Amidst the occurrence, a custodian made his way forward, and his presence, along with that of his comrades, caused quite a stir among the civilians who witnessed it.
"Kacey!" Ko said as he and she skipped right through a red light.
"Oh, don't you worry too much, Ko. A red light isn't going to hurt you!?" She pointed it out to him while looking at the speedometer.
Kodoan could imagine how proficient Kacey had already become in her driving lessons, particularly since, back then, when he and the others were merely teenagers, Kacey was an outstanding driver.
However, as he turned to look back, Ko saw one of the golden armored giants sprinting towards them.
"How fast can your car go?" shouted Ko as he glanced at Kacey.
"Its maximum speed can only go up to a hundred and fifteen!" Kacey responded, her gaze unwavering on the path ahead, as she understood the potential consequences of making a mistake.
His gaze scanned the speedometer on her vehicle. What he observed suggested that she was being truthful. He maintained his composure, clenching his fist tightly in response to their current circumstances.
And just as he was about to speak once more, another golden figure riding his vehicle of unknown, undocumented design. One that either Kodoan himself or Kacey hasn't seen in the lifetime of their years.
Kacey noticed this and stepped onto her jeep's brakes, her right hand gripping the lever as she switched it to park, while her left foot remained on the brakes with a gradual but firm stomp of her boot. After that, she quickly spins the steering wheel of her vehicle before returning the lever to drive. Immediately, the two made their way past a couple of vehicles that were stopped at a red light.
Fearless and unwilling to give up, Kacey pushes the gas pedal until the speedometer's arrow crosses the eighty mark. Those of the cars that were parked, waiting for the green light to go, watched as a woman and her passenger drove away. At the cross-intersection, several drivers had to stop suddenly to avoid a collision, so they honked their horns, as some spout out words of insults, angered by the driver's Foolish and undisciplined way of operating her vehicle.
"Move got damn it!" Kacey shouted as she continuously honk on the horn.
Some of the vehicles that weren't aware of the situation that was currently transpiring, immediately took either left or right sharp turns,all so that they could avoid the crazy wheel that was the blonde.
However just when both individuals thought they were a good space ahead of the custodians and their monstrous vehicles, though some could account for how agile and fast they were moving past and through vehicles and civilians alike.
When Kacey thought she had successfully avoided the other two, a sudden light appeared ahead, roughly nine feet from the jeep. Kacey quickly stepped on the brakes, hoping that the light wouldn't cause any harm to her or Ko, or worse, transport them to an unfamiliar place.
The last thing that the two saw was that Kacey gripped the steering wheels as tight as she could have, at the same time, ko noticed in his side rearview mirror that a custodian was about three feet away from the door on his side only.
Unfortunately for the golden warrior, all she saw was the fading forms of the second who had dissappeared from her sight along with a woman.
___
It was not long after the second primarch and the woman that he was with dissappeared from their sight after a strange and bizarre blue and silver light appeared out of nowhere and whisked the second away from them.
Car alarms blared in their vicinity. People began pulling out strange object from their pockets and bags alike, whereas they were obviously recording them with it.
Severan, brother to many of his custodian sisters and brothers flashed the crimson red color of his helm at the pesky ants that was the civilian humans. Some took steps back, some feared them and fled the scene, however other still recorded them as they stood in the middle of a busy street.
"Sister, why didn't you just use your guardian spear, poke the tires on that contraption wagon of a vehicle." Brother jawden uttered questioning her slight hesitation at the last few moments."We could've succeeded in our task at apprehending the second!?"
"Because brother jawden." The custodian sister replied casually while shifting her stance.. "I Would've not only harmed the second, but the human woman that was with him."
"Our sister is right brother jawden." another custodian spoke striding forth with footsteps that sounded like low Metallic Thurs. "She would've harmed both individuals. Though, no only themselves, but the pedestrians as well."
Sister quendor turned in a soldierly manner, as if one was addressing an equal. Bringing her right arm up into a fist and strikes it against the breast plate of her armor where her heart resides. "Thank you brother kassius. I was beginning to think our brother here was having a meltdown over my little hesitation."
Jawden veered his helm towards her path. Despite him having his entire face or head covered in auramite armor, his sister could still see through the judgment of his crimson lenses.
"That is enough humor for the two of you. We are being called by the emporor himself back to his position for an urgent matter."
Both custodes, as well as their squad turned towards the shield captain at the mentions of that manner.
"What is it brother kassius!?" Sister quendor inquired, her right palms gripping the bolts of her guardian spear. She was the fastest of her team and could get their to her lords position in less then an hour but her thought was out to a halt from kassius.
"Relax sister. I May not be a psyker that can read minds. But I do know of how quickly you wished to reached the emporor. But rest assure, he is unharmed from any forms of this world." kassius told her reassuring quendor of her slight sign of concern.
"Then brother, what is the current status of our lord?" Questioned brother jawden.
"He is currently enroute to meet the person responsible for the light show that had taken the second primary and the eleventh." kassius answered.
"Then we need to get moving brother."
"That's exactly what we are doing."
___
Earlier
P. O. V. LUA
Compared to the usual expectations, there seemed nothing strange about the day, as far as Lua was aware of. She had awaken as normal, her roommate and friend Nithya finishing her stretches and accompanying dinosaur noises, and got herself ready for the day. It started with making her bed and hopping in the shower, a tedious task given her calf length hair (a feat she was extremely proud of).
