Into the depths of April's mind ((Clark, Ed, Cipher Nine))

[slayers_desire]

J'onn was unable to tell April much about why her voices were not working, but he sensed a darkness in her mind. And rightly was concerned because it was starting to grow... slowly, but steadily.

After a long conversation about how to remedy the situation, it was decided that some of April's closest friends should go into her mind, and seek out the true situation.

Already Clark was at her side, but she had placed phone calls to both Ed and Cipher Nine detailing enough to let them know that she needed them. And a little about why. The whole story would be stated once they all arrived.

But she was nervous. Sick to her stomach. And just wanted her mind back... so she was restless.

((posting order April/ Clark/ Ed and Cipher Nine))

Comments

[nonvillainouscipher]

Ed unconsciously tenses at Atropos's words, as does Cipher Nine, but neither intercedes yet. They also figure Clark already heard the warning, and so feel no need to repeat it for him. They both continue to keep a close eye on the situation, Cipher Nine with his hand hovering near one of his stun knives, the little electrically-charged throwing weapons he carries for debilitating enemies without killing them.

[slayers_desire]

"He who sleeps..." The shadow child replies simply. His red eyes blink up at Clark, and then glanced over his shoulder at both Ed and Cipher Nine.

"I wouldn't expect him to say what is expected..." Lachesis whispers softly.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Whether or not this child is a threat, it sounds like 'He who sleeps' is the one they need to find. "Why don't we help you find him?" he suggests to the child. This could be a trap. But they don't have much choice.

[nonvillainouscipher]

Cipher Nine is all but certain it's a trap, but if deliberately setting the trap off is the only way to get the job done, then so be it. His own glowing red eyes meet the shadow child's for only a moment when the child looks over at him. He nods briefly. "We'll get you back to him," he agrees, voice mild, hand moving away from his knife belt, now resting loose at his side.

Ed... is resisting the urge to impersonate Admiral Ackbar. Because he, too, thinks it could very well be a trap. But giving any sort of sign that they recognise the possible trap would probably be a very bad idea. And it really does appear to be the only way forward.

[slayers_desire]

The shadowchild tilts his head, and whispers softly. "He is watching you. He is in the darkness."

He gets up, starting to walk along the path, not even looking if they are following or not. But he seems to be heading towards the darkest place of April's mind.

"I don't like this way..." Clotho tears up. "All our bad memories are there."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"I don't like it either, but I don't think we have a choice," Clark says in a low voice.

[nonvillainouscipher]

Cipher Nine is used to being watched, so the shadow-child's whispered statement doesn't particularly unnerve him. "Only lead we've got," Cipher Nine agrees quietly. "We'll be on our guard. And, of course, we're here for you if you need us." He briefly leans his cheek into Clotho's head and squeezes her reassuringly with the arm helping to balance her on his hip by way of offering comfort.

[destinyborn]

The shadowchild leads them into the darkest section of April's mind. If they thought there was little scenery before, it is even worse here, with an ever-ending darkness all around them. And every now and then, it appears as something moves. The voices are worse in this section too. "Run! Get away! He is leading you to your death!"

Clotho leans on Cipher Nine as they move deeper into the darkness. There seems to be some large shadows that are starting to form along the path. They have a green-tinge to their blackness.

"Its the Demons!" Clotho whispers fearfully.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"We'll protect you from them," Clark says as confidently as he can, and hopes that that's true. It's hard to tell if the voices are lies or not, even more so in frightening surroundings.

[nonvillainouscipher]

"We won't let them take you," Cipher Nine tells Clotho firmly, moving his free hand to rest on the hilt of one of his vibroknives, ready to draw it at a moment's notice if they're attacked. Of course, he supposes shadows would tend to be intangible, so he's not entirely sure his knives will do anything, but he's at least going to try. If they don't... well. Cipher Nine is vanilla mortal, so there won't be much else he can do to hurt the shadows, other than possibly lobbing flash-bangs at them.

