness center complete with physical rehab equipment, a lap pool, weight lifting equipment with a staggering number of weight plates, whirlpools... everything you could imagine in a gym. There were several people making good use of the equipment, but Cyd guided them to where a tall, fit, and handsome man with reddish brown hair and bright green eyes was laboriously hand walking himself along a set of parallel bars. He looked up, nodded an acknowledgment and finished up the last few feet before dropping to the padded floor. He took a moment to catch his breath before sauntering over to the sisters.

"This must be Cerise," he said and offered his hand. "I've heard quite a bit about you from your sisters."

Cerise smiled shyly as they shook hands.

"Ahren, how goes the rehab?" Cyd asked.

"Better each day," he answered. "I'm getting used to the changes - faster reflexes, increased strength - my brain just needs to catch up to what my body can do. I should be read to get back out there within a few days."

"Are you sure you'll be ready to start over that quickly, Ahren?" Cyd asked.

"As sure as I can be. I'm ready to get back to work as a Hero." He smiled as Cyd opened her mouth to speak, "And.. let me guess. You want me to take your little sister here with me when I go?"

"Well... yes." Cyd answered. "It just seems ... right that you head out into Paragon City for the third time with another Sooner."

He shrugged. "It's becoming a habit. So... what do I call this one?"

Cerise smiled. She liked Ahren on first impression, with his easy friendly manner, and it was obvious her sisters were comfortable with him, especially compared to the way they'd behaved around the man called Six-Four. "I'm Sooner Red." she answered.

"Red it is," he smiled. "Welcome to the Ghosts Reborn."

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The pieces are moving into position.

The board is nearly set...

Stay away from the "bad boy"!

Part XXV

Kings Row
"Ok, Red. What can you tell me about Hellions?" Ahren asked. The pair had been following the trail of a magical artifact stolen by Hellions across Paragon City, and that trail led here. This would be their first real test as a partnership.

They crouched atop a roof looking over an abandoned warehouse in Kings Row. The day was cool and overcast, but still muggy. Sooner Red wore the costume just delivered the day before, so new the leather still creaked sometimes when she moved. It was similar to her sisters, with the red leather bustier, but instead of the red form fitting pants her sisters favored, this Sooner had picked a short skirt. It worked well with her graceful fighting style.

Ahren waited as Cerise considered his question. The teacher in him appreciated the careful thought she put into it, but the experienced Hero knew that you didn't always get time to think. Just as he was about to tell her that time was up, she looked at him and spoke. "They claim to be devil worshipers. They like fire and arson, but they don't have the power to expand out of Atlas Park and Galaxy City... oh... and Perez Park. This group is trying to get a foothold in Kings Row. Recently they have been collecting magical artifacts, like the one we're tracking. They have a violent, bloodletting ritual for initiation-"

Ahren raised a hand. "That's good enough for now," he said with a nod. "Expect them to attack with fire. Watch out for Fallen and Damned. I'll get and keep their attention while you take them out. Ok?"

He hid a smile as she made a good show of confidence. He could see she was nervous, but she was ready and willing to go in at his back. They didn't bother with stealth, it wouldn't suit either of their styles, they just jogged to the door and kicked it open. Ahren kept a close eye on his young partner as they fought. She was young, eager and nervous and that would make her prone to making mistakes. He observed that same natural grace and strength that her sisters had used to great advantage during their careers. She was still learning how make use of her abilities, of course, but that was what this mission and the ones that would follow were for - to learn how be a hero. She was like a dancer, leaping and twirling, darting in and out with those magical glowing blades of light moving like extensions of her own hands. But one thing was becoming very clear to him. He'd noticed it while they were tracking down the clues that lead them there, but as they moved from group to group it was becoming very clear: Cerise rarely finished off a fight. She moved quickly and skillfully from target to target, but it always fell to Ahren to finish them.

Despite that, they made a good pair, and the Hellions fell before them. They fought their way through the run down, dusty warehouse, trying to find the one called Brimstone and the artifact. At a T interstection, they chose to go left and almost immediately they heard raised voices. Ahren led the way carefully down the dark corridor.

"But where did He go? Why did He leave us?" a high, nervous tenor asked.

"It's not for you to question Him!" snapped a deeper, harsher voice. "He's back now, and that's what matters."

