Random Tragedy (Open)

Even during the day New Orleans was a pretty busy place, tourists funneling in and out while the natives worked to ensure they left their money behind. Eir had been here a short while, tiring of her games in London but not yet ready to allow mankind to put a face to their fear. They called her Jack the Ripper, assigning her the name of a dead mystery man. She was a ghost that haunted London, every one of its inhabitants feeling a little less safe without her even being there. Once the police released details about some of her latest artwork, that fear would grip this city, as well as the rest of this country once they learned London's ripper had landed on their shore.  She turn every major city into an art gallery, and had no intention of revealing herself until the human race began to learn its inferiority. She would teach fear to their entire wretched race.

For now she enjoyed the city, there was no reason to rush. Even time was beneath her notice, conceivably she could just wait for the biologicals to destroy themselves. Eir was generous though, so she would at least allow the otherwise worthless inhabitants of this world hold some entertainment value before wiping the offensive races off the face of it. She took another sip of sweet tea as she surveyed her dreadfully boring surroundings. Short blonde hair framed a smooth alabaster face with big blue eyes and a certain child-like quality about it. Her torso was dressed simply in a white t-shirt and black leather jacket that didn't quite reach far enough down to touch the dark blue jeans on her waist. Brown leather boots with a generous heel were tightly packed into the tight legs of the skinny jeans. A dainty hand lifted a forkful of red beans and rice between her perfect lips as she kept an ear out for the sirens she knew would come soon.

She knew they would come because it was a machination of her own design. She had convinced a man to rob a nearby jewelry store, using his family's lives as leverage. They were all already dead of course, as would he be once she was done with him. She knew the sirens would come because she had called in an anonymous tip using a phony voice, and based on their distance from the robbery and average response time they should be here soon.  

On cue, Sirens wailed in the distance. The sirens grew steadily louder until soon they were close enough that everyone on the patio was looking up to find the source of the commotion, including the young couple at a nearby table that had spent Eir's entire meal smiling and laughing, which annoyed her to no end. She would be sure to include them in the fun. A man, the man she had spoken with over the phone, was running from the now-close sirens down the sidewalk in front of the eatery, only a thin patio fence separating Eir and the other patrons from him. A mother walking the opposite direction grabbed her eight year old son's hand and rushed out of the path of the criminal. A police car pulled in front of him and an officer got out of the passenger side and aimed a handgun at the fleeing man, commanding him to stop. Then everything went wrong.

The officer knew, he thought he knew though he would come to doubt it himself in the days to come, that he had not pulled the trigger. Still though, the gun fired setting off a chain of seemingly random freak tragedy occurrences. The bullet didn't seek out the fleeing robber as it should have, but somehow veered off course striking the young boy in the back of the head. The force of the blow flipped the boy forward and ripped him from his mother's hands spraying red and black charnel fluid  over her brown skin like a madman's painting. The robber continued to make his getaway as everyone in the vicinity was stunned by the sight, the officer's partner running behind him and taking his fire arm as he pulled the stunned officer back. It all happened in a moment, and in the next another police came came rushing by, sirens wailing. Somehow though, the driver lost control of the wheel. It seemed to move by itself, and he could not alter it's course with all his strength nor could he convince the gas pedal not to press itself to the floor. The police vehicle swerved towards the very patio Eir sat at, gunning straight in her direction with the young couple caught in between. The young couple got up in an attempt to flee, but would have no time. The car was already barreling through the thin patio fence, lights flashing atop like the eyes of the possessed. Eir herself simply looked at the car with an expression of shock and fear as it came towards her, ready to mow down the young couple on the way to hit her.

