A New Leaf (Bliss)

Very rarely did people actually come to this place unless a certain desire was in mind. The club being new and all still didn't have much of a name. That was to the naked eye. There were people who didn't want others to know that this place existed. This was especially true for police officers. It wouldn't matter. With all the hybrids running around what the law claimed it didn't know wouldn't hurt them.


Those were the words to a song being played by the DJ. Teenagers were dancing. Waitress were being harassed for special favors. The smell of cigarette smoke, vomit for those who couldn't handle their alcohol and sweaty bodies littered the air. A dazzling array of dress and cloth literally glowed in the dark with the lights being nonexistent.

If a person were to look at this place it was only a wonder why anybody would come here. After all, it was what one would call a holein the wall. There was nothing special here. Even the bar had signs of a termite infestation. Roaches were being stomped on while people had a crunching festival on their small and ignored bodies. The lights were almost always off. If people saw what they were dancing on there would be a clear disgust. Something else was going on here. If the place was illuminated it wouldn't be hard to tell that there had to be a reason for so many to come to a place that didn't even have a sign labeling the club. A person possessing x-ray vision could tell that these youngsters weren't exactly the kind to bring home to mother. In fact, most of them, even with the gift of youth bore symbols of being a bit more than party goers.


A toilet flush was the only sound coming out of the upstairs restroom. Fruit flies were crawling all over the mold ridden toilet seat. The occupant of the locked stall waved away mosquitoes looking for a meal. Footsteps was the after sound out of this stall. The cold water was the apparent preference of the person engaging in good hygiene. Somebody else was coming out of the stall behind the person washing their hands. A weird look was given by the newcomer to the washing sink. Once both parties were side by side both heads turned towards the opposing person. Something was completely off about this situation. One person looked like they belonged while the other looked completely out of place.

The woman looked at the other. While she did like the fact that the other woman liked good dress she didn't quite understand why someone dressed like this would be located in the women's restroom. No matter how much that black suit and tie combination looked good a question would have to come. The female appeared to fancy her dress as well. Maybe she just liked African American women who wore red dresses and similar colored high heel shoes. "I do appreciate the fact that you believe I'm beauitful enough to spy on. But, really, with all the money you make I don't understand why you can't afford a back alley woman," she said. Reiko was weird and weird enough to be found in such a location. She wasn't a pervert. However, she was simply trying to conduct a business transaction.

She finished washing his hands and straightened up his tie in the mirror. "Ms. Henry I'm not here for more supply. I'm for different reasons," she pointed out. She placed his hands on the counter of the sink. "I'm here to tell you to stop what you're doing," she went on to say. There was a genuine sense of shock out of the drug dealing woman. She thought that maybe the girl was losing his mind or just going crazy. Reiko was acting weird lately. She laughed and finished her hand washing as well. "Reiko, look, if this is just some way to try to get into my pants by acting like some sorta drug fighting maniac I have to say," she stopped her words. The woman placed a hand on the other woman's chest and kissed her. "It worked," she admitted. Reiko didn't look the least bit intrigued or aroused. Instead, she grabbed her by the hand. His other hand turned on the hot water. In these older buildings the hot water wasn't so friendly. She placed the other woman's hand into the water. There was a scream of pain from the blistering and the heat.

Reiko slammed a hand against her mouth before smashing her head against the hard steel counter top. The woman was out cold. She wasn't playing games anymore. If people didn't want to listen to her demands then she would make them. No more negotiations. No more justifications. No more mediation. If somebody has it coming Reiko would deliver. And she would have to. Two bouncers came inside and they looked pissed. "Gentlemen, I really suggest you leave. Wouldn't want you to break a nail," Reiko said. She was trying to further enrage the two of them; mission accomplished. One of the men looked like they had been drinking. Why else would one of them carry an empty beer bottle?


That sound was the shattering of glass. The bottle wielding thug broke the bottle half of the bottle against the wall. This yielded a beer bottle that was now a weapon in the form of sharp edges. A charge was made by both men. Lead filled light bulbs wasn't the greatest thing to have if one wanted to take down someone so used to fighting in the dark. Reiko leaped into the air while spinning her body and pointing her arc downwardly so that her feet and legs were move upright than the rest of her body while airborne. One of her heels were aimed for the lighting. The bulbs shattered. It was dark. The door closed. Se didn't want anybody escaping. Sickening sounds came out of that room. Somebody was crying about something referring to fecal matter being shoved into their mouth. Other complaints were in the form of grown men crying for mercy. Apparently, none was given. Reiko came out of the restroom with blood on her jacket. He was more upset with the dry cleaning bill she would get versus the fact that, in all likelihood, she just ended some lives.

