Participants:
| Scene Title | Split Personalities |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Brian is moving stuff, Desree is chasing a kid she thinks Brian is trying to hurt that kid when he's really not so she shockytouches him and he fixes her hand and then they go to find the kid in his car but he had to carry her cuz she was tired then ice cream. |
| Date | Monday, January 12 |
Standing in the ruins of Midtown, it's hard to believe New York is still a living city.
There's life enough around the fringes — the stubborn, who refused to rebuild somewhere else; the hopeful, who believe the radiation is gone, or that they somehow won't be affected. Businesses, apartment complexes, taxis and bicycles and subways going to and fro — life goes on. Perhaps more quietly than in other parts of the city, shadowed by the reminder that even a city can die, but it does go on.
Then there is the waste. The empty core for which the living city is only a distant memory. Though a few major thoroughfares wind through the ruins, arteries linking the surviving halves, and the forms of some truly desperate souls can occasionally be glimpsed skulking in the shadows, the loudest noise here is of the wind whistling through the mangled remnants of buildings. Twisted cords of rebar reach out from shattered concrete; piles of masonry and warped metal huddle on the ground, broken and forlorn. Short stretches of road peek out from under rubble and dust only to disappear again shortly afterwards, dotted with the mangled and contorted forms of rusting cars, their windows long since shattered into glittering dust.
//There are no bodies — not even pieces, not anymore. Just the bits and pieces of destroyed lives: ragged streamers fluttering from the handlebar which juts out of a pile of debris; a flowerbox turned on its side, coated by brick dust, dry sticks still clinging to the packed dirt inside; a lawn chair, its aluminum frame twisted but still recognizable, leaning against a flight of stairs climbing to nowhere.
At the center of this broken wasteland lies nothing at all. A hollow scooped out of the earth, just over half a mile across, coated in a thick layer of dust and ash. Nothing lives here. Not a bird; not a plant. Nothing stands here. Not one concrete block atop another. There is only a scar in the earth, cauterized by atomic fire. This is Death's ground..
The sun, if it can even resemble something like that in a place like this starts to slink lower in the sky, giving a cold grey veil feeling to the entire area. As the vacant wind whips through the still radiated ground and air, Desree bends forth just a bit to catch her breath. Her dark hair shifts about her face and a few beads of sweat roll down her skin. "ERIC!" She cries out and frowns some as she listens closely. The distant sound of dashing feet draw her attention further downt he street and into the rubble and quiet chaos of the district.
Digging her heels in, Desree is off, tearing through the debris with a fluid ease. "ERIC!" She calls again, coming up to what was once an intersection and skidding to a hault. She loosk about, turning in place as she sets her leather case down in plain view. Her eyes close slowly and she tenses before she starts to relax. Dark waves shift about her face and for and instant, she seems to sag where she is.
"And your wasting all your thunder, got me in haste runnin' for cover, where we gonna go from here.."
The words are sung softly, to himself as he walks slowly over a pile of debris. A box is held in his hands as he carefully manages his way down the wreckage hill. Watching his step as to not fall and break a toe or something. His thick green jacket is worn as well as a military style green cap. He's singing to himself(s) as he makes his way to where he had parked his car. Except he's not alone. Well.. He kinda is.
There are two more young men, identical to the first save for different clothing. They are also carrying large boxes of various materials being moved from Phoenix's old base of operations to the new one. But then there's a noise. Someone yelling? People don't often yell in these parts. As a matter of fact, people don't do much of anything in these parts. It's this fact that has the three Brians ducking for cover behind piles of wreckage, burnt out cars and.. anything that can be found. The boxes are put down as the three find cover. Only one of them has a gun. But the glock is pulled out quietly as the three alertly assess what kind of threat this mad man 'Eric' is.
The air is silent now except for the passing of the breeze. The young boy in question, dressed in torn jeans is running rather swiftly towards Brian's hiding position. But he is not unseen, not just by Brian.
The world wavers for her, her ethereal eyes searching the streets faster than she could in her physical form. ~Eric, oh goodness the radiation..~ That is when she spots him and it does not take that spirit like form to take note of the man with his glock. Fear rides up in her and she is suddenly within her own body again. "ERIC!!!" She screams and she is off quickly, rushing down the way she saw him go, her arms pumping at her sides.