Sim wrote:The officer knew, he thought he knew though he would come to doubt it himself in the days to come, that he had not pulled the trigger. Still though, the gun fired setting off a chain of seemingly random freak tragedy occurrences. The bullet didn't seek out the fleeing robber as it should have, but somehow veered off course striking the young boy in the back of the head. The force of the blow flipped the boy forward and ripped him from his mother's hands spraying red and black charnel fluid  over her brown skin like a madman's painting. The robber continued to make his getaway as everyone in the vicinity was stunned by the sight, the officer's partner running behind him and taking his fire arm as he pulled the stunned officer back. It all happened in a moment, and in the next another police came came rushing by, sirens wailing. Somehow though, the driver lost control of the wheel. It seemed to move by itself, and he could not alter it's course with all his strength nor could he convince the gas pedal not to press itself to the floor. The police vehicle swerved towards the very patio Eir sat at, gunning straight in her direction with the young couple caught in between. The young couple got up in an attempt to flee, but would have no time. The car was already barreling through the thin patio fence, lights flashing atop like the eyes of the possessed. Eir herself simply looked at the car with an expression of shock and fear as it came towards her, ready to mow down the young couple on the way to hit her.

CRUNCH the car slams to a halt....

A man seemed to materialize out of nowhere, his speedy entrance is only a blur to all but the highest resolution cameras and vision, the man has his hands stuck inside the car, through the metal of the hood, up to his elbows.

The man's face is covered by a mask that enshrouds his entire head, coming down the neck and shoulders, covering his body is a katabira of silver chain and white cloth, his legs guarded by heidate. His greaves were form fitting and sturdy. His outfit archaic in appearance, outstanding in the modern day,  but it is not pristine at all, there are scratches and dents, scars and cracks. Obviously the gear is made and used for combat, not just a show piece.

The white and silver material of his outfit is spattered with grease and paint chips. "What happened here? Sir? Ma'am are you two alright?" he asks the couple casually over his shoulder, as he rips his arms out of the rents torn by the cars collision with him.

The Specter tries to assess the situation fully, having only come in at the very end of the accident.

Eir had plenty of time to think as the possessed vehicle made it's way towards her. Her thought processes were not primitive and slow like the biological's, she may as well have had days to anticipate the impact. She relished the thought of the no longer smiling couple smashing against the car like the insects the were, and could practically feel their soft flesh squishing against her as bones broke between the two-ton vehicle and her own steel skeleton. Her eyes widened a bit in anticipation as the steel behemoth prepared to run down the fear-stricken lovers, and there came a loud crunch accompanied by a wave of force that sent shivers through her body, but the source of the noise deprived her face of a smile.

The couple looked up in disbelief at a masked man that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. He was dressed in decidedly Oriental armour, though it's use of superior forging techniques imported from the West implied it was not as archaic as it appeared.  It seemed America's reputation for a high metahuman population was well-deserved. Eir narrowed her eyes at the mystery man who had spoiled her fun for the moment. Metahumans were even worse than the mundane variety. They were an inferior race's last desperate attempt to adapt in some way, a failed attempt that the humans themselves didn't even appreciate. The real crime was that they thought their superiority over the the rest of their race meant anything, like a snail flaunting it's shell to a slug. They would understand their inferiority before Eir reduced this world to a lifeless husk, of that she would make sure. For the moment though, it was time to make a quiet get-away. Eir had plans tonight, and didn't wish to be bothered with dealing with human authorities, even as a victim.

Luckily Eir had no trouble adapting, one of many traits that made her superior to other life-forms. She shakily got out of her chair an approached the hero. "Oh thank goodness you were here, the car just went out of control! I came here from London to get away from the trouble there, but it seems trouble follows me." She spoke with a soft voice and a slight German accent. She laid a hand on the man's shoulder and spoke to him in a hushed tone. "Listen, I came here in a hurry from London and well...my papers weren't quite in order yet. You know how it is, once everything goes to hell they make it hard to leave. If I stay here they'll end up deporting me back to England and well...it's just not safe there these days, with the grisly murders and all." She spoke with a somewhat forced looking but friendly smile. The officers were still in the damaged vehicle, oddly enough their doors wouldn't seem to open. "You don't seem to have a problem getting around, do you think you could help a damsel in distress, you know, slip away quietly from all this?" She asked, a pleading tone in her voice as she looked up at the man with big blue eyes.