And as the conditioner set in, she worked on cleaning her body and shaving, rinsing out her hair a second time, brushing through that mane that was somehow thin yet thicker than a Disney Princesses hair, and existed the shower to dry off. This saw her putting on a simple bathrobe with her hair wrapped in a special towel to dry it of the excess water before it would be left to dry out naturally.
Nithya, in the timespan of her shower, made her own bed, dressed, cooked breakfast and ate said breakfast and was now watching Warhammer fest with an intensity that was common with the woman. Making her own way into the kitchen, Lua took out a simple pre-made fruit parfait of oats, yogurt, strawberries, and blueberries, grabbing her chilled water bottle, and settled onto the couch next to Nithya, soon beginning to eat her own meal and watch the livestream as well.
"What did I miss?"
Nithya didn't even look at her when she said "showed off 10th edition boxset."
Lua, positioning herself to lean against the arm of the sofa, raised her brows in response "oooo, what it have?"
The brunette chuckled a bit "Space Marines, as usual, though" she paused, turning to look at her friend before continuing "quite a few new models, along with Tyranids… who also have a lot of new models too. Dope looking, proper space bug dinosaurs."
Finishing off the food on her spoon for the moment, Lua tilted her head in a show of her disbelief before her friend gave her the look, which convinced her their words were true, and then looked towards the stream, saying "gotta look up the reveal then. Anything else?"
Nithya leaned further into the sofas back pillow, taking a sip of jasmine tea as she did so "roadmap for 40k. Saw nothing for Thousand Sons or Sisters of Battle, but Dark Angels have their codex next year."
She was a bit disappointed that her armies weren't coming within the next year (now understanding well the feeling of those who didn't get their codex's until the end of 9th), but was intrigued by what her friend had mentioned "Dark Angels… with their own codex, not a supplement?"
"Yup."
Lua blinked for a few seconds in stunned silence "… huh, Lion isn't waiting to remake his legion, is he?"
Nithya raised her teacup to her lips, her smile hiding beneath the cups rim "who says he is?"
"Given his reaction to the Second Founding… yeah, I don't think he's keeping them as a chapter, as far as I know. But, knowing myself, I can easily be so very wrong."
Nithya rolled her eyes at the deadpan tone and face of her pale as porcelain friend, sighing and throwing her free hand up into the air as she said "fair, fair. Oh," quickly reorienting herself to face Lua, Nithya starred into her rich emerald and forest green eyes with her own brown ones, and smiled brightly, her excitement obvious "Jay texted the group chat, said to meet up at the hobby store at 10 for a few rounds before the play tonight."
Lua took a minute to properly respond, thinking through the offer as she was really hoping for a straight up lazy day before the play, but knew well with 10th coming, she had armies to finish and wasn't able to play much of ninth given Covid fucked everything over. And so, she easily responded after those minutes with "I'm down. Want to either play a few rounds or finish up my unpainted minis before 10th comes around. Did he mention anything regarding the play later today?"
The Indian-American looked upward as she tried to recall what Jay had said earlier, already seeing the furrowed brows of her pale friend, before snapping her finger as she remembered and replied "right! He said everything should be ready. Director needs us there at 4 to prepare for the show, so remember to pack your bloody pointe shows, Lu, cause you always end up forgetting."
Lua groaned and rolled her eyes, grabbing a pillow to hug as she was reminded, once again, of her forgetful nature, trying to ignore her friends pointed look and pointed finger like a mother scolding her child "I won't, I won't."
Nithya mhped and crossed her arms "Good."
But she could not hold back the smile and the bubbling laughter that began to rise as Lua followed suit, snorting as Lua found herself mimicking a donkey quiet well which did not help Nithya from sounding like a goose in turn. Their laughter rose and rose until they were just a pile of cackling witches, much like how they sounded during their time as playing two of the three witches from Macbeth, and only began to settle down with few hiccups and stuttering breaths after a few minutes went by. Their chest were beginning to hurt.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Lua stood up to throw away her empty fruit parfait container into the trash and toss the spoon in the sink, returning to her room as Nithya refilled her cup with some more jasmine tea. Once inside, she let her robes fall to the floor and scrambled around for some clothing. Quickly getting on some undergarments and deodorant, she found and dressed herself in a pair of black jean shorts, a loose white top, and an oversized maroon cardigan before brushing out her hair, tying it into two low buns, and finishing the rest of her hygiene care. With that done, she packed her bag for the play, remembering her pointe shoes, and quickly gathered both of their 30k and 40k stuff for the hobby store.
Once that was placed near the front door, she returned to the couch but paused when she heard a growing ruckus from outside their apartment.
"Is that… old man Joe yelling?"
Nithya turned towards the window as well, unable to see much given the privacy screen, but she too could hear the yelling "yeah… I think so… what's riled him up now?"
Lua wanted to take a closer look, but a sudden clapping of gun fire startled her, a yelp leaving her lips as she stumbled back as Nithya jumped in her seat, nearly spilling her tea as they stared outside with wide eyes, afraid.
"What the fuck was that?!"
"Gods, who bought a gun this time? Ain't no way Old Man Joe did, he's to senile to even know where a gun store is!"
