Just another one of those days

[raven]

It was late in the evening and the sun was just going down. The wind blew, spinning the merry go round slowly, an eerie creaking sound echoing off of the jungle gym. A lone figure stepped out of the shadow cast by the jungle gym, materializing from the dark.

He wore a loose fitting white dress shirt with an equally loose tie. The chains that hung from his black and white Tripp pants jingled softly, the echoes joining those of the merry go round, singing out a melancholy song.

Raven Darkheart walked to the swings, sitting down and pushing off gently, the swing swaying back and forth on its chains. He sighed contentedly and leaned his head back, glad to be away from work. How many people could order a large supreme pizza in one day, not to mention the person that ordered five. Apparently some stoned teenagers had the munchies.

If he wasn't an elemental, he would never have been able to deliver them all on time. Of course, being able to teleport through shadows was a nifty ability. He chuckled, and pumped his leg, the swing going higher.

It was just another one of those days.

[dantieduurden]

Darek was in the sky, wind blowing back his hair as his powerful wings flapped in a rhythmic up and down stroke that kept him afloat. His white eyes scanned the ground below him, looking anywhere for Zelena, but everywhere he went he could not find her, as he scanned the area he saw all the light get focused to one section of the park and wondering what was going to happen, next he landed on top of the merry go round and began to crouch as he saw a man step out of the area that all the light had been sucked to. " So my young friend, " Darek said to himself as he watched the elemental walk towards the swing and begin to swing, " the question is are you friend or foe, because you have exceptional control of your powers." Darek then slowly tucked his jet black wings into the slits in the back of his trench coat and wrapped them around his body, completely making them invisible under the leather of the trench coat.

Dareks hunger burned to see this fellow shadow elemental, it would be nice to know he wasn't the last of his kind he thought as he unbuckled one of the throwing knives and his long hand held fighting knife. With hands on both he jumped off the merry go round and landed with a loud, bang, as his boots that had steel imbued inside of them connected with the ground. Dust rose up from the area he had landed as he stood up from his crouch, a small indent became apparent from his landing.

" Night nice, think you not?" Darek asked the man, his demonic face tattoo that covered his whole face glowing with a pale eerie light from the that his body gave off when he used his powers. " Peace I come in, no need for fight." Darek put in as he looked at the man on the swings, his eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses that told him the basic information about the man in front of him. " May I ask your name, mine is Talon," Darek said seeing if he could trust the man infront of him or not.

[raven]

Raven heard the man land from his jump and fought to hide his surprise. He stood as the other man approached, and instinctively,Raven knew there was something different. The man's accent was a bit strange, and the way he moved his hands hinted at weapons. Suddenly, Raven felt he was in danger. After all, not too many people approached him with weapons. There were plenty that wanted to, but none that ever really did.

Raven stood from his swing and faced the man, looking at the man's hands, and then at the sunglasses, which Raven found odd, considering how late it was in the evening. This man was too suspicious, he seemed right out of some kind of comic book. Trench coat, shades, hiding weapons, a strange accent, no, this man wasn't to be trusted just yet.

"So tell me, Friend." Raven started out, putting emphasis on the word. "If you come in peace why are you holding weapons?" Raven's hands rested in the back pockets of his pants, keeping them close to his gun that was hidden underneath his shirt. He was just thankful that he had thought to grab it before he left home today. He was also thankful that it was getting darker. When everything was covered in darkness, he had everywhere to run.

[dantieduurden]

"So tell me, Friend.If you come in peace why are you holding weapons?" Darek could not help but smile at how easily the elemental caught onto his weapons, after all he was a shadow or light elemental, that much Darek knew for sure, whether he had the site was a different matter. " Know harm I mean to you, unless harm is brought to me." Darek said as he easily strapped his blades back into there holsters, " You are holding weapons yourself, it is why reach behind your back you do." Darek stated as his hands came into full view, both were covered in black leather gloves that had metal studs on the knuckles. " Here I am for... information, and looking for someone. " Darek said keeping to the truth, " Call me did you?" Darek asked not moving forward just in case the elemental tried to pull the gun out. In truth Darek just wanted to get done with the informant find his Ace and then go home to rest, but first he needed to find the rat, and make sure that it wasn't a set up.