Sim wrote:The couple looked up in disbelief at a masked man that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. He was dressed in decidedly Oriental armour, though it's use of superior forging techniques imported from the West implied it was not as archaic as it appeared.  It seemed America's reputation for a high metahuman population was well-deserved. Eir narrowed her eyes at the mystery man who had spoiled her fun for the moment. Metahumans were even worse than the mundane variety. They were an inferior race's last desperate attempt to adapt in some way, a failed attempt that the humans themselves didn't even appreciate. The real crime was that they thought their superiority over the the rest of their race meant anything, like a snail flaunting it's shell to a slug. They would understand their inferiority before Eir reduced this world to a lifeless husk, of that she would make sure. For the moment though, it was time to make a quiet get-away. Eir had plans tonight, and didn't wish to be bothered with dealing with human authorities, even as a victim.

Luckily Eir had no trouble adapting, one of many traits that made her superior to other life-forms. She shakily got out of her chair an approached the hero. "Oh thank goodness you were here, the car just went out of control! I came here from London to get away from the trouble there, but it seems trouble follows me." She spoke with a soft voice and a slight German accent. She laid a hand on the man's shoulder and spoke to him in a hushed tone. "Listen, I came here in a hurry from London and well...my papers weren't quite in order yet. You know how it is, once everything goes to hell they make it hard to leave. If I stay here they'll end up deporting me back to England and well...it's just not safe there these days, with the grisly murders and all." She spoke with a somewhat forced looking but friendly smile. The officers were still in the damaged vehicle, oddly enough their doors wouldn't seem to open. "You don't seem to have a problem getting around, do you think you could help a damsel in distress, you know, slip away quietly from all this?" She asked, a pleading tone in her voice as she looked up at the man with big blue eyes.

His brown eyes gaze back into hers, softening at the gaze of the helpless woman. "Hold still." he whispers knowing that he may see himself as a hero, but no authority can see him as anything as a vigilante.

he tucks his arms beneath her sweeping her up and steps atop of the car as one of the officers approaches with his gun drawn.. he rolls over the car, hitting the pavement feet first, already running, knowing that he had done all that he could at the scene... perhaps this young woman could tell him more.

his steps take them down the block in seconds, and before she realizes it they are moving upwards at a forty-five degree angle onto the rooftop of a nearby building. "Shhhh... don't scream, tell me your name."

The masked man scooped Eir into his arms and was away with a speed that sent a rush of cold hair past Eir, tossing her golden hair about her face. The police officers managed to exit their vehicle as the source of their problems was unwittingly carried away by the masked vigilante.  She gasped as they took straight up into the air, landing on a rooftop. Convincing the man to remove her from the situation had been simple, humans are fairly predictable creatures. The pile of insects she left behind would no doubt spend many hours sorting out the chaos, and she secretly delighted in the knowledge that the constables would have no explanation for the destruction they unwittingly caused. the city would no doubt lose trust in their own authority just as they need it most. Even with the vigilante's intervention, Eir had managed to have a bit of fun.

When the man asked her her name she looked up at him, strands of blonde hair spread across her child-like countenance. "Ah..." She feigned the need to catch her breath. "My name is Eir. Named for one of the divine warrior-maidens of my homeland. That's a laugh isn't it? Dainty ol' me bearing the name of a Valkyrie." She continued to look at the man's mask's blank expression. "And what of my knight in shining armour? Your abilities are quite impressive. Were you born with them?" She looked down and forced a nervous chuckle. "Sorry, I am a biologist. I can't help but be curious, I find metahumans fascinating." She said, her small lips stretching into a friendly smile.

"Valkyrie are powerful warrior maidens, they also carry the dead to the afterlife." he says looking her up and down. "I would not exactly say I am a knight in shining armor... Knights are noble, whereas I... am hunted by the police." he says while shaking his head with a chuckle..