Nithya suddenly stood up, drowning the rest of her tea down as she placed her own cup in the sink and gathered her own things, turning off the tv as she did "whatever the case is, I am not staying around while a gunfight breaks out outside our flat."
Lua could feel herself nodding as she too began to turn off the lights and gather her own stuff, making sure her phone, keys, and wallet were on hand "leaving through the second entrance?"
"Closest to the subway and the one most people here don't even know exist" Nithya said, scrolling through her phone to check out the departure of the next subway car that has a stop near the hobby store, not even seeing Lua haul up her bags, beginning to turn off the last of the lights.
Lua, in turn, leaned more heavily on her right leg as she raised a brow at her friend "that's because the majority of the tenants here are the elderly."
Nithya just waved her hand "that is no excuse for their lack of awareness, now come on. Lets leave before things really heat up, hopefully the landlord fixes any bloody damages caused by those gun loving maniacs. Unlike his handling with that damn leak caused by his own lack of care."
Lua sighed and rolled her eyes, opening the door to let both of them out, with Nithya exiting soon after, leaving room for the blondette to turn off the last light and shut the door, locking it and replying with "you're still salty about that?"
Nithya turned on her friend with a glare and a pointed finger "I will be until the end of time itself, now shut up."
Lua rolled her eyes again, shaking her head as Nithya began to walk down the hall and towards the stairs, following her friend after a little chuckle left her lips. Though, she couldn't help but feel as though… something was off. Old Man Joe doesn't start yelling unless something was happening, and that gun shot? Something was amiss, but she wanted no part in it. Hopefully the plants survived whatever batshit insanity was occurring outside the front of their apartment.
Descending the stairs quickly, the two girls smoothly left through the back entrance and generally talked about random stuff on their way towards the subway. The play, future scripts, practice, 40k, 30k, the upcoming Dune trailer (which Lua needed to see the first and was mentally kicking herself for forgetting to see it), their upcoming summer trip to see Oscars family in France, brainstorming ideas for the Ancestors (though purposefully electing to ignore current modern Halo lore, as they had long lost interest in that stuff), and just general stuff as they walked the streets of New York City.
Or, at least, the outer parts of it. They weren't rich enough to even have housing closer to the city, though even their own apartment was pricy. Unlike Jay and Oscar, who were lucky enough to have parents helping them out, and even then their own apartment wasn't the finest in New York. Last the girls knew, the boys were planning on moving closer to their own apartment for just better quality of life and to lessen their own rent.
Their current argument, as they walked down the steps into the subway proper, was about books. Or, in this case, Lua's book problem.
"You need to stop buying books."
A scoff "these books are out of print! I need to get them before they become too ridiculously priced to even be worth it! Have you seen what these books are costing?"
"Lua…"
Said woman turned her head up sharply with her eyes closed "Descent of Angels is now, at its cheapest, thirty to forty-five dollars. I got my book for twenty-four in a better condition than what is even available. And Fallen Angels, I got it for eight bucks. The only other one available is for seventy!"
Nithya groaned and rolled her eyes as Lua raised her hands up into the air to prove her point "you still have yet to finish the other books you bought. Lion, Son of the Forest. Fury of Magnus. The Regents Shadow. Luther, First of the Fallen. Ephrael Stern, the Heretic Saint. What of those sisters books? What of the other non 40k books? You still need to read that Dark Angels Omnibus and Halo the Flood."
Lua, in response, simply looked away in embarrassment as Nithya caught her red handed "I am going to read them…"
"When?"
"…soon…"
She groaned, nearing a scream but held it in as she took in a deep breath and exhaled "just… let Fallen Angels be your last book and just read your godsdamn books Lu!"
"I will! I will, I promise!"
"Then read them!"
Lua grumbled a bit as they entered the subway cart proper, sitting down as they waited for its departure and for their coming stop. Nithya automatically went to sleep, without hesitation, while Lua went on her phone to read some fanfiction to pass the time, taking point to keep watch for the both of them as, well, you never expect what could happen on the New York subway. Case in point, the saxophone duel of the ages. Nithya, sadly, was dead asleep when that happened. Was bitter and salty for days after the fact.
But as the subway continued on its route, as people came on and off, the feeling of something… being off, returned to Lua tenfold. As though… why did it feel as though someone was watching her? She had looked around the cart multiple times, but found no one looking their way. But the feeling remained. It… it was like… like…
Like she was being stalked, no… followed.
That instinctual feeling of something trailing behind you in the woods or in the empty streets late at night. It wasn't a particularly pleasant feeling, but it often saved many lives, some knowingly and other unknowingly. For Lua… she forced that feeling away, not wanting to think about it at all.
Yet another thing seemed off, as Lua began to note that not many people were coming on and off the subway at all, actually… it was very empty.
"Hey," Lua said, elbowing Nithya awake "is there something happening today? Hardly anyone's here."
"Mmmm?"
Said woman blearily opened up her eyes, rubbing them to help wake herself up, looking around and realized Lua was right.
"Huh… Anything on the news?"
Lua shook her head "no service."
"Welp," she stretched her back, yawning as she began to stand up and collect her stuff "next stop is ours."