For now, her work was done. She went back to the main part of the club with eyes wide open. She couldn't see all that well. That was a given with Reiko. Her vision was never the best. For the most part she was relied completely off of sound. Yet, in a place like this, using such a talent was exceedingly difficult due to all the loud sounds. A familiar retreat in the form of a bar was found. Normally, whenever she thought of alcohol her mouth was salivate from the urge to want to drink. No, not this time. She needed to change. She needed better results out of life and beer only made her revert back into that slobbery idiot so many people projected her to be. Her bottom found a home onto a bar stool. The tender came. "Whatcha drinking tonight there little lady?" was the question. "Water," was her response. There was a confused look on the bartender's face. He didn't know Reiko by name but knew of her drinking habits. "You sure? We got a special on bourbon," he pointed out. Reiko looked at the man with a harsh stare. "No, I don't want alcohol. Just water. That a difficult task?" He shrugged his shoulder. "Okay, okay. No need to get touchy," he responded.

It only took a few months for the scum to spill out of the gutters. None of the atrocities lingered behind the veils of the reconstruction project, but the weight of the world draped itself around the neck of the city like a millstone. The end came, and it went. Just as every other event worth remembering. Some people transplanted in for the building, and the look they gave sold them out. The look of those basking in amazement of what happened without knowing first hand. Like a tourist standing before the Colosseum and trying to take in the glory of Rome, or a photographer trying to write about war with photos a veteran brought home, they fell into the crevice of their own ignorance. Bliss needed to get back to work, just like the rest of the scum in the city. Any signs of authority escaped the city when Bliss led an exodus out through her frozen tunnels, and the unwelcoming vacuum sought to keep themselves as the authority. A city run by heads of hedonism, counts of corruption, and dukes of depravity now called the shots, in a city hiding in the shadows of its own failure.

The end of the world came, and now people danced in the aftermath like tomorrow didn't matter. "Because someone has to." The only reply Bliss felt she needed in the face of adversity.

"What makes you think it will be any better this time around. Did it work out last time?" Out of the ashes of the decrepit city, many rose to claim power. Behind the rubble of the recent battle with Bliss, a light hint of blood rolled down onto the tie of a man dressed in button down shirt. It clashed against the casual black boots and jeans Bliss brought to the well dressed gala she cleared out. "You just want me to use people and throw them away for my own good, just so you can get rid of me and tell yourself you did good when you head back to your upscale house away from the filth others live in."

Bliss pushed back against the bruiser holding her arm against the back of her green turtleneck. Information brought her here, but she failed to fully understand the power the man possessed. Broken machinery and infernal contraptions fell on the city as Necrodium's ship collapsed. Street thugs of all caliber found themselves in a better position for managing the city, and those who would oppose them. "Come down off it, before all of this you shook down shop owners for petty scraps." Of all the diabolic machinery, Bliss found herself trying to overload the absorption capacity of gauntlets designed to counteract frequent changes in temperature and pressure. Even without natural powers of their own, a device counteracting her main style put her in the situation she tried struggling out of.

"And I disposed of them. I don't need to shake down the people when I can protect them. Serve them without the bias and prejudice of the old system. Just as I overtook the gangsters and the government, I think I should make an example of a changing of the guard with the superheroes."

"Drop the gauntlet and say that." Trying to position her boots to give her leverage on the bruiser met enough resistance to keep her stationary.

"All they do is make you drop the ice. You're not so tough without." Taking advantage of this situation would only further him, but he needed to tread carefully. "I could kill you now, and dump your body in the alley for some trashman to find, or I could film me killing you, and get it broadcast, but it wouldn't be the same." He took a dangerous gamble with this.

With a maneuver of her wrist, Bliss managed to pull her hand away from the man's forearm enough to place her hand against his abdomen. The direct touching allowed her to apply enough pressure into his side to incapacitate him before the nullifier robbed her of her attack. He keeled over against her shoulder, and with a brush of her arm, pushed him onto the ground.

"What's next?" Even with Bliss free, the situation offered her no way out. "You damage one of my men, and have no viable means of escape. Was the mere revenge worth it?" Blood poured from his open wound, running along the ground. "I guess you inflicted pain, before you received it yourself, and that allowed you some catharsis."

"Don't patronize me." Bliss leaned down and rubbed a layer of ice around his wound. The blood slowed to a stop and the dark red around the skin turned to a colorless white. Bliss planted her right hand to stand back up and begin her escape, when the injured man's hand suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down.