"Oh please.." She starts to say to herself and rounds the corner, tearing through a once alley, the buildings all but gone except for their foundation. She skids and bangs her shin against the pile of crumble cement. WIncing, she digs her hands in and begins to climb it to get a look, knowing Eric is just ahead. Her eyes pan out and she takes note a familiar heep, one that the gun toting man is behind.
She nearly tumbles down the other side of the pile and is off, her tennis blackened and dusted, along with her clothes. Her shawl rips free as a bit of rebar grabs and tears it from her, nearly spinning her around. "ERIC!! STOP!" She says and slams her knee into the ground once free of the shawl, her hand skidding across the ground and debris.
Arching his brow as he peers through his pile at the subject. It's a kid. That's weird. A Brian stands slowly. This one is very much not holding a gun. Though what do you do at a running kid and a very loud woman practically ripping her clothes off to catch him. A bit bewildered, Brian leaps out of his hiding position to intercept poor little Eric. His arms out wide, he simply runs at him from an angle and goes to swoop him up in his arms.
Behind the car, Brian tucks his gun back into the back of his pants. He and the third Brian remain still and silent. Identical triplets is always hard to explain, plus he would have to make up names.. God. Such a hassle.
Watching as the man moves to intercept the young kid, fear curdles in her throat. Ruffian, murderer, criminal..are various names that suddenly sprout in her head. "Let him go!" She states, her pants ripped from her fall and a trickle of blood streaming from the same knee and also from her right hand, the broken glass still gleaming within the cut.
She winces a bit as she flexes her fingers and ignores it for now. Eric lets out a startled cry as the surprise of someone grabbing at him sends into a fit of flailing. She gazes off towards the other two waiting and Desree tenses.
She swallows and hurries then towards Eric, clamoring through the debris recklessly. "I said..let him go.." As she crosses the distance, she attempts to reach out and touch Brian's arm, a sudden pulse of unseen energy coursing from her to him, as if to knock him back, though it is weak.
"Woah, woah woah." Brian calls out as he catches the kid, working his arms around him as he works against the boy's flailing. "Easy man. I'm not gonna hurt you. Easy! I'm not going to hurt you." When loud noises happen, repeating yourself a lot seems like the wisest idea. And so to hammer home the point, "I'm not going to hurt you!" Is said one more time.
"I think you lost—" Brian starts with a light smile as she approaches. But then she's giving him the magic touch, and Eric is all but dropped as he stumbles backward. His foot catching on a piece of rubble the young man goes tumbling onto his back. With a thud, his eyes go wide as he is now suddenly on the gound. Pushing away with his feet and hands, he gives an alarmed look up at the woman. "I was just trying to help! Holy shit!"
It worked, but suddenly the woman seems to be trembling, the blood from her hand staining the ground in small patterns. She moves quickly to Eric, offering her good hand to him. "Eric..come on." Seh states and he hesitates, then joins her side for a moment. She shudders and draws a slow breath, blinking as she pulls the boy closer. "Help? You had a gun!" She states. "I saw you pull it!" She then shakes her head, backing up with Eric as she does so, pushing the boy behind her and trying to navigate the debris in the growing dark.
Her cheek is smudged with dust and her eyes watch the man closely, casting a look over at his look alikes, brows furrowing. "Eric…go.." She reaches behind her and then hears the hurried steps as the boy takes off. She turns then and her eyes widen. "ERIC!" She winces and starts after him again, only to feel her knee give out. "Shit.." she says softly and hits the ground with a jarring effect again.
How the hell did she see that? Pushing himself up slowly, he goes to dust himself off. "This is a dangerous place to be. I was just being safe.." He explains slowly. How does she— Then he quietly watches the semi-spectacle of her and the boy try to make their escape from him. Dusting himself off he investigates the tiny scrapes on his hands. Hm.
"You okay?" He asks. His copies remain in their hidey places, not daring to let the woman or the boy see two more of him. He takes a step forward once she falls down. "I'll help you up if you promise not to give me a shock-y touch thingy."