Her pale, rich green eyed friend furrowed her brows in confusion before she snapped her head towards the display and noted the stop "we don't usually stop here…"
"Supposedly, the stops after this is heavily delayed. Not sure what's delaying it, but we can hoof it the rest of the way."
Lua raised a brow "with all of our stuff?"
"Get our steps in."
With a roll of the eyes and a sigh, Lua followed her friends motions, gathering her own stuff as they waited for their stop, which wasn't that long of a wait. Once the subway stopped, the slight sudden halting of motion rocked the two of them for a moment, and the doors opened before them, they quickly left after ensuring they had everything and ascended the stairs back to the surface once more.
Their idle chat turned away from hobbies to the likes of fashion and recent trends, further delving into the recent youtube video essays they had watched. But they could not ignore the more empty streets and nervous pedestrians, though they did not know why. Distant sounds of honking and shouting made the girls nervous, making them increase their pace until they finally reached the small hobby shop where Jay and Oscar waited for them.
It was small and quaint, filled with comic books and hobby supplies from paints to models to raw material and so on and so forth. It had a special back place for DnD games and a section for Magic the Gathering players and 40K hobbyist. A front and back clerk stationed at the front and back door, for which the latter was covered by an extended wall and held their inventory not used for displays, where the only worker at the time, lovingly nicknamed Ron, sat and went through a recent selling of cards.
Jay and Oscar sat at the 40K hobbyist corner, their models out for a short Kill Team round as they waited for the girls. When the bell rang, Ron looked up form the back, raising his hand in greeting as the two boys raised their own heads to look at them. Oscar was the first to smile and greet them, Jay following soon after.
"Hey~ How you've been girls!"
Nithya snorted as she rolled her eyes "you already know the answer Oz, besides a few hiccups, we've been good. You?"
He smiled brightly, reaching over to Jay as he winked their way "perfect as ever, sister. Finally convinced him to-"
Jay snapped his hand over Oscars mouth, letting whatever he was going to say be muffled by his palm "ignore him. Did you see the recent reveals?"
Lua nodded her head, heading over to them as she placed her stuff on the ground, Nithya following suite "sure did! Oh, Lion looks amazing! I was worried how they were going to do his model given his more recent Horus Heresy release, but aging him up really helped in that. Also, his armor is just amazing!"
Her eyes glittered as she spoke, her hands waving around animatedly as she contained her excitement "still retaining much of his previous Heresy armor with a new interpretation, plus the usage of the green highlight to make his armor color ambiguous, allowing for Heresy and 40k colors to be used simultaneously is just brilliant! Oh, and I love the Watchers, I swear the one with the staff just whacks enemies on the head when their on the ground."
Jay held in a laugh while Oscar burst into laughter "oh, I can see it now. People taking that base and just filling it with Watchers."
Lua, Nithya, and Jay looked to him in silence, eyes wide as he laughed at his own mental image. Slowly, Nithya and Jay looked to Lua whose forest eyes gleamed with a light that they recognized.
"Lua no!"
"Lua yes!"
Jay threw his hands up into the air "now look what you have done Oz!"
Said man rolled his eyes and waved his hand "don't be so dramatic, it's going to be fine!"
"You're the only dramatic one here."
"Well I'm a theatre kid, I have to be!"
Nithya gave him a deadpan stare as Lua's face turned to wonder and excitement, oblivious to the current conversation "we're all theatre kids, Oz."
A fluttering of lashes and a click of his tongue, Oscar said "are you, really?"
Jay rolled his eyes "really Oscar?"
Oscar blew him a kiss "serious as ever, sweetie~."
"And this is why everyone thinks you play Emperors Children."
Oscar gave a dramatic sigh "oh woah is me."
"You literally play Emperors Children."
Another dramatic breath "what can I say, TTS really did make me fall in love with them."
Nithya rolled her eyes "you two can fuck later. How far are you in the match?"
Lua giggled to herself as she returned to the present, walking over and sitting next to Oscar as Nithya took her seat next to Jay, the two boys returning to their… regular behavior as they straightened up and turned their attention back to the current game itself "just started, you don't mind-"
Lua laughed a bit "it's fine, Jay. I've been meaning to paint some of my models before tenth drops, so you're good."
"And I," began Nithya "need to start building my new models for my new army."
Oscars eyes widened and sparkled "Oooo, which army?"
Nithya looked to Lua "well, she already claims Thousands Sons, Sisters of Battle, Talons, and Dark Angels-"
"Girl-"
"Don't. I know."
Nithya continued, ignoring the two as she said "And you boys claim Emperors Children, Drukari, Tau, and Orks. I already have Harlequins, so I went for…"
She paused, leaving a dramatic silence as she gathered something in her bag to show them.
"Tyranids!"
Lua snorted as Oscar gasped and Jay groaned "40K women either go Orks or Tyranids, I swear."
Nithya laughed almost a little maniacally "what can I say, I love me some space bugs."
"And tenths recent Tyranid reveal."
Nithya nodded her head once "and tenths reveal."
"And the tentacles~"
"OSCAR!"
Lua laughed as her friends bickered and fawned, opening her bags and taking out her supplies needed to finish her Triumph of Saint Katherine, which only needed the individual girls painted, which she planed for them to correspond to the colors of the main founding orders they represented. With her needed paints out, her brushes and cup and procured water, she went to work, letting her ears track the fading conversation as Nithya began assembling her first Tyranid and the boys continued on their Kill Team match.
