Bright Days Gone By(IC)

[Russoboo]

"Then that's probably good, since, like, dating someone doesn't really mean they like you." Darren practically tittered as he rounded his attention to the sky. There it was, a snake made of pure dark, twisting in the air. Subito, of course, shot off after it, so Darren followed close enough that he could take shots at the serpent. "Knowing freedom, half the houses are probably super heroes, too, but whatever."

He cast his hands towards the snake and chunks of diamond appeared before him before hurtling at the beast. The crystals warped in mid air and spun into twisted cords. For a moment, they seemed sure to connect, but the snake slipped the bonds. Darren huffed. "I don't know why I bother, sometimes."

[Ari]

"I think Astro Gal's and Interior's families live around here" Heraldo commented as he scanned the snake for a possible weak spot, glancing at Adamas the young paragon took a moment to add drily "I doubt they'll be able to help out, though!"

Turning back to the incoming snake, his eyes lit upon a spot close to tail 'There! If I can hit there, it'll have to spin around and leave itself wide open for Adamas! Did you not heed me on the tail matter? Yeah yeah, I know, this will work, just watch' Heraldo thought confidently, swooping over the vast monster and lashing out at its hide with a fist glowing gold with power, shouting angrily as the muscular boy missed by a mere inch, his momentum carrying him just beyond his massive and snaking adversary. Putting on the figurative brakes, he slid to a temporary halt, whirling around for another pass and taking a moment too long to get ready.

[Ari]

GM

With a cold hiss like ice in the heroes' ears the shadow snake whipped around, observed the blazing creature that had passed too close to it, and surged forward with impossible speed. Looping its coils around El Heraldo it tightened its lifeless body with a savage jerk about the kid, pinning his arms to his sides and resisting the tremendous effort that nearly freed Subito with imperious ease. It turned its wedge-shaped head so one enormous and bottomless abyss of an eye could inspect its new prey. "You are not the traitor." it said quietly "but your life and light will serve us for food."

[Russoboo]

"Wow, Herald, trying to wrestle with a snake? Do I, like, really need to point out how bad of an idea that is? I'll omit the innuendo for your sake." Darren flew up and over the tangled mess of man and snakething. He held up his thumb and closed one eye for a moment, lining up his fingertip with the beast's head, then drew his hands back. With a rush, he threw his arms forward and a few dozen white crystals rained down over the monster. Darren laughed. "Like, seriously, don't eat my friends before I'm done with them!"

[Ari]

GM

The diamond javelins tore through it like a rain of spikes! With a piercing yet strangely flat and muted shriek the serpent of Apep lashed violently and flung Heraldo away in its spasms, black ichor streaming from its wounds and splattering onto the road far below!

At last its struggles ceased, until it hung motionless in the sky with its gaping head pointed at the earth, eyes rolling in pain as it tried to recover from the devastating attack!

[Ari]

Briefly flailing as he halted his descent through the sky, Heraldo shook off some of the monster's slimy blood and snapped back at Adamas "I totally I had it! You're not the one who has to actually be right next to him to do damage!" Blushing furiously at both his poor showing and the diamond-boy's taunt, the patriotic paragon roared through the air to slam his shoulder into the snake, driving into the minion of Apep so hard he rebounded off the shadow-creature's mighty hide, muttering angrily as he surveyed its ebon body, and realized he hadn't even dented its scales.

"Time to try something else, Dama Azul..." he murmured, gathering the spirit's power into himself as he watched the thing with care.

[Russoboo]

"I'm sure you had it. Like, you were totally just letting it think it caught you. Psychological warfare!" Darren chuckled and wiggled his fingers in the air. Another dozen crystals rapidly appeared out of motes of dust, then spun to point at the snake. With a flick of his wrist, the crystals went screaming down towards the serpent. The beast whipped and coiled out of the way; the diamonds rushed harmlessly past it. Darren clicked his tongue. "Exactly, this takes skill, all you've gotta do is flail around on it."

[Ari]

"Quit with the jokes and fight, Adamas!" Heraldo snapped, now feeling thoroughly harassed. Lining up the Bandera like a pool cue, he sighted down it, hesitated in his billowing flag of gold, and then hurled himself straight at the gigantic serpent, rolling just before he collided and bringing his booted foot down squarely on the monster's obsidian hide! He didn't put as much fore into it as he might, though he felt the skin and muscle bend under his foot 'Don't wanna overcommit... Yes, I'm sure you will use that word man-that is not even a real word Whatever! And stop telling me to tell Blodeuwedd stuff, it's creepy! As you wish. I will suggest it instead, and it is better than your fumbling words, Romeo'

Darting away from the creature, he took up a ready position once more, hanging in the dizzying battleground.