"But how are we supposed to teach the others if He's not here?"

"Shut up, you idiot!" the deeper voice snarled. "You don't want Him to know you've been questioning him! Not if you ever want Him to mark you, anyway."

"But-" the tenor cut off with a startled yell over the sound of a open hand slap.

Ahren snuck a glance around the corner. He saw a tall, broad, dark haired man matching the description of Brimstone standing over a skinny blond man with a scraggly beard. The large, open room was filled with boxes and dust, and with an assortment of rough looking young men and a handful of young women. The men favored red, orange, yellow and black clothing. A few wore horned masks over their faces. Brimstone wore his mask pushed back onto his forehead, with a red vest worn open over a shirtless chest. Ahren frowned. From their angle, he didn't have a good view of the tattoo that covered Brimstone's chest, but he could tell something was off about it. Instead of the red horned goat at the center, there was something black.

He pulled back around the corner and turned to Sooner Red. "I'm going to get them to come to me. You hang back, and then take them out as they come. Got it?" She nodded nervously and he smiled. "You'll be fine. I'll be watching your back."

Ahren stepped out in full view of the room. "You're Brimstone eh? That's an excellent moniker for you: dull, dirty, and exuding a foul stench. It's perfect."

Brimstone turned to face Ahren, anger blossoming on his face. "Who the hell are you and what the **** are you doing here?" he demanded, even as he broke into a clumsy run.

Ahren didn't bother with an answer, he stepped back around the corner, out of sight, and waited for the stampede. A chorus of screams rose from the girls as they scattered, and the men bellowed challenges as they charged toward the pair.

After waiting just long enough for the stragglers to arrive, Red stepped into the fight in a leaping twirling deadly dance, but she still lacked that crucial follow through. Ahren was more than able to take up the slack, but it was a puzzle - one from which he was abruptly distracted when Brimstone belched out a stream of fire which enveloped Ahren and scorched his skin. Ahren's nanites hadn't quite figured out how to deal with fire damage and that had hurt! Ahren was surprised again, however, when Cerise responded to his yell of pain by whirling into determined action, slashing and slicing around them until the last of the Hellions fell. Ahren studied his young partner while she caught her breath, covered with splashes of blood.

Ahren turned his gaze from Red to the fallen Brimstone. He pushed the severly injured man over onto his back and examined the tattoo. The horned goat's head had been almost completely obscured by a black hand print. The sight of it made Ahren frown thoughtfully. He put his own hand over the mark, and it looked like a child's hand on a man's hand print. Ahren observed the clawed points on each finger with narrowed and thoughtful eyes. Involuntarily, his hand hand rose to his own chest then he wiped his palm on the leg of his pants as if there were something foul and dirty staining his hand.

"Where did you get this?" Ahren asked.

"He put His mark on me Himself," Brimstone coughed out.

"Who is 'He'?"

Brimstone coughed. "He is power, and might, and fury... he will destroy you.... all.....," he said, but then slumped unconscious.

She shivered and her gaze flicked from Brimstone as his teleporter carried him away to Ahren. "So... who is 'He'?" she asked with a tremble in her voice.

"I have no idea," Ahren answered, but deep inside... he thought maybe he did. "There's the artifact, Red. Grab it and let's get clear."

They exited the warehouse into another overcast afternoon in Kings Row. Cerise turned the strange symbol over and over in her hand. "So... WHAT is this thing again?"

"Red," Ahren said, shaking his head, "I've never come close to understanding magic. That's you and your sisters' area. You tell me."

She smiled at him, a bright flash that lit up her face and made her green eyes shine. She started to speak, then her gaze shifted away from him and her eyes widened. Just a bit. "Hey! Is that Six-Four?" she asked. Before he could answer, she trotted away from him - a slender girl in red leather, her pale legs flashing under her skirt, a narrow cape floating away from one shoulder. He shook his head, trying to remember what it felt like to be that young.

Ahren looked after her and recognized the tall, dark haired man. He was leaning back against a wall in a narrow alley with a pad of paper resting on his left arm while sketching rapidly. He glanced up as Red and Ahren approached, glancing from one to the other. "Hey Ahren," he said with a nod. "Hiya kid."