Ron continued to sit at the back, helping the few customers that trickled in the few times they did enter over the course of several hours. Majority were adults, no kids in sight and no teenagers either, with a few elderly folks coming in asking for advice on what to purchase for their young grandkids. But, overall, it was a slow day, only broken by some commotion happening outside.
Jay was the first to get annoyed by it, even though the rest silently seethed "what's even going on out there?"
"Don't know," said Ron, flicking through a White Dwarf magazine "heard that something was happening, but didn't hear what it was. Train silenced the rest of the conversation and I didn't ask any further."
"Huh," Jay said, standing up as Oscar began to clean up their match and watched intently as Lua painted her models "I wonder if that's why there are so few people out today."
"Don't make any sense," Ron replied, shrugging his shoulders as he did so "it's New York, hardly is it ever this peaceful, not since the lockdowns."
Jay walked over towards the doors, intending on looking to where the commotion was happening when he jumped suddenly. His muted scream made everyone look his way, causing everyone to pause and stand suddenly as people began running away.
"Shit, is there another mass shooting happening?"
Nithya looked frightened, Lua stilling as her eyes began to widen "we heard a few gun shots fired outside our apartment complex-"
"What the fuck-"
"Could it be a bombing?"
Nithya went up to Jay to take a look herself, but was stopped when Ron grabbed her shoulder "I think it be best for the four of you to head down to the theatre a bit early today. Think I might close the shop now, best not risk whatever the hells happening out there."
Oscar nervously toyed with his nails as panic began to rise "so… head through the back door?"
Ron looked to him and nodded "best if you do. Now, pack up and get on out of here, theater kids. Best not delay any further."
And with that, he returned to the front door, gathering the material outside to bring inside and locking up, Jay and Nithya jogging over to the 40K table and began packing up in earnest. Luckily for Lua, she had not yet started to paint again after waiting for her model to dry, allowing her to pack them away without damaging the paint and close her citadel paints and throw her dirty water down the drain. It took a few good minutes to finish packing up, but they did so in less then ten minutes, huddled near the back door as Ron began shutting down the lights.
He looked outside first, noting nothing wrong and beckoned the four of them to leave, wishing them the best at the play tonight before closing the door and finishing up the last of his closing procedures. Oscar grabbed Jays hand, holding it tight as he began to direct them towards the subway line again to head towards the theatre.
Nithya rolled her shoulder as she looked towards their unofficial leader "are you sure the subway lines are open here? I saw on the maps that they were closed."
"They should be," Jay said, a touch of nervousness in his voice as he did so "hopefully. Check real quick, will you?"
Nithya did just so, grabbing her phone and looking up the available routes as Lua looked nervously behind her as she swore she saw a flash of gold "what's even happening? Anything on the news? I couldn't see due to lack of service."
Oscar tried to see himself, his hands shaking as he did so, but he soon sighed in defeat "nothing. No service either."
Lua turned to Nithya "how are you even able to see the subway information, then?"
Said brunette groaned "I can't. Service is out for me as well."
"The hell is happening?"
Their nerves only began to worsen as they reached the subway entrance, hurrying down the stairs as they found a waiting cart just about ready to leave. The adrenalin in their veins screamed at them as they heard the announcement of its departure ring out, their minds screaming at them to run as though a predator was right behind them.
As though they were running away from the approaching dark, fearful of the monsters that laid within.
"Run!"
And they did so, rushing towards the doors in a frenzy, their fear palpable as they rushed in, nearly slamming into each other and the opposite wall just as the doors began to close. Heaving and huffing, they each collapsed onto the empty seats as the cart itself was empty of any other guest, and gave a sigh of relief, shaky and near the point of laughing out their fear.
Oscar let himself fall against Jay, letting the man hold him in turn as Nithya placed her head onto her model carrier and Lua to lean back and nearly slid off the seat entirely. She pressed her hands into her closed eyes, trying to settle her shaking body as fear struck her heart.
Something was happening, something bad, and she didn't like it one bit.
Pushing herself back into her seat, Lua stared at the rest of her friends with teary eyes. Oscar was fully in Jays embrace, the couple curled into the seats as Nithya was laying fully across it on her back, hands over her eyes as her leg shook, her breath choppy but seemingly beginning to settle as she tried to steady her beating heart. Lua wiped the stray tears that began to fall and sniffed, rummaging through her bags to grab a tissue to blow her nose, the blockage just beginning to start as she began to do so.
They sat there, in silence, as they let the adrenaline wear itself out and let their bodies relax from the growing tension that began back at the hobby store. As the rest of her companions settling their racing hearts, Lua could not help but remain tense, her hands shaking as she racked through her mind to what was happening and why it felt as though she knew what was happening. She did not know fully what… but she had a feeling as to why, though that feeling told her nothing, denying her mind the conclusion she wanted, the answers she needed.
Just a gut instinct, one that told her nothing.
She tried to bring up the news, much like how her high school friends did back during the school shooting some years ago, but much like before, there was no service. But that didn't make any sense? Service couldn't be down everywhere, all of them were on different phone plans and providers, unless-
Was… was someone purposely cutting communications? How were they even doing that? There was no EMP or else all electronics would be shot and there is no nation on Earth, as far as she was aware of, that could shut down communications like that, especially in the United States, and-
Lua felt a rising tension in her heart, one that she could not explain, and felt her heart began beating faster and faster and-
Why couldn't she stop shaking? Why did she feel as though she was suffocating?!
