No Such Thing as Super-Heroes

[midst_of_threads]

There is someone in her forest.

Flynn runs her hand over her creature's back, and then sends it fluttering away into the trees with a flick of her wrist.


Her first creation, her guardian, lets out a small growl.
"I know," Flynn says.
"Go. Get rid of them."

It slinks into the forest, feline features molded from broken glass.
It quickly vanishes from site and Flynn pushes down a flash of loneliness.

Comments

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

Henry rubbed his temple with his left hand (his right was holding the rifle)

"Sure," Henry said sarcastically "Gabe this is the fever talking, at worst you saw a wolf, which still means we need to get back!"

He turned to leave, grabbing Gabe's hand and pulling.

[midst_of_threads]

A young woman bursts out of the trees behind them.
"What did you do?" She screams, "What did you do?!"

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

Henry is startled, he takes a step back, but then interposes himself between the woman and Gabe, who is equally speechless.

"Gabe got lost and I am taking him back," Henry says "he is sick and not himself."

Of course Gabe is very likely to find problems while being himself, but no need to tell her that.

[midst_of_threads]

Flynn kneels down by her creation and gently touches it's shattered form.
It is still, no trace of life remains.
Flynn looks up.
"You killed him. You bastard."

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

That looks like a pile of glass shards.

"Gabe broke your statue?" Henry asks "I am sure it was an accident..."

[midst_of_threads]

Flynn stands up and the shards of glass rise with her.

Stone from the landslide joins the shards and a monster forms.

What it is, exactly, is unclear. It is possibly feline, but only barely. Every surface is sharp, lined with blades and points.
What might be a mouth opens, revealing far too many teeth for any natural creature.

"Get them," Flynn says.

[unadalturedstrength]

Gabe is not even sure how he does, but he simply thinks how he wants to be strong enough to fight that thing.

In a moment he is much larger than he was during his first transformation, the form is different too, larger but slender, his forelimbs have long scythes for claws and his a long flat tail provides balance.

Gabe throws himself at the other bizarre creature and starts fighting.

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

Henry falls on his knees, he watched several things that made the world fall apart, on several levels.

He doesn't know what is happening, he doesn't know how to control it, whatever reality really is, it is beyond Henry's influence.

Two beings transverse the empty space, moving through mechanisms and forces beyond his grasp.

One being sent a message, simply and absolute beyond the limitations of words: Trajectory

The other replied: Agreement

they approached a planet and the first entity observed its multiple variations, picking one so it and it's partner could land.

Henry blinked, his mind tried to grasp the memories, but it is like catching smoke with bare hands.

He observed that Gabe and the strange woman also are recovering from... whatever he was recovering from. The woman creation didn't suffer any ill effect, in fact it was clawing Henry's form while his target was distracted.

"No!" Henry shouted raising his hand.

A clear translucent beam emerges from his palm and strikes the creature, leaving a hole in it.

[midst_of_threads]

Flynn shouts and rushes to her creature.
It's alive and shifts to put it's body between Flynn and Henry.
Flynn reaches out to touch it, but stops herself.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

Gabe's giant form is curled up in a ball and bleeding.

For a fraction of a moment, Henry is just quiet and then it is like his mouth is acting on his own.

"I told you," Henry said "Gabe was sick and got lost in the woods, I came here to find him... and I am certain that Gabe didn't attack first. We never meant you any harm. Fuck, we three have... powers, we should try figuring them out or something."

Henry is has no idea were all that came from.

[midst_of_threads]

"I just wanted you to leave. I thought it would scare you away," Flynn hesitates. "I'm sorry."

[unadalturedstrength]

Gabe makes several sounds, too canine to be understood, then he changes back.

Several glass shards, debris and even some blood falls around him, but Gabe himself looks alright and unharmed.

"That thing almost bit my head off!" he says pointing accusingly at Flynn.

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

"Everyone calm down," Henry says not taking his eyes away from Flynn "She did? What happened?"

[midst_of_threads]

"I didn't bite you," Flynn snapped.

[unadalturedstrength]

"Your monster or whatever!" Gabe said "I fell down a hill and got my legs broken, then that thing attacked and almost killed me... then I changed into a thing. It was self-defense."

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

"Calm down, Gabe!" Henry said raising his hand in a placating gesture and turning to his direction

Henry felt a odd warm feeling in his palm, and quickly dropped hims hand, afraid he was going to accidentally shoot Gabe with whatever hit the creature.

"Gabe look at her and her clothes," Henry said still looking at Gabe "she is probably has been in this forest for sometime, maybe defending herself of... whatever."

Henry looked at the woman, his assessment was true, her clothes looked ragged and dirty... but he didn't notice this before, or not consciously. It must be the adrenaline.

"Look," Henry mouth said automatically "my name is Henry, and this is my cousin Gabe. What is your name?"

[midst_of_threads]

"Flynn. What are you doing here? How did you-" Flynn points to the wound in her creature's side, "do that?"

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

"We were working at the Stanley Hotel nearby," Henry said "repairing during the off season. While the other workers were away there was a landslide, they are fine, but we got stuck in the hotel, which wouldn't be that bad but Gabe got sick and delirious with fever. He managed to sneak out while I wasn't looking and... We found you and your creature. I have no clue how I did that. I just sort of pointed and... something came out of my hand."

Henry will keep his hands quite obviously not pointing at Flynn while he says that.

"What is your story?" Henry then asks.

[midst_of_threads]

"A few months ago I accidentally made a creature, the one you killed." Flynn says, with a pointed glare at Gabe.
"After that, it kept happening, and I couldn't figure out how to stop it. I needed somewhere we wouldn't be noticed and I came here."

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

"Do you have any idea why it happened?" Henry says.

A cold breeze sends a chill down everyone's spines.

"We should come back to the hotel, so Gabe doesn't get sicker" Henry says "Can you control your... power, now?"

[unadalturedstrength]

"I am actually cured," Gabe said "but... you are inviting her to come with us?"

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

"Yes," Henry said "If she want to come with us. I want to figure this whole thing out and she could get a shower and warm food in exchange of a conversation."

[midst_of_threads]

"I can't control it, but I can tell them not to hurt you. And I would really appreciate a shower."

[there_is_no_such_thing_as]

"Okay, I will lead," Henry said observing the surrounds for a few seconds "that way," he points before starting to walk

Gabe follows giving a wide berth from the large creature and walks next to Henry.

"All your creatures are like that?" Henry asks after a moment.

[midst_of_threads]

Flynn shakes her head, "I didn't have much time to plan this one. Usually they make more sense."