"Good job."

A disturbance was likely going to be ignored by Reiko. The sounds and atmosphere of this intoxicating environment had a way of hiding the evils that were already present. For now? She ignored the problem arising. Her eyes didn't move away from the glass of water she was indulging in. The sweet liquid of life quenched the bone dry throat. The coolness had a way of calming the fire inside. And the essence was needed for the tiring effort of brutality that she displayed just a couple of floors above.

The pink lipstick made a mark on the tip and brim of the glass. Her mind was at ease for now. As much as she wanted to just go on an all out rampage and punch every person in this place there was no need to do. Now was the best time to relax and be different for once. Her leaf was starting to fall from the tree of forgetfulness and peace. Her yin had finally met the long lost abandoning father named yang. In her mind there would normally be scenes depicting violence, distrust and chaos. However, this time, she could only think of hope. For hope was the only thing she had to hold onto.

That wouldn't last. No, not tonight. Upon viewing the situation Reiko's eyes got wide as if she were high off the strongest of substances. Her pupils were dilated. Her teeth would grind together where she could have accidentally damaged her fillings meant to conceal holes from a few cavities she had as a minor. Reiko stood up from her chair. The bartender knew what this was going to end up being. He closed up shop. No, literally, he placed out a hanging sign depicting that the bar was closed for the night. All the glasses were placed into a steel container so that none of the objects could be used as weaponry. When Reiko went ape collateral damage was sure to follow. Anybody suggesting that bones would not break this evening was a biggest fool imaginable.

A heel was arched up with the frontside of the foot remaining in contact with the ground. She executed that signature and perfect about face. In her mind, there were flames surrounding her head. Both of her hands were balled with so much force to the point where her finger tips turned reflection white. These people sold drugs to minors. These people were the scum that Reiko fought so hard to prevent from poisoning the world. She was a villain in every sense of the word but not when it came to producing life altering substances. She too was a victim of drugs. Therefore, this was a personal crusade. But this newfound anger had nothing to do with her new life mission of riding the world of people like the ones she was viewing. This was personal.

Thump thump thump!

The heart rate was the sound inside of her that made the sound. She didn't walk. She stomped her way over towards a crowd dancing around the scene. She was only able to see this action due to color contacts that tainted her eye color to blueish glare. The stomps turned into light steps and picked up in pace. Thump Thump Thump. That heart was working harder now than ever. Rarely did Reiko ever use her powers in conjunction with her own natural ability. But anger times called for an overreaction.

Her body was lighted into the air with a jump. Her body turned horizontal. Both of her heels came together with picture perfect pairing of not even an inch being ahead or behind. Her arms shot out backwards. The heels of her footwear found a home in the side of the face of the man currently offering a threat towards her most beloved person; Bliss. "Porn cameraman gets accidental spraying to the face!" That was vintage Reiko. She had to name her moves even while in anger.

Reiko landed on her feet like a cat. She was next to Bliss. She placed her back against Bliss'. Reiko held her balled fists up in a boxing stance. One of her legs were lifted and a knee was bent for her to stand on one leg. This was the classic Thai boxing stance she was known for using. "Friends of yours? If you were going to have friends over you could've invited me. Though, I will admit, I'm more into girl on girl," she joked.

"Do I know you?" Bliss tried to put a name to the face of the ever so familiar girl, but allowed her attention to fade over to the task at hand. "With names like that I can only assume I met you--oh, I did meet you." No use in looking a gift horse in the mouth; this situation needed to get better, and the only way Bliss could see anything of the type happening would come when she could put some distance between her and this goddamn technology. From the actions leading up to and passing through the current course of actions playing out, Bliss could tell a tactful retreat to take the situation into a more full account probably rested between slim and none, and slim didn't look to be in good health. "I'd prefer the action where we get a nice sampling of this stuff and then get out."

With the boxing stance she took up Bliss knew the odds looked stacked in favor of cool heads finally loosing one, and with her trump cards tucked away in the on/off switch of these gauntlets, Bliss started looking for a way to get out of there. "Yeah, I don't really go for that, but it looks like you've got this, so I'll just--" Time always knew how to give someone the perfect way out of any situation, but he thought Bliss needed this or maybe Bliss fell into a terrible predicament based on her own merits, either way this would get worse before it got better.

But, at least Bliss could only claim the title of second most likely to get attacked in the room.