Eric is already disappearing from sight as he is already attempting to take advantage of the situation. She barely hears what Brian has to say before turning to look over her shoulder from where she rests on one knee. Staring to push herself up, she glances over towards where she thought she saw the others. "Who..who are you?" She asks, trying to avoid any talk of what he calls the 'shock-y touch thingy'.
Her hand is now stained a red, the gash in it still gleaming with fresh blood. Wariness settles into that warm brown gaze, watching the man closest to her.
"Just a guy taking a walk in the ruins of a bomb." He says cheerily, turning from her. He goes to walk over the small pile of rubble where he left that box. Popping it open he picks it up and returns to where Desree is. "Your kid is getting away." He says softly, tilting his head. "But.. You should let me take care of that." He gives a pointed look at her hand. "I just so happen to have medical supplies. Right here." He says, gesturing to the box. Brian waits a beat before, "You know.. It's dangerous out here. You and your boyfriend shouldn't be taking your romantic sprints here."
Her face sours at the reminder of Eric making his escape and Desree whispers something under her breath. She looks as though she may turn and take her leave but the world grows dizzy and she takes a few unsteady sidesteps but remains standing. "He..he is an orphan under my care…damn it. He got out of the home while I was setting up papers with his new parents." She winces and places her hand over her sliced one.
"I gotta go after him…." She wavers even standing still on her feet.
"Good luck with that." Brian mutters as he walks forward. "You're not doing so good kiddo. Better take a break." One hand goes out to seize her arm gently. "Here. Take a seat. I'll get Eric." He goes to one knee, trying to ease her down, supporting her with his other arm.
HIs copies are on the run though. Their feet echoing as they take off after the kid. It might be hard to explain to him once again that they aren't there to hurt him, but better they run into him than Sylar or somebody like that. "So, you're Evolved."
"What?" She says, watching the other two take off. Fear spreads through and stiffens her limbs and she does down like a lead weight. "Eric.." she starts and draws her hand away from the injured one, blood painting her hand and fingers. She closes her eyes and draws a few deep breaths as she sways even seated.
"Yes…I think..I.." Her brows furrow before Desree gazes up at him. "He's just afraid…lost his parents to the bomb…hasn't spoken or said anything to anyone since. I have been trying to help..I just can't." She says softly and turns her gashed hand upwards, the glass glinting in the faint light, embedded into her palm.
"Don't worry about anything. I'll take care of you." He says softly. Fishing in the box he takes out a bottle of something, some cottons and gauze. "You're really lucky I'm not a rapist or something, you know?" He says smirking a little bit as he reaches for her wrist. Brian frowns at it, looking at her. "I need to clean it out. It's going to hurt. You can like bite my shoulder or say bad words or something." He suggests.
Meanwhile, there are two identical men rushing after one annoying little runaway. "Eeeeriiiccc!"
There is a vacant nod from her a moment, "If you were, you'd be flat on your backend again." She promises softly and as he turns her wrist she winces. Her eyes close and she presses her lips together firmly, her head tilting as her temple rests against his shoulder. Already her breathing has increased, more swiftly and as she waits in anticipation for the cleaning of her wound. "YOu…those men.." she starts suddenly, trying to break that tense knot in her back. "They are all you.." She observes silently. "Get it cleaned, and I can direct you to him…"
A little chuckle. "You would beat me up, huh?" He asks as he brings up the disinfectant to pour over her hand. He is generous in the dosage, as he isn't entirely sure exactly what he's doing. Putting the bottle down he brings up the cottons to start cleaning away at the wound. "Yeah.. They are. Don't tell anybody or I'll have to stuff you in my basement forever, kay?"
She winces and hisses through her teeth before she manages a half hearted reply back. "I will haunt you long after that.." She promises and then narrows her gaze on the wound. "Hurry..I can't concentrate with the touch like that…when I do this..you will need to hold me. I.." she starts and shifts at a sudden sting of pain. Catching her breath, she nods. "I am too weak…to stay standing. I don't know how long I will be able to help you." She admits, though her determination is clear as she stares up at him and then lets off a cut scream as he moves the chunk of glass in her hand.
"Sorry." He mutters. "I got it though. If that makes you feel better."