Once they joined Six, Red became suddenly quiet and shy, and Ahren realized with an suppressed groan that his young partner had a crush on the Ghosts very own problem child. That would go nowhere good. He was considering how to nip that quickly and surgically in the bud, when Six-Four turned his sketch pad toward Ahren. "What do you make of this, Ahren?"

Ahren raised a brow. It was a remarkable copy of the same symbol he'd just seen branded onto a man's chest. He glanced at the wall to see the grafitti there - a hellion's symbol overlaid with a heavy black clawed hand print.

"I've been seeing this symbol more and more around Kings Row," Six continued. "I don't like it. Is it some new faction in the Hellions?"

Ahren took the sketch pad and studied it carefully. "I don't like it either." He handed the drawing back, holding Six's gaze, "and probably for the same reason."

Six tucked the drawing under his arm. "I gotta run." He nodded over his shoulder at them. "Later Ahren, kid," he said as he sauntered away.

Ahren shook his head at the expression on Red's face. "Oh... Red, no. That's bad news there," he said after a moment.

"Huh?" she asked, tilting her head up with a remarkably believable guileless expression.

"Don't 'Huh?" me. Six is not some college boy, Red. Do not go chasing that."

She shrugged, nearly achieving a casual and natural gesture. "I was thinking about asking him to help me train with my blades. Since.. ya know... that's how he fights."

Ahren sighed. "C'mon. Let's get something to drink, and talk."

A few minutes later they sat at a patio table and Ahren shook his head again at how incredibly young she seemed sitting there with wide green eyes fixed on him under straight bangs, red hair pulled back in a pair of low pigtails, sipping a soda through a straw. And she picked Six-Four for her crush?

"Six-Four is a... ah... very dangerous man," he started, but could already see the stars flashing in her eyes at the phrase. "Ok.. let me tell you a story. He approached us as a young hero, just starting out. We knew he was skilled with blades, we knew he could heal incredibly fast, he was strong, and talented... and you know how things are with us and the Shades.. we are always looking for fresh talent, but... we have a certain way of doing things, we are heroes. We didn't know, because he concealed it... that he had a history with of the leaders of the Shades of Vengeance - a woman named Ebony Rose." Red nodded. You didn't get too very far in the Ghosts without knowing all about their enemies in the Rogue Isles, the Shades of Vengeance. "I suspect he approached us specifically because of our history with them, he knew we'd have intelligence he couldn't get anywhere else...."

Red leaned forward, listening avidly, and Ahren worried he was just romanticizing the story for her. "What happened?" she breathed when he paused too long.

"He used the information he gathered about her to track down her family. He uncovered some evidence that made it appear her father had commited fraud and might even be connected to a death, and that her mother might have known about or even been part of it. He pushed and drove that evidence until they were arrested, in hopes of drawing Rose out. It didn't work, Rose didn't show and it turned out her parents hadn't done anything wrong, but their lives and reputations were ruined." Ahren paused again, remembering the times he'd tried to talk to Six, tried to get him to accept help, to handle things better. "Eventually, he snuck off to the Rogue Isles to try to kill her." Ahren sat forward. "He went there to kill her, Red. Not arrest her, kill. From what we know, he very nearly succeeeded. Rose spent a long time recovering from that attack. Six nearly died as well - anyone else would've died from those wounds, I'm sure."

"He nearly died?" she gasped.

"Red.. he's hanging on to his membership in the Ghosts by his fingernails. One more mistep and he'll likely be kicked out. He is not the man you want to look to for... well... anything.

She sat up, clutching her soda and sipping at the straw. She nodded thoughtfully, but her eyes cut away from his. Ahren sighed. He hadn't helped the situation at all and might've made it worse. Well... one thing he could do... he was going to keep the youngest Nation sister too busy to even think about Six-Four until she got over it.

[Ahren does not know the whole story of just how far over the line Six actually went. You can read it here: Choices, but I'll just say that Six-Four broke a lot of rules in his ultimately failed pursuit of vengeance.]

