Birth Grounds

Flying, my joy was back.

I followed the river south, the winding turns make it look like a snake. Nothing along it seems like a village, unless they were made in the forest alongside.

That sounds nice, tree-houses and tree-people.

Just gliding on the lifting breeze felt great, I was happy to be out, but I still had a mission: to make sure the catchers and those balls are to be stopped. It felt like so much, just me? Against what looks like multiple groups? I'll figure out something. I'm not really strong, but... I'll try, until I can't anymore.

The wind calmed my crazed thought process, it was going faster than I was flying. Then I just snapped to when I saw smoke billowing to the open air, it was everywhere, and with no fire? I couldn't wrap my mind around it, but I'll figure it out when I get closer. The black smoke was easy to see with the moon's shine; it had this weird effect on its surroundings, like it was more important than the rest of the world. You can't miss it, and it could hold your attention.

I continued on; I wondered if this place was a town, it was getting really big. The smoke spanned over all of the town, covered in black. I was getting close to walking distance; the town was enormous, I wondered how anyone who need to get from one side to the other did. Walking that might take the entire day. A better question: how did anyone breathe? I can hardly do so myself, the air was thick and had a bad taste to it. My hand had a quick motion for a breeze and I no longer inhaled the smog, a quick fix.

I flew in close to the ground, and noticed the river, it lost it's beauty to this town, it looked burnt. Much like the surrounding green, or not quite so, more like gray. The gate-like structure looming overhead was old and rusted, only "City" prevailed to mark the foundation before it. Ash City, fits well.

The cover of night granted me entrance, and invisibility of the eyes surrounding me in a sun's notice. The ground was a solid flat surface, as hard as a rock and carried the city's ugly scent. I walked on it a little bit, it felt smooth and rough, almost checkered-like, and immediately turned my feet black. Just, really?

My frustration was broken by a small rushing sound, something was running, no, two things were. I whisked myself on the nearest roof, and watched below. Two little boys ran out from a nearby alley, and slowed to stop at a corner of the house I was on.

"You both were here?"

"We played over there," said the younger, "That's where I saw him last."

"Then what happened?"

"I got thirsty, so I went back for a drink and I came right back," Moonlit tears streamed down his cheeks, "And he was gone; Don't tell mom! Please!"

"Justin! Don't worry, everything will be fine," The older brother held Justin, "We'll find him. Was there anything different earlier?"

"*sniff* There waz twoh large men juswhatchin' us," Justin muffled with punctuated sniffles.

"What did they look like?"

"They were weering brown an' raggy cloughz, and that covared their moauths." Justin burrowed further to his brother's chest, his sobbing growing each passing moment.

I was at ends with my nerves, I'd lift the town to help; Justin started to quiet, it keep me in place.

"Justin, go home, I'll find out what I can, okay?"

"But," Justin rose to look at his brother, "I want to help too."

"You can't right now, I'm just going to find out where he is, and when I do, I'll get you. How does that sound?"

"Bring Brass and Sonnos."

"Okay, I'll do that, at the pillar, and go as fast as you can."

"You can count on me!" Justin ran back down the alley he came from, his brother looked on, proud, then left in the opposite direction.

I followed the older one, across the rooftops, making sure not to touch the soot atop the buildings. We soon arrived at "the pillar," it jutted out from a small opening in the complex. It centered an old memorial, stairs and rails circled the figure. He stopped just short of the stairs, swiveled around and surveyed the area; I barely ducked away.

Not two moments passed, and an adolescent foliage feline and wrapped ghost bolted up from the same path. The brother convened with the two creatures, and traveled down an alley right of the entrance. I continued to follow, it didn't last long, the large cat stopped, its leaves started to turn from it's rich green to summer colors. It turned towards me and growled, catching the attention of the other two.

"What's going on, Brass?" Brass' leaves started to fall off, "Something of cold is there. Sonnos, go around." Sonnos nodded and passed through the wall next to them, and Brass was finished shedding, revealing the iron-clad lion within.

The brother nodded close towards me, "Brass, there, Metal Sound!" Brass' roar wasn't like any other roar, screatching filled my ears, it came from every direction. I tried to hold my composure, I wasn't doing so well. I had to counter the sound, I shot a funneled ring of wind to scoop up one of leaves from Brass, and folded it cylindical with holes. I blew into my new whistle, the relief was instant, but shortlived with a pair of arms squeezing my stomache from behind. I lost my wind but the shrappnel noise ended, forcing my breath back I whistled again. The arms tried to cut-off my guided breath, but began to loosen, and eventually fell back.

I drew myself down the opposite side of the house, he couldn't see me, but he will.

"Brass, wake up!"

I motioned my left hand from under my right, and a shard of ice followed.

"Here, this'll help," Metal clanks slowly sounded.