Picking out the gauze, Brian quickly wraps it around her hand, pulling out a dinky little pocket knife out of his pocket he cuts the end effectively bandaging her hand. Tucking the knife away he gives an arched brow. "I don't even know your name and you want me to hold you? You're being so very forward." He grins, tilting his head. "What are you going to do?"
"I will find him…give me five minutes…" She says, wincing still and flexing her hand in the new bandage. "I..might pass out…" She cringes at this, not entirely certain of him as well. Gazing up at him, she nods. "I have no one else to trust right now and I can't lose him. So…you are on a trial run." She manages a weak smile and as she focuses on what seems to be something beyond him and through him. Slowly her eyes glaze over and lashes fall slowly to veil her. Her body slumps and becomes dead weight, her breathing shallow.
Eric. She is beside him as he squats within what is left of a basement of one of the buildings not far from the searching men. Her wispy form moves towards him, reaches down to try to touch him and passes through. ~Eric…its okay~ She whispers softly and for Brian he may hear those words as well.
A few minutes go by and she still remains motionless and completely unmoving except for her quiet breathing.
"What?" Brian asks bewildered. "What are you going to do? Don't pass out." He urges, arching his brows. Clearly of the opinion that whatever she's doing is not a great idea. "Wait! I'm not ready for my trial—" And then she slumps. He has to move over quickly to catch her. Slinking his arm around her back he goes to gently cradle her as he peers at her, at a loss for what to do now. "This is so fucking weird." He grumbles, figuring she's passed out and can't hear his naughty language. No problem.
"Where the eff did he go.." One Brian muses, looking this way then that. Soon the copies split up, searching for the poor little kid in different areas. "Eric.. Come on buddy, it's dangerous out here!" He calls out. Though he pauses.
A few more minutes and that dead weight remains in his arms. As her ethereal embodiment watches over Eric, it begins to waver. Her body is growing more weak from the usage of her powers and she grimaces. The ethereal plane shifts and disappears.
In his arms she suddenly takes a deeper breath and stirs. Lashes begin to lift. "Before he moves…hE's not far…in the basement of the red bricked building..what is left of it…one of you is there. He's really close..tell them." She thinks he might be able to communicate with his other halves. She trembles in his arms and begins to look a bit feverish. "It's cold.." She says, her eyes closing again.
"Ah. Goodmorning sunshine." Brian says as her lashes flutter. "They already know. Got him." He says, with a reassuring smile. He frowns as her eyes go close again. Lacing his under arm under her legs he grunts as he goes to rise.
Over at the broken down building, Brian slips over what's left of a wall. "Eric, buddy?" Creeping down the basement he goes slowly, and loudly to let the boy know he's coming. "Buddy, I'm here to take you home, okay?"
Desree for the most part is silent, her eyes shifting every once and a while showing she is alert enough. Her hand bandaged hand cradled in her lap, her head to his chest. There is the distant sound of sirens but for the other two Brian's, they are awaited by a desperate and frightened thirteen year old.
The shuffle in the growing dark gives away his position before he starts to sprint free, trying to make a break for the opposite wall. He reaches up to try to pull himself up, hooking his foot in a broken window ledge.
Roads aren't drivable here. So it's quite a hike that Brian has to carry Desree on to where his car was left. The old banged up 91 Dodge Spirit sitting in the company of a few burnt out cars who have long stopped working. Once he finally arrives at the car, he gives a little frown. He glances down at Desree's face, to make sure she's not watching him. Once that's done, a little pop is made as Brian replicates. A naked duplicate of the first pops out, reaching into the pocket of the first he takes out the key, unlocks and opens the door. Replacing the key in the pocket he then touches the neck of the first Brian, and melds back into him.
"Don't run Eric. I'm going to help you, alright man? I know you're scared. So just come with me man. I won't let anything happen to you." Brian tries to say soothingly. Eric's escape will be short lived, as the other Brian has made his way to the opposite wall, standing just outside the window escape.
She is indeed not watching, her body still shivering and trembling slightly. As she hears the door open, her head turns and her eyes are slow to follow in opening. All in all, the other copy is safe from her view. She stares at the car then turns back up at him. "My name's Desree..Desree Sheperd." She offers him in a way of thanks. "Eric?" She asks.
