Walk through the Vally

[Silhouette]

I sigh, peeling through the paperwork. The tangled pages and scribbled notes lump together into a mass of nonsense. Upstairs I hear Michael bouncing around. Wonderful. That kid, just a walking mess. I didn’t have time for this. I dump the pile of papers onto the table, brushing aside the other papers already gathered there. I’ll never understand where it all came from, but it seemed that paperwork just grew up from the floor sometimes.

“Michael, when you finish whatever it is your doing, get your butt down here and find that permission slip.”

Typical, no answer. I don’t have time for this, really. I stop over to the bottom of the stairs, and repeat my shouting. This time I get a heavily muffled response. I know I should look into whatever that boy is doing, but I don’t have the time. The city bus will be coming in…a quick look at my watch reveals it came 4 minutes ago. Fantastic…just….Urg. Now instead of a twenty minute bus ride, I have a 45 minute walk. Yup, just Fantastic.

The walk to the museum leaves my feet hurting, and I’m in a bad mood. The doors are closing up, and I was going to help dad bring some of this month’s finances home, just like every month. The security guard pauses long enough for me to get through before locking up the gate. The displayed exhibits line the walls. Old bones, bits of pottery, animals preserved and mounted, treasures and trinkets from the past. I’ve seen those all more times than I can count. I could get a job here, giving tours. Heck, I’ll probably apply over the summer, make some extra cash. The offices are all in the back, behind the early man exhibits. Its amazing really. Most people don’t realize that behind the doors, there are shelves and shelves of specimens and exhibits in storage, along with offices and supply rooms and who knows what else.

I turn around a corner, and freeze. The early man exhibit is filled with people. Dressed in black, armed, their faces covered with masks. The room is silent, just me and the men looking at one another. I’ve seen movies like this. Ones with guns and explosions. So when the sound of a cocking pistol rings through the air, I know what’s about to happen. I dive for the floor, behind a display case. The gunshot rings out, and the glass shatters, showing me in broken shards. I scream, my voice drowned out by the alarm going off. People run, I see their boots from under the table. I scramble, trying to crawl away. The glass cuts at my arms and legs. I’m going to die. These criminals, they are going to kill me.

A gloved hand grabs me, dragging me to my feet. I remember the canister of pepper spray in my backpack, but I don’t know how to get to. Wouldn’t matter, I’m so terrified that I cant breath. The men are shouting, the one who holds me presses a blade to my neck. I’ve been through this room many times, I know everything in it. So I know that he’s not holding a normal knife, it’s the prehistoric obsidian knife. It was in the display case I was hiding behind. And he’s going to kill me with it if I don’t stand still.

The security arrives, the same man who only moments before had let me in. He’s old, 50 years at least. He cant take two dozen armed men, he couldn’t save me from even one guy. They demand he drops his gun, and he obeys, becoming just another hostage. Oh god….dads here. He’s in his office. Don’t let him come out. He’s in a wheelchair, he’s helpless. Please, please, don’t let him be found.

“Don’t Kill me”

I whisper, terrified. I can’t die like this, not after mom…

“Please, just let me go…please…”

[Starfire]

I was tending to my garden, when the alarms went off signalling some emergency.
Running into the tower, it only takes moments to be briefed on the situation.
There's a hostage situation at a museum.
Doesn't appear to be super villians on this one, but the city still seems intent on the Teen Titans showing up on scene, so a few of us gear up and head on down.
Surveying the scene, I keep a grim look on.
Hostage scenes are bad.
The villain's just hoping we won't put an innocent life in the balance, and no one can really tell if it is just a threat, or if the people behind this are truely capable of murder.
Information from the first authorities to arrive on scene doesn't clear anything up either.
We don't know who they are, or what they want.
Everything is virtually unknown.
If the city was prepared to barter for the lives of the hostages, they wouldn't have called us in.
We're not trained negotiators.
This is a clean up mission.
Taking a breath I glance at the rest of the Titans that have shown up with me,

[shadow=purple,left,300]"Ready to head in?"[/shadow]

[Rose]

Rose had just returned from Gotham for a break, somewhat the worse for wear... but looking satisfied and maybe even a little happy.

She has been puttering around the Tower, reminding herself where everything was, especially the escape routes, the blind corners to ambush would-be attackers from, the Tower's security measure, and any caches of weapons that the others hadn't already removed as the alarm came in.