"Too late," Even my eyes couldn't tell me how it happened, I was behind the brother, with my right hand and ice around his throat in an instant.

Brass was waking up, still focused on where I was, until a moment passed where nothing was heard and turn toward us. Brass was taken aback and shook backwards, and readied a roar. "Silence," air shifted around me, and all was still, Brass' roar was snuffed into nothing. I shook my finger, Brass sat down, understanding. Sonnos arrived, and followed Brass' idea and stood next to him.

Once the air began to carry breezes again, "Tell them to keep back," I ordered. The brother nodded after the two focused back to him, Brass lay down while Sonnos sat. I retracted the ice, and my hand patted his shoulder, "I want to help you."

"What? Help me with what?"

"I've been listening since before your brother went back, I'm helping, you aren't shaking me easily."

He turned to me, and backed up a little, "This has nothing to do with you."

Oh, this is going to be so risky; I chanted looking into the brother, like on Wes. His pupils overtook my vision, everything happened at once, then I snapped to.

"What?" asked Serh.

I held my head again, it wasn't as bad as Wes, but I'm still not going to get used to it.

"Sonnos! Sha-"

"Serh!" I shouted, "Shut up!"

Silence ensued, and nothing moved, the wind held only the gentle breezes. I opened my eyes to see my vision normal again, and a very shocked Serh and his two friends. Well, Sonnos was more so, they grew up together since 5, and Justin with Brass as well, and their youngest brother, Brandon, he's lost. That's who he's trying to find. And nearing 6, he really needs help.

"You don't know me, and I'll take care of this myself," barked Serh.

"Jeez, don't make me call you by your real name," I'm still kneeling over, trying to shake off what was left of the migraine.

"What's that going to do?"

"Piss you off, then realize that only your parents know it, then sit here and figure out why I know it. And then, you're going to stomp off angrily before attempting to get back to the task at hand," feeling better at this point, I slowly stood, a still angry Serh before me. I walked on the previous path, "Are you coming? I'm going, whether you are or not." I kept walking, waiting for him.

Something to my left caught my attention, from the North-West, a dark falling star with an orange comet tail.

Serh began to catch up, for someone that runs, he's fast. My walk broke to hovering, I turned to face him, in a sitting back pose, "Finally decided to show up?"

"Like I'm going to leave my little bro," Serh's resolve showed through, that was the most determined face I've seen yet. We continued to race to the smoky building, were Serh feels his brother is held.

A dull boom sounded as we reached the end of the alley, and the unobstructed view of Catchers United. I already hated the building, it had a disgusting feel. Heading around toward the entrance to the right, everything was run down and covered in soot. The entire building and even the path itself had an abandoned feel, but showed signs that someone uses the place. Looking around more, I noticed that this building has a of smoke towers on the South side, and just noticed an upper floor corner missing. There was a few bricks on ground below, but not like someone bashed out the wall or an explosion. Like it was old...

We continued over to the building-tower connection, "We'll get in here," spoke Serh. "Sonnos, scout it out," Sonnos nodded and proceeded through the wall to the main building. Not even a moment later, Serh and Brass were gone, then my arm was jerked through the wall.

The wall passed through me like a warm chill, and I stepped inside, no one but us four were around. The faint glow of monitors filled the room, all of them showing black with green and white letters. I scanned over one just to my right, it showed how a thermal temperature was doing. It was nearing 90 percent... The back of my mind told me that was bad.

"Serh, I don't think this is good," I conveyed.

Serh walked over, and looked over the details, "Yeah, no, not good at all." Serh began to type, words that were coming up by the strokes in white, and the computer responded in green and red. He sat back, "I'm not able to do anything, and that tower is going to blow by morning."

"I'm going to go ahead, and see if I can figure out any way to stop it," I made my way to the door, Serh still over the monitor with the other two sifting through cabinets.

"Be safe, I'm going to try some more things."

"Don't worry," I passed into the next room, the door slid shut silently. I was greeted with charcoal up my nose, without the actual lumps. The smell was so strong, it felt like I wouldn't breathe. I motioned to thin the air around me, I took a breath, and it helped. Boxes lined the moonlit room, I could only guess what was in them. On the far side of the room, the boxes end over at the right corner. A turn, sure, but I'm not liking this place at all. I slowly hover to the bend, already I'm hearing voices coming from further down. I reach the end and peek around, a smaller box-lined hallway. It turned to the right, and I reached the end quickly. The turn revealed the last hallway, still box-lined floor-to-ceiling, but with stairs at the far end. The voices carried from the steps, but still too faint to make out.