" Weapons I carry for my job, weapons you carry for your own reason. So I ask again, are you the one that called me." Darek did not mean to be rude but he had only so much time he could leave Zelena alone before someone would notice he was not there, and even though she could handle herself without a problem, he did not like to take chances. Then as a statement to show that he as well was an elemental held out his hand and let it shine like the sun. " Trust me do you now?"

[raven]

Raven chuckled and brought his arms out in front of him, crossing them over his chest as a sign of peace. He wasn't sure he was comfortable not being able to reach his gun quickly "So now that we know each other is armed, my name is Raven, and no, i did not call you. I'm just relaxing after a long day of work. I don't know what you do for a living, but i'm just a pizza delivery boy. This city is a dangerous place, and i carry weapons for my own protection."

The man reached his hand out into the sun, showing his true nature, which prompted Raven's next question. "So which side of the coin are you, light or dark?" Raven's instincts told him that this man was trustworthy, but his instincts weren't always right.

[dantieduurden]

"So which side of the coin are you, light or dark?" Darek heard the man who had introduced himself as Raven like the glasses had told him his name was. " Why must I be one or the other? Is not the night beautiful because of the day, and they day more appreciated because of the safety some feel from the light in the sky?" Darek then put out his other hand and had darkness surround it, " I am merely a shadow created by both the light and the darkness." Darek said still keeping the distance that gave him so much comfort. " Seen anyone have you here, besides us I mean?" Darek asked looking around the immediate area and picking up no major life forces with his unusual eyes.

[raven]

Raven chuckled with his answer, it was a hollow sound, but his words were sincere. "I find that the night is not beautiful because of the day, but because it is not the day. Where in the day time do you see stars that shine in the night sky?" He said, gesturing towards the sky with one arm. "Where is the mystery of the day, when everything is brought to notice by the intensity of the sun? Where is the peace and quiet that the darkening of the horizon brings?" He gave a peaceful smile as his black eyes flashed. "And no, i have seen no one else, i have only just arrived here myself."

[dantieduurden]

Darek laugh was very soft and he said in a calculated voice, " Strange my friend, I hide all day in the sun, even more then you see now, and yet no one notices me in the crowd. It is those who can walk in the sun, which is the " biggest" star in the sky and still not be seen or heard that is the true hunter. It is easy to do jobs at night when humans can not see, but try doing it right in front of them, that my friend is talent. But you are right about the peace and quite of the night, it is...relaxing." Darek said as he took of his sunglasses as the moon came out into the sky and his milky white eyes were revealed.

" Well then I must go and keep looking for my contact, you are welcome to join me in this, if you would like. It will soon concern you as well if things keep up as they are going anyways." Darek said as he walked deeper into the playground, blending into the shadows all the equipment cast on the ground. He would see if he could trust this one, if so he could come in use. After all there were only so many of there kind left, and so few with the talent to shadow jaunt like Darek had seen him do so easily. So he listened carefully with his ears, and looked for the life force of any living being.

[raven]

Raven's face took on a blank expression as he thought about the offer. He still wasn't sure as to whether or not he could trust this one, but he was an elemental after all. And if nothing else, he had to trust his own kind. After all, the man did hint at hiding from the humans, and that was what Raven was quite good at. He shrugged, "The sun may be the biggest star, but i burn easy."

He turned and put his hands in his pockets. "Well, i don't have anything better to do, so i guess i'll tag along. After all, you may be able to hunt during the day, but the night is my time, and when the shadows cover everything, there is no where i can't reach.

He took a few steps away from the swing, and checked his watch. He grinned, it was getting late. "So, where are we heading?"

[dantieduurden]

" If only you knew who I work for, and how I used to live Raven and you may not be so sure." Darek smiled as he saw heard the elemental following him, this was turning out to be a good day, Darek thought. He may just find himself a partner, or at least a reliable source.

" I'm heading in the direction of the biggest life force I can sense, and at the moment I can't sense any but us, so keep your guard up." Darek then jumped into the sky and let his wings unfurl, keeping them invisible by bending the light around them. " You take the ground, and I'll take the sky. When you find someone, doesn't matter who they are or what they look like, send a pulse of darkness up into the sky that only a elemental like us could see I will do the same. We go to the other person." Darek said and with that he flew just above the tree line, knowing he could work faster in the sky and that Raven could work easier shadow jaunting. " By the way, who told you about the agency and what you are?" Darek asked Raven from above.