Of course she was ready in a moment, just having to shed her outer clothes and grab her extra gear in the ready room. She had decided on Nightwing-style short staves, though longer than his escrima sticks. Maybe he would notice? The Bat was training her now, so best to use his methods rather than her father's letal ones.

She had to catch a ride, but on the way there she did her best to research what museum floorplans were easily available and what might be surrounding the building. The police of course would have the place cordoned off, but it didn't hurt to be prepared in case the criminals tried to escape. They just couldn't be allowed to take hostages at a museum where there would be children and families.

They were updated by the police on the situation, which provided almost no information other than "everything is under control". But if that were so, the authorities wouldn't have called for backup.

Typical.

Kory asked if everyone was ready and Rose drew her staves...

...no, The Ravager drew her staves and stretched, letting her instincts take control. Her brain and body switched to another gear and she trembled a bit with the pent-up energy. It was always a thrill feeling like this... if she hadn't been so on-edge it would have been hot.

She grinned. "Let's do this."

[Alyssa]

The day was a rough one when she first woke up and was headed to the bathroom she stubbed her toe. Alyssa gets dressed in a baby blue jogging suit but took forever to find her other jogging shoe.

After tying her hair back she put on a sweat band grabs her mp3 and heads down to the Titans work out room. This was her cardio day so after stretching she begins her cardio with ten minutes on the step machine then a half hour on the bike.

After taking a short break she uses both machines again this time switching the amount of time on both and then she goes for a jog around the tower. The work out has he exhausted after making it back around to he doors again she walks in and heads to her room.

After a nice refreshing shower she put on some acid wash jeans a white t-shirt and a pair of red sneakers. She grabs a quick breakfast of a bowl of cereal a orange with a piece of toast.

The alarm scares her when it first sounds out causing her to choke on her toast. Finishing her breakfast as fast as she can she joins everyone there. Getting caught up on the situation she finds out that a group of armed men have taken hostages at the museum.

This is what the Titans were about and she was going along. She prayed that they make it there before someone got hurt or killed. If she can help in anyway then it will be worth it.

“I’m Game Star lets do this!”

[Starfire]

((OOC: remember girls, this is mostly a fight against non-powered thieves. I'm just making ONE of them powerful enough to give me something to work with, so Rose and Alyssa can get in on some of the action too. And Skipping Sil. for action purpose here, All Titans get a round before she comes back in.))

Alyssa and Ravager show up to help, and are instantly ready for action.
This should be simple enough, the bad guys are just regular goons.
This will be a good starter mission for Alyssa to learn in.
I nod my head,

[shadow=purple,left,300]"Let's go."[/shadow]

And fly ahead to lead the team inside.
Once inside, it really looks like this is going to be a simple take down.
This isn't some super powered scene here, just minor thugs.
Taking that for granted, I fly up to the one that first responds to our presence, and moderate my strength when I move into an upper-cut.
He takes the hit surprisingly well, smiling even!

[shadow=purple,left,300]"X'hal!"[/shadow]

I wasn't expecting him to take it, and I let loose of my hold a bit, hitting him again, this time a left hook, and again, he takes it.
As I loosen up on my control to hit even harder, he decides to hit me back, punching me straight in the face, knocking me back a foot before I move forward with my own jab.
Ravager and Alyssa move past into their own action as I start to grapple with the first one, obviously not as baseline human as I'd assumed.
His hits aren't that bad, I can take it without injury.
But he's very resistant to everything I toss at him.
Physically anyway. time to change tactics.
I stand back holding my hands out as I fire a Starbolt at him.
And as I thought, the energy based attack works, tossing him into the wall behind him, knocking him cold.
But I took too long, he seems to be the only one with powers, as I look, Ravager has taken care of the bulk of the lot, but it seems we weren't able to save one of the hostages.
I walk over to the pile of ash, looking at Alyssa,

[shadow=purple,left,300]"You're powers are to send people to the other side. Can you be sure this one's passing on?"[/shadow]

It's not a move we usually do in the Titans. But I feel something should be done.
The poor girl didn't deserve this.
We should have been able to save her.

[Rose]

Rose runs through the museum after Kory, forgetting in the moment that she has a newbie teammate that really ought be babysat, at least for this time. But, Rose hasn't been a babysitter since before she put her eye out, not since she was taking care of Lian now and then in the Tower... so she just moves as fast as she can, which is quite fast indeed.