He ignores the voices' warnings as best he can, taking their increased effort to drive them away as a sign that they're getting closer to the source of the corruption.

Ed is holding himself rather tensely too, in the way he always does when he's anticipating a fight. His eyes flick around them warily, watching the new shadows, his hand hovering near the spot on his utility belt where he keeps his trusty flashlight. It usually works well against shadows, though whether the same will hold true here in April's mind isn't clear.

[slayers_desire]

Three shadows move onto the path, blocking them from following the shadowchild. They are all tinted that dark green, and Clark will at least identify some Demonic patterns on their shadow-skin that are similar to The Scourge.

"There you are, little Key..." One whispers, and the voices around them echoes his statement.

"We were hoping to find you..." Another adds, and again the voices echo.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark definitely remembers the Scourge, far better than he wants to. It's been years, but that doesn't make the memories any less vivid for him. "You can't have her," he says firmly, not caring which of the Fates they're after.

[nonvillainouscipher]

Ed wordlessly transmutes his automail arm into a blade while Cipher Nine carefully sets Clotho down and steps in front of her, shielding her from the Scourge with his body and drawing his vibroknife. "Try it, and you won't like the result," he warns, a bit of an icy chill seeping into his voice.

[slayers_desire]

The Demon-shadows dart forward, trying to claim the young Fate. She screams, and there is a slightly ripple of light in the area around them.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Light... Clark's eyes glow with heat vision, and though he doesn't know if it will work here, he still tries. He aims it at the demon-shadows, trying to blast them with the light of the sun.

[nonvillainouscipher]

That flicker of light causes Cipher Nine to change tack as well. He sheaths his knife, draws out his blaster, and fires several measured and aimed but still quick shots at the shadows, white-hot blaster bolts edged in blue blazing out from the barrel of the weapon.

Ed brings out his Beretta and flashlight as well, bracing his gun hand over the hand holding his flashlight the way you always see cops doing in crime dramas. He's still new to guns, so he doesn't fire anywhere near as rapidly as Cipher Nine does (as he is also making sure his shots are carefully aimed), but the hope is that the combined light from the flashlight and the muzzle flash from the gun will help hurt the shadows.

[slayers_desire]

Their light attacks are working well against the shadows, keeping them at bay. The heat vision, blaster bolts and flashlight all put holes into the shadowdemons.

"We need to find strength... to create more light..."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

There's only one other source Clark can think of, one that they saw a brief glimpse of. "Can you help us?" he asks the Fates. They might not know how, but Clotho clearly has the power, if she can learn to use it.

[nonvillainouscipher]

"You have strength," Cipher Nine adds, keeping up his steady shooting rhythm. "You're very strong. Use it. We have faith in you."

[destinyborn]

"I'm scared..." Clotho whispers.

Lachesis gently touches her shoulder. "We have to face our darkness... all of us..."

There is that little glow of light again. Clotho whimpers slightly, not sure how to face this dark point in her past.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"We're here with you," Clark tells them, especially Clotho. "And we're not going anywhere. We're strong by ourselves, together we are even stronger."

[nonvillainouscipher]

Cipher Nine keeps firing, but also addresses Clotho while he's fighting the shadows. "It's never easy to come to terms with something like this. But you do it by not letting it rule you. By not letting it define who you are. You are so much more than a scared little girl running from demons. Show them."

[slayers_desire]

Clotho breathes hard, listening to both Clark and Cipher Nine. Lachesis shows her support by keeping a hand on the younger fate's shoulder.

Clotho then steps forward, yelling at the shadows. "You can't keep me anymore! You are only shadows of my past!"

A bright light fills the area, destroying the shadows. And a semi-normal mind scenery remains in place, of a beautiful pond.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

With no more shadows here, there's no reason to keep up the attack. Clark smiles down at her. "Great job. I knew you could do it."

[nonvillainouscipher]

Ed and Cipher Nine both reholster their firearms, and Cipher Nine smiles too, kneeling in front of Clotho and pulling her into a hug. "Well done," he agrees.