[Russoboo]

"I can't stop, like, I have a condition, for real for real. You should try to be more sensitive, Heraldo." Darren tittered while he swirled through the air above the serpent. He cast his arms out and another dozen chunks of crystal twinkled into existence. With a theatrical drop of his hand, like a conductor keeping time, the jagged pieces dropped down and punched into the creature's dark hide. Darren opened his mouth again. "Banter gives me better aim, I'm sorry that I can't really pick on, like, a snake made of shadows and hatred, I don't think he'd respond to me as well as you do."

[Ari]

GM

The combined attacks from the two young heroes did their work, smashing and tearing through the dark serpent and leaving it roiling feebly in the air!

By know several of the local Bayview residents had discovered the aerial battle, and were leisurely setting up chairs on their lawns, climbing up ladders onto roofs with , and snapping pictures so they could prove they'd seen what they claimed. Others were rather less sure, muttering about 'inefficiency of youngsters these days' and growing anxious as the fight went on.

Several calls had already been made to the authorities about the events unfolding in Bayview's skyline, though aside from the poison control center needing to issue a stern warning that nobody was to try and drink, touch or cook with the snake's inky blood, and STAR preparing to send some boys around to collect the thing if need be, it passed with comparatively little notice.

[Russoboo]

Darren chuckled a little more to himself and concentrated on summoning up another volley of crystals. At motion below, however, he perked up and looked away from the serpent. People were setting up lawn chairs and sitting on their porches watching their little air battle; Darren gave a few of them a wave and a shining smile. Without paying too much attention, he let go of the shot he'd been lining up, sending the chunks of diamond wide all around the snake. He dipped a bit lower as he hovered and turned to look at Subito. “Hey Herald, it looks like we're popular. Well, like, I already knew that about me, but you are, too!â€

[Ari]

GM

The cavalcade of crystalline carbon hissed through the air, missing the enormous assassin by inches, but it was enough.

With a hollow roar the shadowy beast turned on its massive tail and slid straight out of the world, vanishing through a narrow crack in the sky that oozed darkness, and snapped shut behind it.

The Freedonians below applauded cheerfully, calling out congratulations to the two heroes, even Grace had wandered out onto her front lawn, shading her eyes from the pale winter sun and watching them approvingly. An ambulance was pulled up in her driveway, with the hooded figure of Apep's Hand being hauled into it on a gurney.

[Ari]

Beginning to race towards the snake, Heraldo stopped with a rush of chill air as it vanished through the hole between worlds. Staring after it for a few seconds, surprised by an enemy actually retreating, Heraldo's face lit up and he threw his Banner into the air, giving a whoop of triumph and catching it on its way down.

Soaring over to Adamas the powerfully-built young paragon said gleefully "That was awesome! Great job Darren!" he added warmly, giving the other boy a quick hug, swinging an arm around his shoulder and leading them both back to the ground, keeping up a brisk chatter all the way down. "Aw man, did ya see how it tore open when those diamond spear thingies went through? Kickass! You know, I've been thinkin' about trying to figure out some kind of way to blast bad guys with spirit power. Just about all my classmates can shoot stuff. You met Serge? Tall blond guy, kinda skinny? He shoots soundwaves! Out of an amp." he shook his head with a broad grin, landing neatly on the front lawn and sliding his arm(with an odd reluctance) off Adamas' shoulders so he could bow to Grace.

Taking off his hat with a swoop, the stocky teen bowed and grinned up at the former heroine as he got back up "We did it! Apep won't bother that guy again Mrs. Sobczak!" Heraldo declared with total confidence.

[Russoboo]

"Of course it was awesome. Like, hello, you know who I am, right?" Darren shrugged and shook his head, but smiled all the same. He eyed Subito's arm as it went around him, then ignored it as they floated back to Earth. With a little hop, he stepped off the crystal disc he'd been standing on and the whole thing vanished in a flash of light.

“A blast of spirit power? Isn't that just, like, quarter circle forward punch?†He put his wrists together and thrust his arms forward; a few crystals shimmered in the air before crumbling away. Darren laughed to himself and followed Subito over to Grace. Rather than bow, he tilted his head a few degrees to the left.