[raven]

Raven took a few steps toward the time lengthened shadow of the merry go round, watching as the other elemental took to the sky. He heard the sound of wing beats and wondered just what it was that he was getting himself into. "We've all lived different lives my friend," He said in a melancholy voice. "I heard about the agency when they tried to kill me a few years ago. Apparently shadow elementals aren't model citizens. I was homeless, literally living out of cardboard boxes when they started firing. There's not much about them that i know, other than they don't like me and i don't like them."

He stepped into the shadow, reappearing sitting inside the jungle gym. "I have to say i don't like the idea of living in a cage, and hiding who i am and living a different life is the same thing in my book." He stepped back into the shadows, reappearing back by the merry go round. "So where is this other person?"

[dantieduurden]

" Indeed we are not." Darek smilied, I was captured at the age of 12, escaped the same day, and lived in the woods alone for the past...five six years, or is it seven. I can never tell. Anyways I had to hunt and make sure I stayed the top dog so when my Ace broke free I could serve her as I was born and bred to do since my birth." Darek said as he glided on the air currents. Thats when he saw a flash of light, just outside there area, not normal light, that of a human body, the sight his family seemed to have yet no one else.

" I do not know when he shall arrive, but if it is not soon then I shall have to hunt him down." Darek said as he made a small globe of darkness appear in a cluster of trees above the life forces head so it could not see it. Then Darek glided over to the man and said, " Well look who decided to show themselves. Do you have the information I seek about the killings?" Darek asked the women that he saw from behind his veil of darkness he kept around him.

[raven]

Raven watched as Derek brought the woman to notice. He decided that certainly didn't trust this one. He wrapped himself in shadow then stepped through the darkness underneath him to appear out of the woman's shadow, completely unnoticeable. She seemed shaken, but that wasn't really a surprise. Derek was flying after all, and on invisible wings no less. Raven was curious, and he decided that the woman might talk more if she was aware she was out-numbered.

He let the shadows melt off of him, becoming visible as he stood next to the woman, comfortable that he could escape if things got to be too dangerous. "What killings?" He asked Derek, then turned his suspicious glare to the woman. "and where did you come from? Not many can hide from me."

[dantieduurden]

Darek glared at the boy for being so rude to the young lady, " She is the informant that called me because young elementals are being killed in my neck of the woods, I told a friend of my Ace that I would help her out and so I spread the news for anyone who knew something about these kids being murdered to contact me and I would get a hold of them and set up a date and time to meet. And as for where she came from, probably the slums where I own property, isn't that right Ms..." Darek said waiting for her to say her name.

"Mrs. Heart. And my information is the best you can probably get, but it wont come cheap." She said as she held out her hand. " I want a thousand up front and a guarantee that no one will know that I am telling you this information. " Then as an after thought she added " I also want protection, who only knows what would happen if someone found out I talked." She said only to see Darek take out a checkbook and write a check, but when she reached her hands out for the check Darek pulled it away.

Darek wrote the check out as she rambled and began to give it to her only to pull it back to him. " Tell me what you know first, if it is good enough the money is all yours. As for your protection, you have a thousand dollars and you live in the slums... either hire people to protect you or don't let anyone know you got that much money." Darek then, with sunglasses covering his eyes looked at her and said, " Information first please. Me and my friend have many important things to do, and not much time to do it.And truth be told he doesn't look to happy to be out here in the first place, he may just kill you so he can go home." Darek said playing the good cop bad cop routine.

[raven]

"...he may just kill you so he can go home."

Raven grinned evilly at that last remark, deciding that he wouldn't mind playing that part up a little. To extenuate the fact that he was "unhappy he was there," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a match. He struck the match, creating a small light in the darkness, then lit his cigarette and inhaled the smoke deeply, then blew it out in a cloud in front of his face. He eyed the woman up and down, his gaze cold. "It's been a long day Ms. Heart, and I'd love to get home early."

He glanced in an aggravated fashion towards Derek, then back at the woman. "That's a lot of money." He said casually, taking another hit from his smoke. He let his statement hang in the air for a moment, then continued, "I work around the slums every day, and I'm sure more than one person down there would lie to earn some cash. I hope you're not one of those people."

[dantieduurden]

Ms. Heart looked at the man with a cigarette in his hand and when he talked about lying her face got beat red. " How dare you of accusing me of lying, I keep information going everywhere in the whole entire slums, there's not one thing I can't find out about going on there if I want to."