Reiko could only wish this wasn't surprising. After all, assistance only came to her when it was convenient to people most of the time. This time she would have to face the threats alone. No, she wouldn't allow this to happen. Right now, Bliss was in trouble with some pretty upset individuals. If Reiko allowed her to leave then there would be a chance that, perhaps, she could end up being in danger. As the young woman had proven thus far Bliss was safer with her than without her. Chances were if the martial artist was not present bad things could have happened to the woman she just saved. Therefore, in the interest of fairness, she wouldn't allow Bliss to slither her way out of this situation. Not to mention that Bliss would have to explain just why in the hell so many people were after her in the first place.

"Stay right there. I just saved you and you're going to leave me to fight all of these guys by myself? Pfft. Heroism is dead," she said with a harsh undertone. Reiko meant business when she sounded like this. Then again, she wouldn't need to say anything. The young lady wasn't the target. Instead, they were after Bliss. Hands reached out towards the woman attempting to make a flee of the scene. It was like Bliss were nothing more than a bed of fur being attacked by a mass of fleas. This wasn't just a few men anymore. This had become a crowd. There was no way Reiko was about to let this go down. Even if she had to fight everybody in this entire place nobody was going to hurt her beloved friend.

Bliss never did get a chance to see what Reiko did in terms of power. Her body lit up like a lighbulb with a swirl of a blue gas-like presence. It was as if Reiko was becoming possessed by a ghost of ultra coloring and spectacular vibrant appearance. She leaped up and landed near Bliss. Reiko covered her friend with her own body thus allowing man after man to beat upon her back. This punishment she was taking immense. This was all for Bliss who she cared about. "Just...don't...look," those words were shouted or at least she tried to shout them over the yelling and the smashing of her body.

If this continued Bliss and Reiko would be finished. The thought of herself being beaten to death didn't scare Reiko. However, Bliss being harmed was something she couldn't stand to bear. That was when it happened. A surge of that same energy shot upwards like the phoenix rising from the ashes. The American football styled pile up was thrown up into the air with a single burst of pure energy. No harm had come to Bliss. Reiko on the other hand? Her clothes were partially torn and bruises were all over her body.

So, they wanted to batter her body? She would return the favor. Her legs propelled her up into the air into a front flip. While in mid air she cupped her hands and brought them to her hip. Reiko's body moved almost video game style with her powers resisting the force of gravity but only for a minor split second. It was like she was preparing a super combination movement that was typical of the type of fighting games that she placed.

"Special technique, finishing touches!" Her body came towards the ground. Once her feet tapped the floor she delivered a barrage of attack movements to random people. She was out of control. This was why Reiko never used her powers to the fullest extent. She was capable of massive destruction but that kind of raw strength came at a price. She'd lose control of her conscience and wouldn't care if people got hurt. "Punch punch punch kick slap headbutt choke kick elbow knee kick kick elbow knee!" Every word corresponded to a different type of trike that she was throwing.

Her hands were lifted above her head. Visible energy in the form of mist erupted from her palms. Reiko violently thrust her arms down towards the ground and then placed them in front of her body with her palms open. Out from her hands came a marching army of energy blasts. This was the ending to the finishing touches. This was the destruction she was capable of. Bodies lay lifeless. Reiko didn't even care. After her massive projectile attack she could be found mounted on top of one of the men who dared to threaten Bliss. Over and over again did Reiko deliver a rain of punches down upon the person who was being murdered slowly.

Bliss now had every opportunity to stop this. The version of Reiko Li that Bliss had to be witnessing wasn't the same innocent weirdo. She had changed. She was becoming something more sinister. Reiko had died. Brass was all that was left...

"Well, I would assume you would have the sensibility to--oh she's not listening." For someone who showed so much strange interest in her, Raiku found herself engrossed in the combat she engaged in. As the battle grew into a more intense brawl, Bliss found herself torn away from the battle. Reiku presented the thugs with enough of a target to allow Bliss all the time she needed to begin work on the device she confiscated from the thug Reiku first accosted.

Bliss pried open the wiring of the gauntlet. Lines of wires ran from the fingers back to the arm grip, fashioned to secure firmly against the upper forearm. Tracing the origins of whatever the primary receptor in the mechanism tapped into took a few efforts of trial and error. She snapped quick flashes of ice from her fingers to elicit a burst of energy from the device. Her eyes flickered along the wire lines activating in response to her action. A small wire bundle tapped into a circuit looked like it claimed responsibility for the misplacement of the abilities she found herself reliant on.