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Very skillfull references back to other parts of the Saga. Helpful, without being obtrusive Also, I liked Ahren trying to warn Cerise off Six-Four

Personally I find it amusing that the goody-goodiest of the three... has a crush on the bad boy. *grins* Never know what a woman can bring out in a man

Part XXVI

The Ghosts Reborn base
There were really only a few places one should look when trying to find Sooner Spirit, and Ahren got it right on the first try. He stepped out onto the roof of the Ghost’s Reborn base to find her standing at the rail staring out at the view. She was rarely out of uniform, but on this night she was dressed in some sort of soft yoga type gear, though that long reddish gold hair tumbling down over her shoulders and fluttering in the faint breeze identified her to anyone who knew her. She gazed out at the waterfall splashing down into the waterways of Founders Falls. Ahren had to admit that it remained a stirring sight no matter how many times he saw it. And lit up by the fading rays of sunset, it was even more spectacular.

He knew she liked to come up here and lose herself in the view. Was she thinking about her day? Making plans? Worrying? Brooding? Whichever it was, he hated to pull her from her reverie, but he needed to talk with her.

He stepped up beside her and leaned onto his hands. “Evening, Sooner.”

She turned to him and her face lit up with a welcoming smile. “Ahren!" Her eyes flitted over him, as they always did, and he felt that familiar mix of irritation and affection at her worry for him.

“I’m fine, Sooner. But... you look tired.”

“If that’s your polite way off telling me I look like ****...” she smiled.

He shook his head. “That’s my way of saying you look tired. But... I was wondering if there are any more of you back home. I’m not sure I can take another Sooner.” He smiled.

“Just the three... three sisters.” He was an astute and observant man, and he took note of the expression that flitted over her face at that moment. He also noted how quickly she tried to hide it. He knew there was something she hadn’t shared with any of the Ghosts... but he supposed they all had secrets. And he was confident if it was something the Ghosts needed to know, she’d have shared it already.

"So, ah..." Ahren cocked a smile and turned toward his old friend. "Where did you stash your baggage before we teamed up?"

Her expression was utterly baffled. “What do you mean, Ahren?”

“Well... Caryn... we knew she had what we’d call ‘issues.’” He shook his head. “And we’ll get back to Cerise.... but what about you, Cydney? That’s an awful lot of baggage for one family. I never noticed you hauling any around, so I'm just wondering what you did with yours."

Her brow wrinkled and she cocker her head to the side. “Ahren? What...” It wasn’t really as hard to fluster Sooner Spirit as she’d like everyone to think, and he’d just hit her with two surprises. He rarely called her by her given name and then he’d hit her with a more personal question than she was used to from him as well. “What’s going on, Ahren? Is something wrong with Cerise?”

“Answer my question, and then we’ll talk about Cerise.”

She gazed back at him, her green eyes serious beneath the worried crease in her brow. He could almost hear her consider pretending she didn't know what he meant, but in the end she sighed and turned back out to the view. “No...” she answered with a slow shake of her head. “I didn’t really bring much ‘baggage’. I was a little freaked out and a lot scared. And maybe a little overwhelmed to be here. But I was lucky enough to find some good people, like you, and Ice9, and Cowboy Dream and Zemuron.. You guys helped me find my way. But I also didn’t have the kind of... ah... trauma that Caryn and Cerise did before they got here.”

“What were you freaked out about?”

She shook her head. “Not today, Ahren. I’m sure I’m going to have to explain that to you someday. But not today, and hopefully not soon. Now... what’s going on with Cerise?”

There was a long pause while he held her gaze, but finally he accepted that she wasn’t going to say more on that subject. “She doesn’t want to hurt anyone.”

“She’s a hero. I’d say that’s a good thing.”

“She is a hero. Sometimes we have to hurt people in order to do that job.”

“Ah... it’s not that she doesn’t want to hurt them,” Cydney said. “She doesn’t want to kill them. That’s still not a bad thing.”

“Sooner... she fights with magic knives. She’s going to hurt people. The only question is whether it’s the bad guys... or if the good guys get hurt because she won’t fight the bad guys.”

Sooner sighed. “It’s easy for us to criticize her, Ahren. Caryn and I fight with our fists. You fight with your fists. When we finish with a bad guy he might need a few days of medical care. When she finishes with him...”

“But she doesn’t finish with him is the problem. Unless someone she cares about - like me - is in trouble... she doesn’t really want to fight at all. And that’s going to end up causing someone she cares about - possibly me - to get hurt.”

“You gotta understand.. She never really wanted more than to be a cheerleader and an honor student. It’s hard for her. She didn’t pick those weapons, you know. No more than Caryn and I picked how the magic manifested in us. Caryn and I can just incapacitate our enemies. She doesn’t have that choice.”

