In the Shadow of the Mountains

[Chaos]

Woops...That was the only thing that came to mind as he returned to his place because he needed to get something. It was unimportant, but it a nice trip home, if this could really be called such a place at all?

There it was. Right there on the mantle above the fire place. A picture of the past. He had taken it, but couldn't remember when. So many memories there were. A picture of Bob and all the ones he called friends in a happier time. Frozen in time there, forever. They all came flooding back to him all at once and there, time in the current became still. He picked up the picture. The CEO's of the Bonny Corp there, Cadence and Alana there. It must have been some kind of picnic. Although he couldn't remember taking any kind of outing like this. So many of their days had been filled with the grim realities of pain, drama and blood. But this picture had shown him there was indeed other times. Better times.

He picked up the picture and stared into it. He could hear there voices in some distant fashion and he remembered them all. Even monsters could be foolish he supposed. How many times did he tell them to back off, sure, he was nothing close to mortal, or even alive as people understood it there was some kind of dim spark of emotion in there.

He wondered what ever happened to most of them. And why things went down that way. It made sense at the time...didn't it? Protection of the lesser beings. No, not lesser. They were equal to him in nearly everyway and he was more then happy to walk beside them. But just by being connected to him it seemed that all they would ever do is suffer, even though he tried to make things better, all that ever happened is that somebody, somewhere..would make it their life's mission to get to him through the people he called friend. A coward's move but effective anyways.

Not even the illusion of death seemed to stop it. He came back, and Cadence suffers in his attempt to help her from her stress. Not everybody saw it how he did. Bob was not really respected, just feared and he was one of those guys that everybody said in their head to please dont look at me..please dont look at me..

So he treated them as his role was, to be an observer. But where are all his friends now. Most of them had vanished and it was all his fault. And he knew it.

Freedom may have been a dream, but it was a nightmare trying to figure out what to do with it. People have lives. Emotions and situations. Power was a prison most of the time and being this way was living proof. How do you relate to somebody you could crush in horrible ways.

He set the picture down again.

You become a super villain that's how. Make people your enemies and then you give them reason to fight..and that is how you relate. Although he never expected people to go after the ones he was close too.

This is what made him most angry, and evil came easy when dealing with this. Some called it revenge. Others called it Justice and Punishment.

"Maybe...maybe I can get them back..."

Then he turned around and walked off into the outside, leaving the picture behind him, the past would never be forgotten, ever.

[Theron]

The house the monster lived in remained silent for what seemed like an eternity. Bleak and terrible was the house, the monster had long since left here, but there was still a great scar in the world where it dwelt. The Negative energies of the villain seemed to live here, but tonight, this desolate night a figure sat on the old rocking chair on the porch.

He wore green. A pale, sickening green cloak. In his left hand he held a silver cylinder. His thumb clicked a switch and a glowing black blade appeared. All it reveal were a pair of eyes, eyes that changed colors constantly. His face was hidden. The only sound, a hideous laugh that echoed throughout the dead night.

[Rose Black]

One night an angel picked her way through the old beaten paths that now lead to a ghost town, not so very long ago known as the village Caracosa.  She stepped carefully on bare feet, decorative but impractical shoes long forgotten somewhere, she had never been to Bob's house....  But she had seen it in her twin sister's mind once so she knew round abouts where it was.

Of course she had known about Bob's home here, at least it seemed the closest place to a real home he had but she had never intruded on him there.  Even she had the good sense to leave people be once in a while but as she was not accustomed to walking she was a little frustrated.  The wind carried away her soft words laced with confusion, "This isn't right..."

What wasn't right?  Only Rose could tell you, but she did not elaborate beyond that statement and the occasional shake of her head.  The wind blew her long flowing, backless, white gown about her slender form, red hair whipping wildly in the wind as though the mountain itself wished to slow her progress...  She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed at the bare skin as chills rocked through her body.  Who ever heard of an angel feeling cold anyway?

But as she neared Bob's house...  or was it hers already?  At any rate she was lucky it was such a straight shot from the city for soon enough something changed. Perhaps it did know her and the magic the letter from him spoke of was true before she even came... because as soon as she saw it everything grew calm and still... nothing impeded her way again.  

The fear of some forgotten nightmare didn't bother her here... nor the lingering unease left behind by the negative energies she sensed.  The walk didn't seem so long then, she welcomed the warmth from the friction.  It seemed like she was at the front of the house in a heart beat.  

Staring up at the dark house with a soft smile touching her lips even as sadness gleamed in her wide emerald eyes.  Her skin was still unusually pale but a blush of life and health was returning to it since she had read that letter and gotten back to work.  A glance was given to the forge near by, where Bob had worked so tirelessly, before she lightly placed a hand to the railing and walked up the steps of the porch.

Rose's eyes took in every detail, a porch swing and a rocking chair both were caressed by her fingers as she looked them over.  Even though her eyes moved over them they were distant... seeing something from far away and long ago.  Same as when they moved to the door and opened it with no key.

Walking inside she found it exactly as Bob had left it.  Pain?  Yes, there was that but she couldn't help but smile.  It was the least extravagant of all the homes he had built...  But Bob never did anything half way, not even here.

The floor was built of the stuff dreams were made of and she sighed with delight as her bare feet glided across them like a child discovering a new dance.  The large yet very cozy family room had a fire burning in it as soon as she walked in to greet her, lightning the place for the first time in who knows how long and she looked around in wonder at all the books and then back to the fire.

On the mantle there sat a deactivated black light saber.  It was like she had touch everything to make sure it was real and her finger tips strayed from there to a picture, the only one she'd seen in the house and probably the only one she would.  At least in the way of personal photos....  Bob was even in it!

He was with the original members of the Bonny Corporation... some she knew and some she didn't...  some were even still around...  After examining all the faces swiftly her eyes returned to the man himself who had put all of this in her care and she couldn't help the sob even as she smiled at the photo.  She spoke to him as if he could hear her, "So, more proof that it wasn't all just a dream?"  She shook her head before adding softly, "Thank you."

He had given her a lot of things it was true but her gratitude ran far beyond it all.  He trusted and respected her enough to put it in her care.  His friends were apparently very important to him and they deserved to know the truth too.  Bob had for some reason put his faith in this "unreliable" and "unstable" little angel to put all his resources to good use...  

After a few tears she gave one firm and decisive nod to the photograph as though these and many more swirling thoughts were a conversation.  Perhaps she was still a little mad, but the gesture meant he didn't think her incapable and this gave her hope.  "I won't let you down.  I know they all miss you too."