The general wiring on any device relied on a series of conduits assigning signals from the outside and associating the proper means of reacting. Instead of turning off the temperature regulator, Bliss tapped into the coding within the central computer to gauge better what she had at her disposal. Under the heat of the situation, Bliss remained at her steady, cold demeanor. One of the good side effects of her ordeal, but it only compounded her memories of using ice powers as an experiment. An experiment probably born from the equipment she now tinkered with.

A barrage of fists and blazes of glory sounded around her, as the flying bodies made their ways around the room. Her spirit failed to falter under the continuous onslaught facing her, a testament to what power she could muster. Her eyes turned to mimic someone else Bliss knew, and given their situation, Bliss could only assume the mentality of the girl could barely handle her normal bearings, let alone a super powered version of herself.

The vibration buzzed her arm, relaying a signal to her. Not only did she disable the components of the gauntlet, but also the signal fires from all of the other gauntlets found themselves out of sync. With the nullification process turned off, Bliss could follow through with what she planned on doing from the get go. Ice seeped out of her hands and ran along the edges of the room to crevice off the main flow of thugs from overtaking Reiku. Seeing the instability the power change brought to her, Bliss put more effort on sectioning the room to keep the combatants at bay. "Stay back; I got this now."

The loss of their technology sent them the signs they needed to know the outcome of this fight did not bode well in their favor. Even though Bliss wanted this to end in a more civil manner, she knew the savageness of the girl would shatter the peace if she could manage to shatter the ice Bliss placed to divide her from the rest of the room. "So, you were talking about doing right by the city. Let's say I believe you, and I'm not holding grudges for what you wanted to do to me." All the cards appeared in her hand. "You found some technology that doesn't belong to you, and used it to gain power. If I let you keep it, and keep your life, what do you plan on doing in this city? Tell me everything and don't skim on the details. The details are going to be the most important part."

One thing that was noted was that this wasn't the first time Bliss had met this young woman. After all, it was Bliss that first showed Reiko that punching people wasn't always the way to solve an issue. However, that was the innocent and child-like version of this martial artist. Time had a way of changing some people. Reiko was no exception to this generalization. The more time went on the more that this once peaceful person who had a bit of a drinking problem was becoming more and more like the villain that people portrayed her to be. To some extent Bliss probably wasn't expecting the reaction she got out of this person. Just a year ago Reiko was drinking and singing random songs while soiling herself due to a lack of getting to the restroom fast enough. Now? She had grown up. She had become bitter. She had become a bit more savage with each day.

Reiko was separated from the action now but it was by choice. She was attempting to try to stop herself from becoming that thing once again. If she couldn't control it then her other side may come out. Reiko's abilities were well noted to be exceptional. But the problem was that her body was in such a small stature to the point where her having such a great magnitude of power warranted an uncontrolled mind. The reason why she had so many mental issues was because of her abilities. The same way she could distribute her own degrees of strength was the same way her mind regulated her levels of sanity.

This was possibly the worst thing Bliss could have done. The very definition of caging someone was separation. For without separation entrapment and exclusion were not possible. Reiko took this as an insult. That was bad; really bad. Where she could have once controlled herself it was near impossible now. Her feet moved as fast as possibility would allow in order to get to the bar. She needed a drink. If she were drunk it could be controlled. While under the effect of alcohol and illegal or legal substances she could stop herself from losing control. Just as she was about to reach for a soiled glass of Bourbon it happened. Reiko collapsed. It was too late.

She fell on her face and bust open her bottom lip. Blood came from the open spot. She stood up slowly. Her head turned. Eyes were twitching before rolling into the back of the head. A finger used the blood to cover the lips as some sort of weird way of creating make up. More blood drawings were made upon her face. This rather sickening display was just a sign that her mind had went to that place again. A laugh came from her. It was a broken laughter as if her mind couldn't make up what it wanted Reiko to do. She pulled out a strand of her hair intentionally. The brown string was examined closely as if she hadn't seen her own hair before.

The ice? She could have easily broken through at this point. Yet, she was more concerned with just being unusual. This was out of the ordinary even for Reiko. It would appear that she couldn't remember where she was. Her eyes scanned the area again. People were escaping the club. Law enforcement was probably called by now. Her eyes were still rolled up. How she was able to do any observations was a mystery. The truth was that she wasn't looking at anything. It wasn't as if she could see well without her glasses.

She would eventually begin chipping away at the ice wall. But it wasn't to get in to help Bliss. Once broken she crawled on all fours like an animal in order to get to one of the fallen men. She used this person as a couch and sat upon them.