He raised his brows. “I have to understand? Cyd... I never wanted to be more than a teacher. And until I got these nanites and a new set of powers... I was fighting with a highly customized rifle. I think I understand very well what it feels like to have very little choice other than lethal force.”

He watched her face, a study in emotions, as she considered what he said. Finally she nodded. "I understand, Ahren. I'll think about what you've said."

He considered a moment before continuing. "And you know she's got a serious schoolgirl crush on Six, right?"

He could have laughed at the series of emotions that flew across Sooner's face before she settled on irritation and shook her head. "Ya, I know. She pretends she's just interested in him because he fights in a similar style, but she's not fooling anyone. Except maybe herself." She sighed. "Why him? Of all the guys in the Ghosts why him?"

"Because he's the worst possible choice she could find?"

Sooner laughed, "He is that. I’ll talk to her, Ahren.”

“No... I just wanted you to know what was going on with her. You paired us up for a reason, just like you paired me up with Caryn for a reason. And you were right that time. Caryn and I worked well together and helped each other out. In fact, you and I worked well together and helped each other out. Cerise and I will be fine. Hopefully, I can teach her some things. And who knows... maybe I can learn something from her. Besides how to paint my toenails without smudging, I mean.”

She laughed, and he laughed with her.

"Besides, Six is busy hunting down some new sect in the Hellions, and I've got Cerise chasing Crey all over Brickstown."

"What is Six doing worrying about Hellions? Isn't he a bit above their league?"

"He's got a special interest there," Ahren answered without adding that he was interested in that particular investigation as well. "It keeps him busy and away from Cerise, and the Crey are keeping Cerise plenty busy"

"Thanks, Ahren. You're a good friend."

He nodded and stood with her watching the last rays of the sunset gild the falling water. And he continued to wonder what that secret was that she was keeping. Because while he hadn’t said it, he knew that all three sisters were keeping that same secret.

[I promise.... more action is coming soon. - Sooner]

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That was a really nice interlude, Soonerpie.

I like how he got to the point without being rude

Oh, and I meant Cerise, got the names mixed up.

Once people drug real life into the conversation, I bowed out. It's a game, all of the character that I give any thought towards their motivations, will have different answers to the OP's question. My personal thoughts on a RL answer to his question are my own and really has no place in character discussion.

Part XXVII

Peregrine Island
Ahren stood at the rail of The Melody as she lumbered her way to the Bayside docks in Peregrine Island. It was a lovely day in Peregrine Island, with a deep blue sky, fluffy white clouds, and a bright warm sun shining down on his shoulders. Sooner Red stood at his side, leaning out over the railing to get her first glimpse of the island, her ponytails fluttering in the breeze. She was excited and nervous, and she wore it all right there on her face as she glanced eagerly about. Exciting, yes, but terribly dangerous for an inexperienced hero as well. Of course, she'd learn that soon enough.

"Ahren! It is good to see you again, my friend! You are looking very well." Ghost Falcon called as they exited the ferry.

Ahren resisted the urge to touch the place on his face where his scars had been. Ghost Falcon hadn't seen him since the nanites had healed his injuries. He waved a greeting, and led the way deeper into Peregrine Island to the man they'd come to see.

"Harvey, meet my partner Sooner Red," he said, then turned to Cerise. "Red, this is Harvey Mayler. He's been working tirelessly on exposing Chi Omicron Sigma, based on information you supplied. So far, his work has done a lot to get houses dechartered and removed from dozens of university campuses.

"Very nice to meet you, Mr. Maylor," she said, extending a hand. "And thank you. When I think of how things could have turned out for me if I'd been initiated... well. Thanks.

"Call me Harvey," he answered. "And, no... thank YOU. Carnival of Shadows recruiting on college campuses? Those stories have circulation up almost to where we were during the first Rikti invasion. And, I wanted to be the one to tell you, Sooner Red, that the Chi-O-S house is gone from the OU campus."

Cerise smiled at him. "That's wonderful. I was so worried about the people I left behind, my roommate, and Rory, that something would happen to them."

"So, Harvey...." Ahren said with a smile. "You have any work for a couple of bored Heroes?"