A quick shake of her shoulder brought Lua out of her panicked state, turning quickly towards the source of the hand and found Nithya standing there.
"Lua? Are… are you alright?"
She swallowed hard, her hands still shaking, but far less then they were previously, but fear still held her heart. She looked to Nithya, then back to Jay and Oscar, then towards the floor and gave out a long, deep sigh. She pressed her face into her hands, rubbing her eyes as her leg began to bounce uncontrollably, the fear still there but far, far less than it was before.
Yet still, it remained.
"Just… just give me a moment… please."
Nithya merely nodded, missed by the shaken Lua, and returned to her spot among her belongings as Jay and Oscar leaned into each other, their backs now straight though beginning to slouch as they sank into each other and their seats. Lua, still shaken by everything and her own random episode, raised her head just a bit to allow her eyes to scan the cart, letting the movement of the train rock her as it went station to station yet no one came on… and no one got off.
Was there anyone else on the subway with them?
She would not know, for what seemed like an instant, they were at their destination. Miles and miles away from the hobby shop, at the other end of the city and one of the more distant stations in a more rundown part of New York City and its surrounding urban landscape, did their theatre lie. It was… not the most glamorous, nor the most prestigious, nor modern or up to date. But… it was charming in its own right, an old theatre given a spruce up, refurbished to an extent, with some modern amenities added, though still it retained its old charm.
It would have been demolished if the Bonnevilles hadn't bought it, kept afloat and alive by donations and what revenue they make from plays. The neighborhood it lied in was mostly below the poverty line, and thus ticket prices were either cheap or non-existent, plays performed by the generosity of its performers.
Though some more wealthier clients and donation backers were generous with their money… if the plays continued on. Some of them did it for their own benefits, to reduce taxes or… encourage the Bonnevilles to hire their children or grandchild and have them star in their plays. A means of building a resume, perhaps? Lua didn't know, only that those kids were a pain in the ass to deal with. Some were not like the cretins she despised, some were very polite and helpful, even talented. Others...
It made her think those donners only wanted their kid or grandkid out of the house cause of what an entitled menace they were. Some were given a good slap of reality while others...
Well... lets just say... it wasn't pretty.
But, thankfully, that was not the case for today. For tonight it was only the play, only the performance.
A combination of a Midnight Summers Dream and, surprisingly, Fernfully. Or, at least, something inspired by those works? A homage one could say? It used character names and some plot points, but, really... it just reminded her of that play and movie. Whether it was actually close to them, she couldn't say. She only knew the basics from wiki articles and... a youtube video…
So when the announcement came on for their stop, the group nervously gathered their belongings, hurrying out of the subway cart and up towards the surface once again, weary of their surroundings and desperately checking their phones, but no service still remained. Down the street, taking turns around buildings and across roads, they reached their final destination.
The theatre still looked as it ever did, old and worn yet still cared and maintained. It echoed much of the other buildings around it, that state of disrepair, but it held the old charms that has been washed away through the rise of modernism and brutalist architectural design after WWII. Yet, the sight of their home away from home did not settle the worry in their heart, as still, like as it was further inside the city, hardly anyone was outside. Barely any cars driving, hardly anyone walking.
Barely a soul, yet here they stood.
Quickly, they shuffled into the theatre, pass the old ticket booths in the lobby and through the multiple doors to enter the main theatre proper. They could see some of their fellow cast members stretching and practicing, their head director instructing the backstage crew, with costumes laid out on racks and props beginning to be set or last minute repairs done. Light testing and music effects and all the necessary needs for the play to go on without a hitch.
They found themselves relaxing at the sight; the smells and noises soothing as they no longer walked in silence as they did before. The theatre was home to them and they welcomed it with open arms.
Oscar dragged Jay towards the stage, greeting their fellow theatre friends with his usual enthusiasm with Jay rolling his eyes at Oscars antics. Nithya slumped her shoulders and made her way towards the stage as well, with Lua following just a bit behind her, feeling… feeling as though something was on the horizon… watching her.
She shook that feeling from her mind, chuckling at her own paranoia and still present adrenaline making her instincts act up, following her friends with a soft smile on her face.
With their stuff hidden away in the backstage rooms, Jay went towards those he was to perform alongside with Lua, Nithya, and Oscar in their own group. In essence, the groups were divided between the human characters and the fae characters. Jay with the former with Lua, Nithya, and Oscar in the latter. Performers worked on their vocals and lines with Lua warming up for her own solo routine.
Warmers on her legs, full sole ballet shoes, cardigan thrown on a chair and hair redone, Lua stretched and danced across the stage, sometimes goofing around with those with her, yet it worked wonders. She no longer worried about the strangeness of the day or her own panic and anxiety. She was among nerds and theatre kids and could just let loose.
Hours went by like this, cooling down as they neared show time, closing the curtains and huddling backstage, preparing themselves for the play as they prepped each other for their role. Lua took the longest, out of the whole cast. Getting into her costume was one thing, it was another to get her hair and makeup done. They had to nail the ethereal look for her role especially… not knowing what was to come soon.