Starfire has her own target and will attract most of the attention anyway, but that makes it easier to get the mission done. The hostage is there, front and center, being held firmly by a thug with a glinting knife... obsidian from the look of it. They look a little nervous. Maybe a little Batman-style intimidation will be the right weapon for this situation.

"Hey!" she barks. "Let the girl go, and you might get out of here some other way than in a body bag."

"I'll cut her, you bitch! We want a helecoptor, and a plane waiting to go to Mexico. Right now!"

Rose grinned, fay. "Let her go first, and we'll talk about it." Unfortunately, the way she grips her weapons, it's clear even to these guys that at least part of her intends to do a lot more than talk in a few moments.

The man with the knife shakes his head. "Don't come any closer!"

But Rose continues to take steps, still grinning. "What do you think will happen if you hurt her? Do you think anyone will care if you live or die. Just surrender and the police can have you."

"Just.. no." the knife-wielder's allies snap, moving to close with Rose (much to their regret). The first gets an upward-swinging stick to the jaw and a straight sort of tsuki strike to the man's throat. The other takes a left-handed swing scross the jaw and another through his left collarbone, taking him down. That puts Rose surprisingly close to the poor girl and her attacker, and in a panic he draws his blade across her throat.

Instead of a dying girl gurgling out her last breaths in crimson bubbles, there is a flash of light from the blade and only a pile of ashes that drift to the ground.

"What'd you do?" Rose shrieked, striking the blade from his numb fingers and kicking him straight back, sprawling. She leaps after him. "Bring her back!"

"I didn't... I can't.." but his protests are silenced by a savage beating from the Ravager. Though the rage cries for release, she manages to remember herself before she murders the thug. She steps away from him and quickly crosses back to where the dagger rests on a pile of ash.

"Oh, God. What do we do now?"

[Alyssa]

It took very little time to make it there and they all go in their own direction. Alyssa knows that direct combat is not her strong point but thanks to some hand to hand by Robin she can at least handle one or two of these guys.

Entering the building she feel that none of the hostages had been killed which both put her at ease and gave her a since of urgency. Rose to violence like a fish in water and Star was also engaged in combat. Noticing one them not looking at her Alyssa heads straight for him.

The man was most likely thinking about backing up the guys Rose was taking out. Slamming the full amount of her body weight into a shoulder tackle she knocks him into the walk thrusting the palm of her hand into his chin knocks him out cold.

After binding his hands she looks around feeling good she was able to take him out before he could do harm, Even though he most likely was just going to be taken out by Rose.

The situation seemed to be in hand when she felt a pulse shot throughout her body. It almost felt like when her brother was killed but something was strangle different.

Starfire walks up to her and ask her to and ask her about her powers. It is true she can ease people over to the after life.

“Yes I can. I’ll see what I can do Star!”

Walking over to the she kneels down beside the pile of ashes that was once a human being. Alyssa's eyes told her that the girl had to be dead but her powers told her differently in fact her through she felt the girl was still there.

Standing up slowly she knew the girl was still living in way. This was something she had no experience in and was not going to be easy to explain. Was the weapon to blame for what was going on how could something cause human to to turn to ash and not kill them.

"I don't know how it is possible Star but she is not dead we need to get whatever did this, it may to blame and then again it might not be but we should caver our bases!"

She knew things were going to be crazy and sometimes unexplainable but she didn't think it would get there this soon.
Something told her things were going to be totally different from this point on.

[Silhouette]

Its all dark. I blink, confused. For a moment, I was in a daze, not really sure where I was. Bits and pieces of memory started floating into my head. I’d been at home, then left. Going somewhere…Not school. Big building, dad was there. The museum. Right. I had walked to the museum. That must be where I was now. Why was it so dark though? Did I fall asleep somewhere, and get left inside after everything closed up? No…that didn’t seem right. I shook my head, trying to clear the fog away. Something important was missing. I felt like a 5 year old looking at the blocks and trying to decide which one would fit in the right hole.

Movement, out of the darkness, caught my attention. I smile, knowing it must be my dad, coming to pick me up.