Eric indeed. Trying to pull himself out of the window, is met with the same man that was in the room behind him. His eyes widen. "What the.." He starts, his mouth parting as he attempts to scramble away. "DESREE!" He yells loudly, suddenly wishing he hadn't left his social worker.
"Brian." He says as he goes to ease her into the backseat. "I hope it doesn't smell too bad." He says, with a little grin. Though it might not be a joke. Once he eases her in he rolls his eyes. "He's hard to handle." He mutters, going to close the door behind her. Getting in the front he starts up the vehicle.
"Easy dude." Says the Brian behind him, holding his hands up to show he's not armed. Well.. he is. But Eric won't know that. "I'm going to take you to Desree, okay? So please just calm down and come with me, please?" He asks a little desperately.
Resting now in the car, the slight smell of the furnished inside assails her nostrils. Des blinks, more awake now than she had been a moment ago. "Eric..has always been hard to handle.." She mutters softly and attempts to push herself up, the injured hand causing her to falter a bit in adjusting her position in the passenger seat. As the car roars to life, she blinks and begins to look around, albeit slowly. "Where are you going?"
Meanwhile, the thirteen year old kid is giving the two other Brian's a small little run. He hesitates though and looks back towards the two. "If you know Desree…who is she?"
"To pick him up." Brian states simply, putting the car in reverse. "Uhh.. Who are you?" Brian asks flatly as he maneuvers the vehicle. Putting it in drive he pulls out of the parking lot. "Eric wants to know.." A little shrug.
"Desree Shepherd. Eric. Come on. She's your.." What is she. "Your helper."
"Social worker…I work for the city. I work with kids from broken homes or no homes at all…Eric's full name is Eric Wainwright, his middle name Rufus." She smirks at this and looks over at Brian as he drives, studying him. "What did you call me earlier…evolved?" She asks, her brows raising slowly before she closes her eyes, her smudged cheek resting against the seats head cushion.
Eric blinks and looks between them, starting to back up slowly and looking about as scared as a jack rabbit.
"Yeah. Evovled." Brian says, a little slowly. "You know. The Linderman Act. All the crazies running about shootin' out fire from their hands and flyin' and what not." A pause. "Did you just manifest or something?" He asks, sounding a little shocked. "I personally don't like the term Evovled. I'd prefer Gifted, but then it just sounds I dunno.. pretentious I guess." He confesses as he steers the car.
"Your middle name is Rufus." Brian says with a little smile. "That's a really cool name, man. Like.. raise the roof..us." He says desperately trying to make the boy comfortable.
"You are crazy…" Eric says, but seems to relax a bit as he studies the two. "Where is Desree? She didn't look so good." THe boy presses his lips together.
Desree on the other hand opens her eyes to look over at Brian. "I guess I tend not to care too much unless it involves my kids…its ..I guess I know what it is. I just, know one has ever known. I don't advertise it. You..you can multiply..and communicate with your other halves." She says softly and looks out the window. "What were you doing here?"
"It's like, what's happening in the world. You don't pay attention to the world? You probably should. Crazy crap happening." Brian says as he makes a turn. "It's good you don't advertise it, you'll get hauled over to HomeSec, you know?" He asks with a little smirk. "You're not going to turn me into HomeSec, are ya? Yeah.. I can replicate. I don't usually let people know that on a first date. So.. yeah. Hush." He brings one finger to his lips as he turns again. He doesn't answer the last question.
"She's right outside. My brother is bringing her okay? So.. just follow me and you can go for a ride with her alright?"
"You mean there are more of you?" The boy asks a little warily as he looks about. "Des?" He asks softly and knows she is no where near.
"I won't report you to anyone…you aren't attempting to hurt me so why should I?" she asks and shifts upon her seat, seeming uncomfortable. "I am so drained…." She lets out a slow breath and then attempts to jest back. "I promise not to be so forward on our second date." She smirks at this and then something of worry fills her gaze.