“Well, we don't really know that. Just that, like, for now, he's safe. Vigilance and all that.â€

[Ari]

GM

"Yeah kid" Grace told Heraldo with a wry smile "Don't get cocky just because you beat one, and might I remind you of the considerable help you had." beaming sunnily at Darren she went on to the diamond-making teen "Thank you very much for your help Darren. The EMTs say she should recover by the end of next month at the latest. She's been through a lot" Grace shook her head sadly as she led the pair a little distance from the ambulance, frozen grass crackling under their various footwear "According to her she was being held prisoner by her..patron for the last couple of decades. It seems Apep had finally had enough of her failure to capture the Sekhem from me and wanted to make an example of her to his other servants. She escaped only a few hours ago, by blind luck. A small rift between our worlds was opened due to some kind of stirring in the world of light, and it tore only a few feet from her. She made a shell around herself, and jumped. The hospital will keep a close eye on her, make sure she doesn't get captured without their knowing" The retired heroine glanced around as the ambulance drove away, waving thankfully at the medics as they rumbled out of sight.

"So," the short old woman smiled kindly at the pair "how much material do you think you have for the report? I'm sorry I didn't join you boys in the fight, might have made this day even more memorable, and your schoolwork that much more bearable!" she added with her faint laugh.

[Ari]

Rolling his eyes at Adamas' gentle correction, Heraldo nudged the taller boy and replied "Look Adamas, let's just be happy we won, alright? And besides," he added to Grace "since me and him beat that one up so bad, I bet Apep'll send more, and they'll be even easier to see n'stop before they hurt anybody than that guy!" Subito grinned cheerily at the old woman, positive that his logic was ironclad.

His attitude of relaxed confidence quickly gave way to horror and pity though, when Sekhem explained in brief what had happened to the Hand during all those years. Looking horrified at the mere idea of being alone and imprisoned for so long, he stared glumly at the ground for a few moments, with no idea what to say to that. At last he ventured "That's horrible, Mrs. Sobczak. At least she's free now." 'Well yes, freedom is demonstrably better than imprisonment and being brutalized Well what else is there to say about that? Nothing, but saying the obvious isn't better than saying nothing'

Grace's laugh got an answering grin from the young paragon, who took off his hat and glanced back up "I'm just imagining you fighting that thing now ma'am, and it's a pretty awesome image!" he said with a short, loud laugh. Turning to Darren he said "I've got about enough to hit that page limit, pro'lly more. You?"

[Russoboo]

"Well, like, of course I'm happy to win." Darren smiled thinly and carefully didn't say the rest of his thought: that he could only be so happy when winning was the only thing he knew how to do. Instead, he crossed his arms, touched a finger to his lip, and concentrated on pulling his body back to a normal state. His skin darkened and softened back into flesh and blood, his hair frayed back into a wave rather than a sheet of crystal. He pulled his cape a little closer around him to block some of the cold air.

"Yeah, I think I'll be able to manage. Good job, hero." Darren grinned and tipped his head down to give Subito a peck on the cheek. Once he'd pulled back, he gave Grace a polite "Excuse me" and retrieved his bag from the woman's living room. When he returned to the street, he had the satchel slung over one shoulder and was wrapped in his jacket and scarf. "I always forget how cold this outfit is when I'm not all diamondized. Can we please not take the bus back?"

[Ari]

'Aw, how ni-WHAT?! What did..what did he just do? I believe he touched his lips to your cheek, Herald But...I... Just don't be so obvious when you stare next time, Subito. I do not want my charge to turn into a little heartbreaker, Blodeu would be crushed... Quit it! You know I'm not into boys! Yes, just ask ~'Mr. Smiiiith'~GRRRRR...'

Starting at the out-of-nowhere kiss, Subito stammered "Uh..th-thanks" after his schoolmate as the other boy went inside for his things. Taking a second to carefully slow down the suddenly very quick tempo of his heart, the heraldic boy glanced awkwardly at Grace, awkwardly telling her "We're not...I mean, he's not my boyfriend or anything like that" blushing to the roots of his hair and going inside himself to get his backpack and school supplies, including the notebook crammed for five pages with very enthusiastic notes. He paused for a few moments to flick through them, nodding in quiet satisfaction that everything he had wanted to put down was there.

Coming back outside and swinging the red backpack over his shoulders, he nodded at Darren's plea for a different mode of transport. Turning to Grace and shaking her hand vigorously, the stocky, smiling teen said "Thank you so much for your time, Mrs. Sobczak! We won't forget today!" Looking over at Darren, Subito said blandly "We could just fly back, but if the two fliers from that big fight with the giant shadow snake are seen going to Claremont Academy, that might raise some questions Headmaster Summers could easily find time to ask us." Standing at ease on the porch, the muscular Puerto Rican said mildly "On the other hand, if two teenagers take the bus back up to the prestigious private school, they'll be pretty inconspicuous!" With a cheerful wave to their gracious hostess, he dissipated the mantle of El Heraldo, and lead the way back to the bus stop.

END