"I am called Specter. My powers were actually taught to me. I was not born with them." he says with a soft smile, his Asian accent obvious to the lady he had stolen away from the police. his face is tanned, in the small area of flesh you can see. "The monks of the orient were talented in teaching to me that which my father wanted me to know. How to protect myself and others."

He shakes his head again, looking over to the site of the accident with concern, but not wanting to abandon Eir...

"Yes, well I believe I have seen enough dead for one day, or even a lifetime, and I can't say I hold much stock in the existence of an afterlife." Eir said bluntly while awkwardly wriggling out of Specter's arms and shakily standing on the rooftop. She raised a petite hand and brushed the hair out of her face. "and the police just murdered a child and nearly ran me down, so I'm more inclined to trust you than them quite frankly." It was an off-hand remark, but carefully placed. Distrust spread easily, like a plague. One offhand comment with the right catalyst could tear a city apart.

She looked again at her odd "savior."  "Strange to be saved by someone and not even know their face" She said, stretching a dainty hand out to lightly touch the man's mask. "But I suppose that's the way it is here. Perhaps if London had more like you death wouldn't roam so freely." Her hand retreated as she looked away with a thoughtful look in her eyes before turning to the scene of her own carnage that Specter looked towards. By now, free of Eir's dark influence, some manner of order was being restored. Even so, angry crowds yelled about injustice and racial inequality. They were much too far to hear the exact words, but it was easy to imagine the kind of things said. After all, the police had killed a child over a petty thief. All it took was one tiny change to a bullet's trajectory to begin the city's descent into chaos. Granted the deck was stacked in this instance, the government in this area was already fairly unpopular before the Valkyrie's arrival. She had to consciously repress a smile as she turned back to Specter.

"But if what you say is true, that's amazing. About not being a meta I mean. I'm not ready to discount the fact that your meta gene was simply dormant but...if a regular human can learn such powers, the implications are magnificent." She looked back to the distant scene, now being emptied by authorities for proper investigation while reporters swarmed like parasites eager to find a way past a dog's flea collar. "If such is the case, it would seem to mean that the inferiority own fault. If ever person has the capacity to reach your level of abilities." The man was clad in armor, and Eir had a sudden impulse to tighten his greaves until she heard bones split.  Such an action was ill-advised however, as it would only serve to hinder her own plans. Not to mention the fact that the man's abilities were largely unknown to her, and this was hardly the time to pick a fight. Even so the thought remained along with dozens of others, her advanced brain allowing her to run a myriad of twisted fantasies through her head simultaneously without hindering her. Her leather jacket squeaked in protest as she folded her arms across her chest for warmth. The wind was quite cold on the roof, though the sun still beat down. It was really quite pleasant feeling, for most at least; Eir had little love for "pleasant" feelings. "So what happens now?" She said aloud to no one in particular.

Sim wrote:"Yes, well I believe I have seen enough dead for one day, or even a lifetime, and I can't say I hold much stock in the existence of an afterlife." Eir said bluntly while awkwardly wriggling out of Specter's arms and shakily standing on the rooftop. She raised a petite hand and brushed the hair out of her face. "and the police just murdered a child and nearly ran me down, so I'm more inclined to trust you than them quite frankly." It was an off-hand remark, but carefully placed. Distrust spread easily, like a plague. One offhand comment with the right catalyst could tear a city apart.

"I was taught that people get the afterlife they deserve." specter smiles behind his mask, letting her down gently, and frowns at her comment about the child... "I doubt that the officer tried to harm the child. I saw his face... It was pale as bone. He will regret killing that child for the rest of his days..."

Sim wrote:She looked again at her odd "savior."  "Strange to be saved by someone and not even know their face" She said, stretching a dainty hand out to lightly touch the man's mask. "But I suppose that's the way it is here. Perhaps if London had more like you death wouldn't roam so freely." Her hand retreated as she looked away with a thoughtful look in her eyes before turning to the scene of her own carnage that Specter looked towards. By now, free of Eir's dark influence, some manner of order was being restored. Even so, angry crowds yelled about injustice and racial inequality. They were much too far to hear the exact words, but it was easy to imagine the kind of things said. After all, the police had killed a child over a petty thief. All it took was one tiny change to a bullet's trajectory to begin the city's descent into chaos. Granted the deck was stacked in this instance, the government in this area was already fairly unpopular before the Valkyrie's arrival. She had to consciously repress a smile as she turned back to Specter.