I drifted up the steps, and took down my air shield. The room was furnished, nicely, complete with waiting chairs and portraits of various landscapes. Fake river flowers were punctuated between the hanging canvases, but the smell was of mountains. Weird, but I'm over having charcoal invade my nose. Just ahead of me, the beige carpet had a burn trail leading from the stairs to double doors at the opposite wall. I followed the trail, the voices strayed to my right, behind another set of double doors. They'll be there, just sounds like chatter anyways.

I barely pushed open the doors the trail lead, they closed behind me, with another entryway in front of me, but a warning sign held me there. It was old, but legible: "WARNING! Extreme heat, wear thermal suit. I should be fine... The metal doors were heavy, I had to press with my shoulder, even then I had small trouble.

I slipped through to see metal doors like the one I just pushed, but with windows to the inside of the tower. Before I could even try to pass through, the barrier radiated heat, enough to warn for immediate burns. I decided to shoot what snow I could make at the door, the flurry steamed out before touching it. An air shield would be best, it is what I'm good at right now, some moisture could help. I round my hands close together, and focused, pressuring mist into a sphere. I leaked the sphere towards myself, enveloping my entirety in the cloak. Time for a test: I put my hand close to the door, I didn't feel heat, even close to touching, nothing. I pressed the door, I'm feeling it now, but the temperature was letting on slowly.

The final door was as heavy as the last, and the blazing heat within lashed at the small amount of fresh air. I entered, focusing to keep my mist stable. The room was the tower itself, it had turbines overhead, turning at the steam, and below this floor's bridge was the boiler. I have to cool this place down, but, I'm having a hard time with myself. I looked down from the edge of the bridge, the boiler was circular like the tower, but had enough space from the wall for me to fit.

I dived down to the gap, steam fought my decent and barrier. It wasn't as much of a squeeze as it looked from above, but the heat is starting to get to me. I went around the overheated container, to where the tower touches the storage building. There was someone there against the wall with a creature, the fire suit was slumped over with the back towards me. I couldn't tell now if someone was even inside it, and the lemur looked like it was wrapping itself with the suit. I focused movement to raise my shield's strength, the cool washed over me but nothing beat out the boiler's roar.

My attention was back on the suit; I walked over, the ground wasn't inviting, but it might be weird to see something blue float over. I went down the shake the person's shoulder, but the animal instantly spaced between us. I retracted slightly at the speed, even still, I went forward to check on the slouch. I'm a finger away, and a jolt raced up my arm. The pain struck hard; that may have been the worst shock I ever had. The lemur hissed, I'm not to touch...

Well, I'll get this done. I smash my hands together, they begun to shake then break apart, revealing a whipping swirl of wind. I focused mostly on this, and my veil was speckling out, mostly from the bursts escaping. My grip was breaking as the vortex grew. Then, I turned and released it along the wall away from the two before me. The whirlwind ventured around the tower, forced the lemur into gripping the ground, and the fabric flew up from the gust. I caught the limp suit and rode the remaining force back up to the above bridge. I shot the door open with a burst of wind, and made through the short-lived opening.

The door shut as I got in, I let the suit down, and slammed my back to the wall. My breath escaped at the pressure, it reminded me that I need to breath, and I slid down to sit. It is still too hot in here. I faced my palms up and shot up the snow like when I did on the door next to me. The powder fell slowly, and felt good when it touched my face. The suit rustled, and a head popped out, the lemur from before looked around, then at the falling snow.

"Don't worry," I said without really looking, "I'm just cooling down."

The little lemur went to shake the chest of the suit, then went over to drink from the forming pool next to the tower's door. My immediate fatigue ended, and I crawled over to the limp mess I left on the floor. I tried to figure out how to open it, the head piece was attached, and the back itself was seamless. At least it isn't too hot anymore.

I turned it over, and it started to move around awkwardly. It got up, and knelt halfway to its knees, with its head bent back to its chest. The forearms stuffed its helm into its neck, and did the same with its right hand to its arm. The suit grabbed the zipper on its right foot and unzipped completely to its left, and a child slid out. Brandon.

"I've been looking for you," I said, "We need to get out of here."

He got up, "I'm taking Blister!"

"Okay, go ahead, who's Blister?"

"Him!" Brandon pointed to the lemur, who was still drinking, "Why is it cold in here?"

"I made it that way, now, let's go," I got up, and pressed my weight against a middle door.

"Blister, let's go!" Blister perked up and followed Brandon through the door.

I passed and went up to the next one, "Brandon, I need you to do a favor."

"It better not be a lot," Brandon folded his arms and scowled, Blister copied his arms.

"You're going to leave, okay?"

"That's good, but how?"

"You are going down the stairs to the right, then go down every hallway and go past every door, and go through a door at the very end. Your brother Serh is there."

"Stephen? He's never cared about me."

"More than you know, he just won't admit it," I went to eye level, "He won't even say it to Sonnos, but trust me, I can tell." I stood up after Brandon nodded his approval, and put my shoulder to the inside door, "You ready?"