[shadow=black,left,300]“Sorry, must have dozed off.”[/shadow]

My voice sounds strange, very faint. And the way it travels is odd. I hadn’t noticed how quiet everything was, how unbelievably still. Even my tiny voice seemed to crack the silence. Like yelling in a church, it seemed wrong. And now that I noticed, that wasn’t the only thing. The room felt wrong, out of place. Everything about it seemed off, in a way I couldn’t describe. It was like if you looked at things to hard, they became less real, even if I couldn’t see them.

I look down, and I gasp. My body, something is wrong with it. I’m glowing, so bright, like an angel. No color, no shape, just light, the most pure I had ever seen. I look at my fingers. The details are all gone, no fingerprints or textures to be seen, just the outline. My vision catches movement below. There, on the floor, No, inside the floor. People, moving. Some men, three young girls, each about my age. They look like a photograph that hasn’t been developed. The fog is still thick. Negative, a photographic negative. I kneel down, feeling the cool touch of the tile flooring.

The men catch my attention. His dress isn’t like the guards. There’s a mask on his head. In my mind, the mist gives a sudden lurch. I feel things starting to clear again. I came to the museum, I was walking by the exhibits. What happened?

The pieces fall into place, one at a time. Walking by the exhibits, men came in, I was grabbed. Hostage. I remember crying, tears falling down my face. Then, the three girls arrived. Names start appearing, heard over the news. Except for one, who I didn’t recognize. They arrived, attacked. I was so scared. I feel my breath starting to quicken as the memories of the past few minutes come back. The man, he had a knife to my throat. He cut my neck. Then…

I think I’m dead.

The realization doesn’t hit me as hard as I thought it would. Its not a crushing blow, or a freighting one. Its like letting out a breath you didn’t know you we’re holding in. It happened so fast, I didn’t even have time to think about it. One moment I was there, and now I’m here. Not exactly what I pictured life after death would be like. I’d laugh if I could, except I think if I tried I’d end up gagging.

I start noticing voices to. They don’t seem to come from anywhere, just sort of waltzing out of the air, faint and distorted, like the speaker was a million miles away. I strain my ears to hear, and I manage to make out ‘She’s not dead’. I blink, confused. Are they talking about me? I feel a spark light inside me, a sudden drive to act. If I’m not dead, then there’s a way out of…wherever I am. I lay down on the floor, pressing my face against the tiles, looking down at the world on the other side, and I take a big gulp of air, screaming as loud as I can, trying to be herd.

[shadow=black,left,300]“Im Here! Please, help me! I’m trapped. You’ve got to get me out of here!”[/shadow]

[Starfire]

We weren't able to save the hostage, instead Rose's own rashness caused the thug to use some museum weapon on her, not just killing her, but turning her whole body into a pile of ash.
If only I hadn't taken all of my time with the one thug, I could have helped.
Rose isn't the one to handle the most sensitive parts of any operation, she's never had the best people skills in a confrontation. I should have been the one in her spot.
Alyssa jumps at my suggestion, getting to add her own hand to attempt cushioning our failure.
I stand in silence, watching the young team member kneel next to the girl's ashes, concentrating.
She tells me she doesn't know how it's possible, but the girl's not dead, and we may need to look at the artifact that turned her to dust to figure it out.
The knife fell from the thugs hands when Rose reacted to his move on the girl, I nod to Rose pointing to it near her feet.

[glow=purple,2,300]"Grab that."[/glow]

As she does, I hear someone... faintly, a girl's voice saying she's trapped.
I look around the room, wishing Raven where here.
This is more her area... I think that's the victim's voice saying she's trapped, and I don't have the power to do anything but stare.
I look back to Alyssa, the only one present that has any possible connection past the mundane world.

[glow=purple,2,300]"Can you hear her too? Can you see her at all?"[/glow]

Alyssa is a Harbin, and I must admit to not knowing a lot about what that means. I do know she deals in spirits and ghosts.
If the girl is still alive, we have to do something for her.

[Rose]

Starfire's presence and voice bring Rose back from the brink of a breakdown. Later she will have to medicate herself heavily to avoid a sleepless night of horrible nightmares.

She automatically collects the dagger, as directed.

"She's not dead?" she asks, slightly encouraged. "But... how can she not be dead? Her body..."

Kory asks if anyone can hear the girl's voice, so she lifts the dagger to her ear, careful not to touch the blade. "Anyone home?"

Alyssa. Yes, Alyssa can fix this. She has to be able to.