"Sadly, you won't be able to see my face... if someone even suspected that you knew... they would hunt you." he says, pulling away from her touch and looking with her to the gathering crowd... "Death roams freely, everywhere... There have been many strange murders of late...You should not go out at night Eir."

Sim wrote:"But if what you say is true, that's amazing. About not being a meta I mean. I'm not ready to discount the fact that your meta gene was simply dormant but...if a regular human can learn such powers, the implications are magnificent." She looked back to the distant scene, now being emptied by authorities for proper investigation while reporters swarmed like parasites eager to find a way past a dog's flea collar. "If such is the case, it would seem to mean that the inferiority own fault. If ever person has the capacity to reach your level of abilities." The man was clad in armor, and Eir had a sudden impulse to tighten his greaves until she heard bones split.  Such an action was ill-advised however, as it would only serve to hinder her own plans. Not to mention the fact that the man's abilities were largely unknown to her, and this was hardly the time to pick a fight. Even so the thought remained along with dozens of others, her advanced brain allowing her to run a myriad of twisted fantasies through her head simultaneously without hindering her. Her leather jacket squeaked in protest as she folded her arms across her chest for warmth. The wind was quite cold on the roof, though the sun still beat down. It was really quite  pleasant feeling, for most at least; Eir had little love for "pleasant" feelings. "So what happens now?" She said aloud to no one in particular.

"I don't think that everyone can reach my level of ability on their own... I have been trained for nearly twenty five years... I have not needed to work to support myself. Most people do not have that luxury." he says thoughtfully. "and even if they do have the capability. It does not mean it is their fault. Life is not easy... and people are too busy looking out for only themselves... Thats why they need people like me. I look for the good in people, try to bring it out... and if I can't, I stop them from getting worse."

He thinks about her question for a few minutes before responding... "You should get home... I have to speak with a policeman." he says, as he steps onto the railing of the building

"Hmph." Eir replied plainly. This man was a fool who garnered a false sense of superiority from ultimately worthless ideals. Inferior ideals of an inferior race. It was what made him easy to manipulate, but it was also terribly annoying. "So the cop only killed the kid out of ineptitude...and the inferiority of our race is caused by the society we imposed upon herself." She said looking at the scene, a new chill in her voice. "Isn't that worse? The way things are going, I worry humankind will go extinct."

Eir looked back at the vigilante with a forced smile. "I suppose it does no good to think like that though. Normal people like me can't do anything about it. Don't worry Mr. Specter, I'll make sure to keep the door locked when I get home. But..um..." Eir cast a glance over the side of the building. It meant nothing to her of course, she could move freely wherever she pleased, but considering her persona as a normal human woman jumping off the edge would likely cause decent alarm. "Mind carrying me to the ground on your way out? Er..." She nervously scratched at the back of her head. "Preferably away from the Bobby you're about to talk to." She smiled somewhat more fully, and much less forced-looking.

"Ineptitude is more comforting thought than malice though, and society is very destructive in and of itself, but the greed of man is immeasurable...Humankind though is likely not to go extinct any time soon without a natural disaster." Specter smiles from the railing, bending down, and picking Eir up while staying balanced on the half inch metal bar, his thick muscles lifting Eir easily up into his arms.

Stepping backwards, the specter floats down, defying gravity by slowly falling, drifting as a feather on the wind, down and away from the crime scene. Specter breathes into her ear quietly "Stay safe, Eir" he says as his feet hit the ground, gently settling her onto the ground, and turning away, not looking back as he heads to the crime scene.

[Specter is out of the thread]