By Water Be Purged

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:38 am

It hadn't taken long for word of a super-powered throwdown in one of the city's parks to circulate and now Kelpie was wandering through the same park, dressed in her newly acquired body armor. She'd taken special care to cover the Sun Eaters' insignia, definitely not wanting to be mistaken for one of them. Too much baggage with that logo, she thought. She appeared to be trying to figure out who was involved and just whether they were of any interest to her.

by **Narrator** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:34 am

There weren't too many signs of a fight except for whatever disgusting implements the Mockery may have dropped. There's one sign though and it's a pretty big one. A huge chunk of ground has been twisted around and moved and a trail of footprints from the group leads out of the area, the most distinctive ones being those of a big lizard.

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:46 am

Not enough shell casings for this to have been Apophis, she thought, trailing a finger over one of the lizard footprints. She looked at the chunk of ground. And that's either Flowstone or someone else good with earth. Maybe this is what I'm looking for. She started following the footprints, at least as far as she could to get a general direction on where they were heading.

by **Narrator** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 9:10 am

The footprints pretty much end outside of the park (some dirt being dragged along for a couple of yards aside) in the direction of a more well-off residential area of town.

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 9:31 am

Kelpie stopped and eyed the direction the tracks indicated, as if she were trying to decide whether she trusted it or not.

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:17 pm

She wasn't the only one whose interest was piqued, it seemed.

A large number of crows had perched amongst the trees.

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:23 pm

Kelpie looked up at the trees. That's... that's just creepy. She looked back towards the park, trying to decide whether to go look for the dead body that was obviously somewhere. There's got to be something dead in the park. Too many crows for there not to be.

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:27 pm

Though there was some evidence of blood spilled, there really wasn't enough to draw this number of crows, let alone a body.

And if anything, the number of crows perching seemed to be increasing.

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:36 pm

Kelpie's eyes narrowed and she turned her full attention to the crows. Water began running out of two nearby water fountains, gathering at her feet as she continued to watch.

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:38 pm

"You've seen them, haven't you?"

It seemed to come from several directions at once, fading in and out.

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:47 pm

"And if I have?" She spoke out loud, water forming into a wall at her back.

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:51 pm

"Well-equipped. Another of the General's?"

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:54 pm

"Do I look like I answer to that lock-step fool?" The insinuation actually appeared to irritate her and the water roiled around her.

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:56 pm

"No. Those are fresh on you. You're not used to it. Playing soldier..."

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:04 pm

"That's where you're wrong," she said, smirking and seeming to regain her composure. "I have many delusions, but being a soldier isn't one of them. I'm a back-row chess piece in this game." She looked around at the crows, "And with this kind of power, I'd guess you're an important piece yourself."

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:08 pm

"They aren't here for you."

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:11 pm

"No they aren't, but that doesn't mean I can't take advantage of the situation. But this is getting tiresome. Show yourself or this conversation is over."

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:17 pm

"And here I thought you were clever enough to figure it out..."

The flock came down from the trees, concentrating in one spot until they resolved into a red-haired woman who appeared to be wearing a dress of black feathers.

"...you are looking at me."

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:29 pm

Water moved in front of Kelpie's face and formed a second face imposed over her own. "I can play that game too," the water face said. Behind the water, Sam would be able to tell that Kelpie's eyes had flared with a blue glow. Then the glow faded and the water dropped, "But I prefer things be face-to-face for important conversations."

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:35 pm

"How long has it been since you've seen sunlight?"

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:39 pm

"That's entirely dependent on what today's date is. I also fail to see how that's relevant to the topic at hand, namely the people you seem to be looking for. Although I suppose you're going to enlighten me now with its relevance."

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:43 pm

"Simple. You may have cleaned yourself up, thought you saw an opportunity, but these ones aren't your meal ticket, nor whoever you're working with."

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:51 pm

"Since you seem to know what I have in mind so well," she said, crossing her arms again. "What do you propose?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:56 pm

"You're still getting it wrong. All of you, jockeying for position."

"I'll make it plain. This was the wrong time for you to get involved."

"And if you want a war as badly as everyone else here?"

"The only ones who win are the crows..."

Her form broke apart into the flock again, which swept towards Kelpie. It didn't seem to be trying to harm her, just make an impression as it made for the sky.

by **Atropha** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:12 pm

As the flock flew off a winged woman walks up from somewhere in the park. She has an amused look on her face though it doesn't extend to her eyes.

"You'll have to excuse her. She has not been in the best of moods lately and an impudent little water sprite just won't help that."