"Yes. Thank you, blue lady."

I chuckled a little, I'm a lady now.

I pressed open the door, Brandon bolted to the steps with Blister on his shoulder. I stepped through, the carpet here felt better than the blazing dirt in that tower. I can just feel the burns I could have had. Can't believe I made it out, felt like a burning prison. I ventured over to the doors with the voices, they were still there, just one person was talking now. I drifted over as quiet as I could, and pressed my back to the wall next to the door.

The voice went on, "-bers are rising, every base is growing, and the future looks to keep that solid. Just in the last half-month, our record for single mission captures was broken. Along with our roof."

The room filled with multiple chuckles.

"Ahem, now, our masterful lone star will oversee our most important move. The shipment of our commissioned Miracle Balls. Trift will accompany the shipment team under a certain secrecy; Being disguised as one of usual grunts. If anything seems out of the way, he'll take care of it."

"So who knows about Trift being present?"

"Just us, as well as Mort; he's the supervisor so he should know."

A small build of conversation took over, mostly over the involvement of their covered op. I peaked in through the finger crack, I could see the outside sky from a corner broken out of the building, and a dark figure leaning against the wall looking down. The light didn't spill on them, and there was rubble scattered across the ground. The voices were hidden past the door, I couldn't see them.

"Settle down, everyone. I understand your concerns, but the orders are above Jirrak, and agreed on by our supplier's president."

"So they know Trift is going?"

"Yes and no, they know that he's going, but doesn't know of Trift. We described Trift as a mercenary of sorts. The kind you'd worry about even after hire."

More chuckles filled the room, the mystery person motioned for leave.

"Go ahead."

He rose then walked to exit the room. I just now recognized Trift as the moonlight hit him, I should have with his burnt orange hair swirled over his face. He's coming at me. I shift behind the cracked-open door as Trift exits, he closes the door without turning, and grabs my arm.

"Wha-," He covered my mouth and raced me through the tower's first doors.

"Quiet." I stopped resisting for a bit because he didn't say that, again.

Before I could say something else, I felt dizzy, but my perception was fine. I knelt to help myself; This headache was growing fast, I might pass out.

"You'll be fine, you're getting out of here, and this place will be fine," His voice penetrated my mind, and echoed endlessly.

I figured I'd be fine, but guess it'll all be downhill once I split in two, starting at my head. I'm frail around this guy. Why? I can get through a water inferno, but I can't be in the same room as Trift.

"Stay still," he placed his hand on my head, a few memories flashed before me. Those weren't mine. "I know, and you can get back to them later."

"Can you not be in my head?" I spat out, "No one can be coincidental enough to guess thoughts."

"I guess you aren't up to speed, hmm..."

What he meant by that, I didn't have the slightest clue. Trift said something too quiet in my mind, then this new-found warped reality ate at my vision. Everything was moving, and blurring; I tried to hold into the wall, but something was weird.

My hand looked fine. My feet were too, as well as my dress. Trift was fine. What is wrong with me?

"I just gave you all of what I can see. It is up to you on how you want to use it."

Well, that's just dandy. I'm tripping out over here, and apparently Trift is forever intoxicated.

"You just can't handle it now. Relax your eyes, take a deep breath, and envision your sight getting stretched from the center."

I sat against the wall, and faced Trift, and relaxed my entire self and closed my eyes. I tried to stretch my internal vision before opening, I seemed to do better, then upon opening, everything was back to the way it was. The walls and doors as solid as the metal in them.

"I left you something to help your future, ~Froaghsh Xo'eveon.~ I hope you can figure it out, Nul. You don't know how much I want to call you something else."

"What do you mean, something else?" I looked up at him, his back to me now.

"It'll have to wait for its proper time. I'm already being too careless. Just glaze over your future memories when this blows over."

I was confused, my headache subsiding, and energy was coming back to me.

"Just don't overdo yourself tonight, I expect to see you later," and with that, he passed through the exit to the building.

I stood myself up, I wobbled slightly, my world isn't as it seemed. My legs had a sudden burst of energy, along with the rest of my body. I went to the door and pushing it with my shoulder was effortless, and I realized on floating and doing this.

What did Trift do?

I skated over to the meeting doors, I could tell everyone's getting ready to leave. So nothing more is going to be said. Brandon's had ample time to get to Serh and get out.

My mind ventured back to what Trift just said: "Just don't overdo yourself tonight."

He knew I was going to fight, and didn't stop me? He might have helped me, no, he did, I'm feeling better than before Brandon's rescue.

Too good, I've never felt so empowered. I whipped up a vortex breeze; it was fast, and for just having it.

I normally have to focus for that.

This is going to be fun.