-
People began to take their seats, quietly talking among themselves as the theatre filled slowly, but surely. Many kids sat at the front, eagerly waiting the magically experience they were about to witness. Their parents sat behind them, tired and weary, but happy to finally settle down and to relax just a bit. Others sat in private booths, Champaign in hand as they laughed and giggled among themselves.
Stage crew worked behind the closed velvet curtains, shuffling props around and readying the special effects, while lighting crew in the rafters and in their own hidden booth prepared for the play, with sound designers readying the effects and preparing the music and microphones.
Then, the room darkened, the people hushed and turned to silence, children wiggling in their seats with bright and eager smiles on their faces. Fog began to fall from the stage, eliciting a surprise gasp from the audience, the children most especially, as soft music began to play… and a booming voice following.
"Long ago… in a time long forgotten… there was a forest."
The curtains rose and parted, revealing behind them a forest. Clearly fake in the eyes of the adults, but realistic to the children who looked on in awe.
"It was no ordinary forest… for a great many wonders lived there."
People began to come to the stage, though not as they normally would. Many came on low to the ground, like prowling animals, dressed in light clothes decked in earthy tones and moss and flowers. Many had antlers on their heads, others a crown of flowers and mushrooms. A pair came leaping from behind the curtain, legs stretched in the air and surging across the stage like jumping deer. Other descended from the air itself, looking around with curious and wide stares, faint wings strapped to their backs. Others rose from the stage itself, hidden by the fog and pale veils that cloaked them from onlookers, looking as though they were woken up from a long dream.
The music was of chimes and flutes, wind and tree effects played to give it life and realism. The children looked on with wide, glittering eyes, as parents and adults took in the beauty presented to them.
"Magical beings of earth and air and water. They called this forest their home… and home it was… until…"
The people on the stage continued to dance with grace, but halted as the last words were spoken. The children grew confused by this, staring at the people with a tilt of their head as the adults did the same. Then, suddenly, the stage was dark and a bolt of lighting was seen through a flashing of light, thunder rumbling as though it came from the heavens themselves. Children screamed as the actors scampered away, hiding in the fake brush and behind the leafy curtains.
"Man came to claim the forest as their own."
The music changed, discarding its nature themes to become more… human one could say, heavy and present as new actors came on the scene. Dressed in explorer wear, they walked like normal men and looked upon a map talking to each other.
"I tell you sir," said the man dressed in whites and beige with a large comical hat and mustache, looking towards his compatriot who looked far normal with whites and browns and a full head of fluffy black hair slicked back "this forest is filled with magic! We must find it and-"
"Now now, Archibald" said the other man, flashing him a charming smile. Some among the audience swooned and the children giggled "what did we talk about before coming here?"
Archibald dropped his shoulders and head "not to look for magic, I know Edward, but-!"
His enthusiasm was stilled by Edward placing a hand on his shoulder "but nothing, Archie, we have work to do, not go hunting for… mystical animals!"
One of the actors from before, dressed in a skintight suit of moss and bark with antlers and dark freckles on his cheeks and nose popped out from behind a prop, looking at the two men with a tilted had and slowly began to crawl out.
Children laughed and pointed, trying to get the men to turn around and see. They seem to have heard, startled and looking around as another actor from before, a woman of dark skin and equally dark hair, dressed in white and the rising sun with comically large deer ears and flowers on her dress with leaves and twigs in her hair, came from behind that same prop and dragged the deer man back, making the two men look, but the fae were already out of sight.
"I could have sworn…" said Archie, turning around fully to look at the prop as Edward shook his head and sighed "it is nothing, Archibald. Now, don't we have somewhere to be?"
This made the comical man jump in the air, exclaiming in surprise as he went to grab Edwards hand to drag him off stage once again "oh, your right, old friend! How could I forget! We're late, I tell you, late!"
He rushed off the stage, hand slipping from his companions, with Edward laughing as he shook his head and followed along, calling out for Archie to slow down as the stage dimmed once again, the children laughing among themselves as parents and adults smiled at the whimsical comedy of it all.
And the play went on, telling the story of mankind's attempt to raze the forest and claim the land as their own, how the fae were trying to defend it with funny tricks… and how things began to escalate. How Edward and Archibald learned of the fae's existence, becoming friends, and how that deer fae began to grow close with Edward. Their solo had just completed, a mixture of ball dancing and ballet, when the scene changed again.
This time, it was far more forestry and far more fog on the stage. Edward and Archibald was with the deer fae, Puck, being dragged further into the stage as more fae began to gather. Towards the back of the stage was a dais of sorts, raised from the ground, with several curtains and veils held up by hidden strings. The other deer fae, the woman with dark skin and darker hair, Blossom, stood with them, speaking in some unknown tongue as Puck turned to the men as Blossom went towards the dais.
"You're just in time!"
"In time for what?"
Puck smiled at Edward, Archibald squinting his eyes trying to see through the fog "she is awakening!"
Edward looked confused, with Archibald turning sharply at the fae and said "she?"
Puck smiled and nodded his head, gesturing towards the dais as the rest of the fae ensemble moved to the side with Puck dragging the two humans to do the same.