---
Ahren concentrated the majority of his attention on his brightly colored opponents, but he still took the time to check on the heroes who had followed him into this warehouse decorated like a circus. Sooner Red stuck close at his back, along with fellow Ghost Overpass. Rastafari Man had sent his young friend RastafariGirl as well, and they had picked up a few Heroes on the way who promised to be helpful. He kept his eye especially on Sooner Red, since he was concerned how she would do versus Carnies, given her history with them.

An interesting trio, the Nation girls. They were so similar in appearance and in their drive to succeed, but their differences were especially telling. Cydney and Caryn were both complete tomboys, but Cydney still kept that mane of long hair; Ahren had never been sure if it was vanity or stubbornness. Caryn kept her hair cut short, and despite her otherwise neat appearance it always looked like she’d just climbed out of a convertible. Cerise, though, never left her room without makeup, and showed a lot more skin than either of her sisters. Cydney had had few romantic entanglements until recently she’d been spending a lot of time with Rastafari Man - a relationship of which Ahren did not entirely approve, but it wasn’t his business, so he kept his opinion to himself. Cerise played with flirtations with the younger men of the Ghosts, but she still carried that torch for Six-four. Then there was Caryn, who had not had a single romantic encounter since she’d arrived in Paragon City. He supposed it had something to do with the tragedy that had brought her here, but they’d never talked about it. And all three sisters were hoarding some secret like a trio of squirrels with a stash of nuts. He knew all three of them trusted him and considered him a good friend, and he was sure that if he didn’t know that secret… no one did. So, for the time being he was content to wait. None of them would willingly endanger their friends, so at the point that secret became important to the Ghosts, he was confident they’d share.

He fought forward, leading his team deeper into the warehouse. He’d deliberately sought out a mission from Harvey, since Harvey could always be counted on to have some lead on the Carnival of Shadows and he wanted to observe Cerise’s reaction. He’d been pleased from the start, when Harvey told them what he wanted them to do. Her face had paled for just a moment, then she'd set her jaw and nodded. Ok,” she said.

Now, here she was. She’d said very little about her encounter with the Carnival before she’d come to Paragon City, but her sisters had told him what they knew about it. He was pleased with the way Cerise determinedly threw herself into her task. She was an amazing student, and the teacher at his core was glad for the opportunity to help train a mind so willing to learn and so determined to master each new lesson. Whatever force put magical blades in her hands was cruel, however. She held deadly weapons, but didn‘t have the heart to use them. If she didn’t learn to resolve that conflict within herself, each battle was going to put a new wound on her soul - not to mention the wounds it might leave on her teammates..

His team rounded a last turn. Ahead was a switchback flight of stairs leading to an open second story. And there, surrounded by dancing and laughing carnies and strongmen, was a beautiful, blonde woman, her face hidden behind a painted porcelain mask, her hips casually draped with a bright yellow checkered scarf, her legs covered with high boots and stockings, her chest confined within a scant laced brocade top.

Cerise crowded behind him and whispered, “Ring Mistress…” in a low growl. If the assembled partiers saw the heroes below, they gave no sign. Ahren glanced at his team. Most of them could fly.

In a hoarse whisper, he instructed, "I’m going straight up the stairs. Overpass, you’re with me. The rest of you, follow Sooner Red. You’ll fly straight up the wall and attack them from behind after they turn to Over’ and myself.”

A chorus of “Roger that,” “Got it,” and “Ready!” answered him. Cerise gave him a nod. His team paused just long enough to make their final preparations, and then Ahren and Overpass charged up the stairs, yelling out their challenges. The Strongmen stepped up to meet them, and the first excruciatingly painful psychic attacks began flying. Few of the Carnies even noticed the remaining heroes darting across the open space until they landed behind the fight. Cerise charged into the thick of it, her magical red blades flashing as she forced her slender frame through the crowd. She had eyes only for the Ring Mistress, even though that particular woman was concentrating entirely on Ahren.

Ahren watched his partner slash and strike at her target, nimbly dodging fire and hammers. And, as happened so often, he watched her hesitation and reluctance hold her back. The heat of a seneschal’s fiery breath drew his attention forward again, and he landed a few blows of his own before checking on his team again. A second group of Carnies was charging them from the opening ahead and to the left. The team was shifting position to defend against the new threat, and Ahren and Overpass were both scrambling to try draw attention to themselves.