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 3:09 pm

"Then you misunderstand me greatly." Kelpie said as the flock took to the sky. "But I suppose you don't care about that, just like no one else does."

by **Atropha** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 3:13 pm

"Oh I believe she understood. She's just not all that interested in making deals."

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 4:32 pm

Kelpie looked at the winged woman, "Would she prefer I played to my namesake then? Luring people away to drown them?"

by **Atropha** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 4:41 pm

"In a way, maybe. Though more likely is that right now she's very narrow-minded. Not someone you'd want to pester with... what did you want again?" she asks, tilting her head.

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 4:46 pm

"I was actually looking for a group of 'heroes'. I met them earlier and I honestly wanted to make sure they met up with the others and got on their way..." She smiled. "... to somewhere well away from here. I was also looking to offer them some assistance in getting there."

by **Atropha** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 4:56 pm

"Oh please. This from someone who named herself after creatures who lure their victims in with safe passage?"

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 5:35 pm

"Believe what you want. Sometimes you just take on a name and wrap yourself up in it. It becomes like a warm blanket. Sometimes you become something either because you believe you need to or because everyone expects you too. Or maybe I'm just five pounds of crazy in a two pound bag like everyone thinks I am." She paused for a breath. "But let's face facts, their presence here is doing no one any favors. The sooner they're gone, the safer they'll be and the Chaotics and the General's forces can go back to harassing each other all they want and I can go back to watching. Either of them winning is bad. I want to make sure that neither of them win."

by **Atropha** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 5:55 pm

"If they succeed it is going to be at the cost of balance in this world, as laughably twisted as calling it that is. And this is where I'm forced to agree with her..." she says, her expression hardening to match her eyes. "Stand in our way and suffer the consequences. Deference is not a luxury I'm willing to indulge, so run and tell that to the one who thinks himself your master if you will. Consider it the one and only warning to the Sun-Eater."

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:08 pm

"So you're willing to turn down the help I can offer... the no-strings-attached help I might add... because you have some twisted desire to dance in the fire alone? I have the Sun-Eater convinced that it's in his best interest to make sure these 'heroes' get to where they're going and even out the mess they leave behind. And if evening out the mess means I have to drown the Sun-Eater myself, then the mess *will* be evened out."

by **Atropha** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:17 pm

"You're proudly announcing betraying him already and you expect me to take your word. So yes, I'm turning down your opportunistic offer, water sprite."

by **Kelpie** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:33 pm

"Then you don't really understand my goals," Kelpie said, frowning. "Fine. Have your masochistic fire dance. And when all of your precious 'heroes' are dead in the street or in the General's headquarters or dead on the doorstep to their own world because you mortgaged their future on your own pride, before they put a bullet in your head or whatever exquisite torture they have prepared for you, I hope you remember that a scared art student with a penchant for water shaping offered you the help you needed and like an arrogant fool you didn't take it." Kelpie turned around and started walking away.

by **Atropha** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:06 am

That was the wrong thing to say. And equally wrong to turn her back. A short sprint and a pounce and Nailah jumps onto Kelpie's back, her clawed fingers grabbing for the girls neck as she tries to make her fall on her face from the momentum.

"You're no scared little girl, don't think you can fool me about that for even a second. And don't pretend you wouldn't sell us out the second the tide turns." she hisses into her ear.

by **Kelpie** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 7:29 am

Kelpie hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind out of her for a moment. But then she regained her breath and the water was there, trying to grab at Atropha's arms, but only in an effort to pull them off Kelpie's neck. "Now we're back to you not understanding me. If I had any interest in selling them out, I already passed up an easy opportunity to do it. As it is, I managed to keep the Sun-Eater from chasing them down, hell-bent on revenge. If I had any real interest in selling them out, wouldn't it have been more expedient to help him chase them down and capture them?"

by **Atropha** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:09 am

Nailah keeps her hold on Kelpie's neck, assuming the girl is not going to pull her arm away at the cost of her own neck. Instead she stands up and lifts Kelpie up along with her, letting her hang from an outstretched arm. "Oh I understand you perfectly fine. The thing is, I don't trust you and I trust your new friend even less. The help you offer is worthless against Harbinger and there's no room for uncertainty so don't tempt me to cut the loose strand."

by **Kelpie** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:18 am

The water fell away, pooling below Kelpie's feet. "Why wait? Cut it. Do me a *bloody* favor." Her eyes looked directly at Atropha's. "But once I'm happy and gone, Apophis won't have me to moderate his idiocy and channel his... enthusiasm... in 'productive' ways. And then there really will be uncertainty for you."

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