The audience began to murmur, the children grabbing each other in anticipation as the music began to go quiet, only the sound of birds and flowing branches and some hidden soft stream and the ambiance of the magical forest remaining. Then, the music changed, soft and ethereal like as the curtains and veils began to rise and from them…
Gasp came from the audience, a few whistles too, the children brought to wonder in an instant as Titania was revealed to the world at last. Her eyes fluttered open, lashes painted white like her hair that gleamed like moonlight. Sparkles dusted her cheeks, tinted rosy with lips glossy, eyes glittering like rich emeralds and forest tree tops. She stretched and stood, her hair an elaborate due of braids and twist and ingrained jewels and metals and flowers. Her dress flowing and white, spotted with moss and bark and flowers and far more grand than any of the other fae.
But as she stood, she stood on her toes, the pointe shoes she wore white to blend in with her tights and the fog below her. And then… she moved.
With a grace unseen before, she glided from her dais, Blossom helping her down as her other attendants came to her side, fixing her dress as she stretched her neck and fluttered her hands as though feeling her surroundings. Soon, the music picked up, a rhythm that Titania began to follow as she danced like a ballerina across the stage. Twirls and leaps and taps and spins, she glided through the air and stage as though she herself was a living fae.
The children looked on with glittering eyes, parents and adults feeling a surge of wonder themselves as they watched something… ethereal like. The music picked up, increasing its tempo as Titania, Queen of the Fairies, quickened her own dance, her turns becoming faster, her spins increasing in speed, graceful and elegant as she went. She danced faster and faster, twirling across the stage, following the rhythm of the music, graceful yet sadden, like she knew what was becoming of her forest.
The other fae stood on the sidelines and watched with tranquility, Edward and Archibald looking on in pure fascination. The music grew more ethereal with flutes and chimes and ringing bells rising in a crescendo, her dress spinning as she did, the forest around her seemingly coming to life as she danced and danced and spun until she was twirling and turning towards the front of the stage and then-
Gold filled their vision.
The sudden wave of light made people flinch away in both surprise and fear, screams rising as everything was driven to a halt. The audience flinched back, parents bending over rows to shield their children's eyes, the latter crying in fright, huddling close as fear took their hearts. The actors on stage sharply turned their heads away from the light, eyes burning in sudden pain, many cowering as they tried to protect their eyes as best they could. Some ran behind the curtains into the backstage, several hidden actors looking at each other in worry as the director spoke with the light crew to see what was going on.
::-We aren't sure, ma'am! This isn't from us!-::
She wanted to rush to the stage to see so herself, but was held back by the props crew, shaking their head as more and more cast members rushed behind the curtain to escape the blinding light. Nithya, Oscar, and Jay stood near the back, not daring to leave Lua out there alone, but fear nearly took them to the backstage along with the others, but they held it back for the moment. Nithya tried to peer out to see what was happening, needing to get to Lua's side, but she could hardly see a thing without becoming blind herself.
And Lua… she stood there, on the tips of her toes, blinded by golden light, flinching back as she raised an arm to shield her eyes from the sudden light. She felt her heart plummet, but did not know why, felt a tug in her chest and… and something race through her blood. As though it was being pulled towards the light itself. She did not know why, but… it was similar to the feeling from before, when heading to the hobby shop, when on the subway coming here. It was…
Why was it so familiar?
Yet she did not move from her spot. She did not move when her instincts screamed in confusion and when she heard Nithya yell for her, for her voice was drowned in the beating of her heart and the pounding of her blood.
Frozen…
The golden light danced around Lua, reflecting off the glitter on her skin and her near white hair, almost like it was shining off of her. Curling around her like tendrils, flickering behind her like fairy wings.
The golden light touched her… and her soul responded in kind.
She felt the sting of the light ease away, letting her turn to face it fully, eyes half-lidded as they adjusted to the light before them. They fluttered, lashes catching golden flakes like pixie dust, brilliant green eyes glinting in golden light, like the sun gracing the forest floors through its canopy. There she stood… bathed in gold and light and-
It was a moment of ethereal and divine beauty, as though a goddess had revealed herself to mortal kind, like an angel who had descended from the heavens with the word of god on her lips. Those who looked to her desired to fall to their knees, in that moment, some crying tears as though they had witnessed a moment of epiphany. Children looked to her and felt in their hearts she was indeed a fae, and would continue to believe as such until their dying breaths.
Yet, as the light dimmed more and more, revealing the source of such brightness, Lua felt her stomach plummet. Heart skipping a beat and breath catching in her throat, for the being that stood before her was…
'No..'
Nithya, Oscar, and Jay too saw who was before them, finding themselves drenched in fear, frozen in place as the impossible stood before them all. The audience, too, began to recover, murmuring among themselves as they turned or leaned over to see what brought such blinding, heavenly light.
A tear fell down Lua's cheek, her mind and heart warring as her logic fought to denounce the unthinkable. Pressure began to build in her head and behind her eyes, a suffocating presence as she struggled for air and consciousness as-
Silence filled the room as a great armored man walked further in, black hair flowing in inexistent wind, held in place by a golden wreath, a cloak of imperial red and ermine fur, armor of glinting gold and baroque design, eyes burning like the sun. He looked to her and she looked to him and in that moment, Lua knew… it was the end of everything they knew.
For the Emperor of Mankind himself stood before them all… in all his glory… in all the doom that was to come.
'Fuck.'