Ahren fought his way forward through the battle, one of those Strongmen was charging forward, and even though the man’s head was completely encased in a steel helmet, Ahren could tell that his attention was focused on young RastafariGirl and that enormous hammer was drawn back ready to strike. And ahead, another Ring Mistress slinked around the corner and met his eyes. He had to make a quick decision on which threat to address. In a moment, he noticed Sooner Red closing in on the Strongman. Trusting that she’d do what it took to protect her teammate, he turned to the Ring Mistress. He cast one glance back at the Strongman and cried out when he watched Sooner Red pull back a moment before her blades would have sunk into the strongman. And since she did, the strongman swung that giant hammer and landed a solid blow squarely on the side of RastafariGirl's face. The moist thud reverberated through the open space, and ‘Girl’s head snapped back. The force of the blow lifted her from her feet and she flew back to slam into the railing. She was completely limp as her body folded over the railing and then tumbled down. She fell, unresisting, to crash to the floor below.

Only his years of experience as a hero kept him moving past the surprise. Shock and anger wanted to freeze him in place, but he continued to carry the fight forward, even as RastafariGirl teleported out to the hospital.

It seemed like hours later, though it was truly just minutes, and the battle was won. The seven remaining members of the team stood catching their breath while Overpass held a glowing crystal that had been hidden inside a packing crate full of coffee makers.

“Red, you get back to the base. Now.” he said firmly. “I’ll want to talk to you when I get there. Overpass, please bring the crystal to Harvey Maylor. He’ll be interested, I think, and should be able to tell us where to look next.”

“Ahren, I-” Cerise started to speak, but he held up a hand, and reminded himself of just how young she was.

“Go back to the base. We’ll talk there.” He locked his eyes on hers. For a moment she met his gaze boldly as if she might try to defy him, then blinked, dropped her eyes, and nodded.

“Thank you all for the assist,” he said to the rest of the team. “I think I’m calling it a day.”

---
Ahren stopped by the hospital to check on young RastafariGirl. She was pale and shaken, but would recover. He waited with her until Rastafari Man arrived, exchanged a handshake and nod with his fellow hero, and then took himself back to the base.

He took his anger and frustration under control with a rigid hand. He wanted to show just enough heat to get through to her without crushing her,. But when he arrived and found her waiting for him, huddled in a cushy chair, pale, demoralized, and alone, it was all he could do to stop himself from hurrying to reassure her. Instead, he strode into the room, his face dark and his eyes flashing.

“Dammit, girl! I have tried and tried to let you work this out for yourself. Your failure to embrace reality is starting to cost others, and I’ll not stand by any longer and let that happen!”

“Yeah,” she started, “but-”

“No! This is where I talk and you listen! What do you think would happen to you if the Vahz got their hands on you? They would chop you up and use you for parts! The Circle of Thorns? Take your soul and use your body as a vessel for one of their own! The Crey have no end of painful experiments they’d love to perform on a hero. Council? Malta? Rikti? And I think you have an idea what Carnies might do to you, but have you thought about what they might do to ME if they captured me because you failed to have my back?”

Cerise just gaped at him. He knew she had a serious case of hero worship, and he’d never spoken to her at all like this before. Her eyes were wide and shiny, her color pale, her mouth a shocked “o.”

“Because of you, a girl got hurt today. Because you didn’t act to protect her, she’s lying in the hospital right now. Your sister's friend, Rastafari Man, trusted us with someone he cared about. And we let her and him down. No... not “we,” you. You let her and him down because you just stood there and let her get hurt.”

He crouched, putting himself at eye level with her. “Heroes don’t take life casually. But if you hesitate for fear of hurting a bad guy, one of the good guys could end up hurt instead. And you may find yourself in a situation where it is their life or yours, their life or mine… their life or a hostage, a civilian, one of your sisters, or teammates. You better decide now what your choice is going to be, and stick with it. And… if your choice would be to let the bad guy live rather than someone you should be protecting…. You should pack it up and go home now.”

He stood, holding her eyes. Her chin began to quiver. Her eyes filled. She tried to speak past a throat closed tight by tears, then finally whispered, “I- I- I can’t!” and erupted suddenly into deep, soul wrenching sobs.

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You just want to smack some sense into that girl.