"I don't know. There's crazies out there." He gives a little shrug. "Like women who chase little boys through a maze of rubble." A little smirk raises up on his lips as he pulls to a stop. "Here we are. I'll bring him out." Glancing to the back he gives a little frown. "What exactly is your ability?"
"She's outside. Come with me okay? Yeah. We're triplets. I'm Brian, he's Andrew and our brother is.." He pauses for a moment. "Sebastian." With that he gestures for Eric to follow him as he makes his way out to get to the car.
She turns to gaze at him, hestitating. "I can move distance outside of my body…like my spirit leaves. I can instantly find people and see what is happening and hear everything as if I was there…but no one can see me. Some call it..Astral Projection..recently I have found a way to affect things close to me with small impulses of power..but this is what happens." She motions to her state. "Be careful with him…"
Eric watches them and then the care. Desree pushes at the door and heavily pulling herself out, she attempts to smile at him once she can see him.
"That's pretty neat. Promise you won't watch me in the shower." Brian says as he tilts his head back, allowing Desree to bring Eric in. The two copies will slink off to the abandoned boxes, and take them back to where they had come from. The move can wait for later. For now, he lets one hand idle on the steering wheel as he watches Desree inquisitively.
"Promise.." she says dipping her head back down and gripping the top of the car to keep from falling over. "Eric..please.." She starts and attempts to move around the car but ends up nearly falling as she catches her foot. Hissing between her teeth at the trouble, she motions him over. "Its okay..its not safe out here, we'll go get ice cream after this and I will come with you to the Danforth's house." Eric looks about and then shudders, a tear slowly falling from his eye. He moves towards her and eyes the brothers before wrapping his arms around her middle and she around him. "They weren't here Des.." She smooths his hair and attempts to use the car as a prop, though she manages to stay up. "I Know…lets get in the car."
Wincing as Desree struggles to walk, Brian goes for the door he should have helped her. Stupid. But now it's kinda too late, so he just sits there watching them. At what Eric says he frowns deeply. That makes sense. His features go downcast as the pair return to the car. Once they're in he looks up slowly. "Um.. so.. Where should I take you?" He asks weakly.
Squeezing into the front seat with Eric, she is hip to hip with him as her arm goes about the young boy. "Back to Queens…the office is there and I can grab my car." She says, looking over at Brian a moment before back down to Eric. She smiles, but weakly so and it appears to be taking all of her will power to keep awake. "I gotta take this guy out for ice cream."
Brian arches a brow as she piles into the front seat and against him. In spite of him his eyes wander over to study her for amoment. A deep breath before he puts the car back into drive. "Queens it is." He says as the vehicle hums off. "What a day, hmm?" He asks, trying to get rid of the silence, more importantly, trying to keep Desree awake.
"Yeah.." She starts and leans her cheek against the top of Eric's head. She continues to smooth his hair as he leans back against her. Sighing softly, Desree smiles gently. "Hey Eric, this is Brian..I think you met…his brothers." She hopes she is right. "He said they were out looking for you..I stumbled and hurt myself." She shows him her injured hand and the bandage, soem blood already soaking through. He touches it. "I am sorry Des…I didn't mean to."
"Hey, its okay. We can get some ice cream and Brian can join us." She turns to look at him with her warm brown eyes, an almost pleading look as she blinks to try to stay awake.
"Sebastian." Brian corrects, giving a little bit of a grimace. "My brother is Brian." He gives a little shrug meant only for Des as he steers the car. "Ice cream?" He looks over to Desree, his eyes wide, reluctant. "Uhh.. okay. Yeeeah. Ice cream sounds great." He concedes, looking back to the road. How could he deny those eyes. Hmph.
"Oh thats right..your brother is Brian..sorry." She tenses a bit at her mistake and gazes down at Eric. "Its a good thing he was along." She says to the boy at her side who seems to be warming up to the situation, if only a little. "Hey…mint chocolate chip or banana wammy?" She asks suddenly and a slow grin spreads to the young boy's face. "Both!" Her eyebrows shoot up and Des chortles. "Both, well aren't you the adventorous one. Its all on me.." She says that last bit and looks back at Sebastian, her smile warm and considering as she watches him a moment.
 January 12th: A Very Large Codfish |
 January 12th: And Then He Woke Up |