Darek held his hand up to silence her as he said in a clam calculated voice, " Information we came here for, not to argue about you being...reliable." Darek said as he began to put the checkbook away. " Now tell us what is going on and who is behind it with the elemental kids going missing or dieing Ms. Heart, and if I find out you are lying, I shall make you beg to die." Darek said and left it at that, the agents would be out soon patrolling like they always did for young elementals to get rid of, and Darek didn't want to be caught in the middle when he had no idea where his Ace was.

The woman's eyes seemed to pop out of her head at what Darek said and you could tell it had gotten to her. " All I know is that they are planning to do a hit near the center of the slums, something about sending the cops a message. " Ms. Heart said as she looked at the man behind her. " This time I think they are going to have a lot more people then two, but no more than six. "

" Thank you now leave." Darek said as he handed her the check that was for 500 dollars. " And before you ask, you did get paid for the information you gave me. A name would have gotten you more money, or perhaps where there headquarters is. Am I missing anything else my friend?" Darek asked looking over to Raven, he refused to give someones name away that would not say it themselves.

" Wait, I have more information." Ms. Heart said as she went to reach for Dareks trench coat only to have her hand slide threw air as he appeared on the opposite side of her. " Then tell me it." Darek said annoyed that she did not tell him from the start. " well... they seem to be targeting a newcomer, not many have seen him... but people hear rumors and so... they have decided to teach him a lesson. And with him helping the cop and working for some other people they don't know what to think. Some say he is a hitman, others an assassin. At least... that is all I have heard..." Ms. Heart finished as she held out her hand. " The other five hundred please." She asked and was even more surprised when Darek handed it over. " If you help me, I shall help you. Screw me over and you wont make another dime Ms. Heart."

[Zelena]

The night was creeping back into control over the sky, as the sun slowly gave up its reign. It was sad to see the sun go but she couldn’t help the fact that the night tended to be more fun. The wind lifted a couple of dried leafs from the ground and they made a loud noise as they scrapped across the old concrete. Her bike was about a mile away from her current position, it had only taken her about 2 minutes to get here, take into account that she did run. But here something alerted her, her instincts were warning her that danger resided here and she trusted her instincts.

As a result she slowed down her pace as she concentrated on the world around her, her knees bent as she prepared her body for the unknown. Vivid blue eyes scanned the area but it was her ears that picked up the sound of movement. In downtown Sion there were many older buildings in mint condition so there were higher places that others could hide themselves in, then the corners an alleyways not too far away from the playground could be areas where gangs would hide behind so they could wait for anyone unfortunate to run into them, then the large and green trees that were so precious to the city folk could give a trained personal decent cover from un-alert individuals.

The movement came from behind a strange isolated building; it was incredibly small compared to the skyscrapers next to it. It was old and one could easily tell that it would soon be fated to become one with the ground in a matter of days. Her eyes keyed in on the building but she kept herself alert. Just because there was noise there didn’t mean that there wouldn’t be others waiting to get her from her flank. Very soft crunching of leaves under her combat boots continued as she stepped quickly and fluidly towards the building. Strange how it stood just a bit before the playground, she hoped that some sicko wasn’t in there.

Then soft panting reached her ears and she turned quickly into a nearby tree. She carefully looked off to the direction of movement and she saw black fur... no a large dog that was held by a normal looking individual. Her eyes narrowed. What would someone be doing walking their dog just before twilight? She was lucky the strange individual didn’t notice her and but the dog did… to an extent. It twitched its ears but it didn’t alert its owner. It seemed things were going her way right now.

She waited, meanwhile her chest rose and fell slowly as she minimized her breathing rate. She would have to strike at them once they passed by the tree. She had to be quick and careful, just encase there was someone in the building just 100 meters in front of the merry-go-round. Speaking of which… she saw three figures in the distance over there… damn… hopefully they were allies and not enemies. Clack, crush, clack came the man’s steps. The dog’s even pace movement was just a soft pitter-patter against the grey stone of the sidewalk. 1…2… She had twisted from the tree trunk catching the person off guard, her right hand was raised in an claw-like manner as ice formed sharp blades along her finger tips. The first one that she aimed for was the man; she got him right in the neck. She watched as his eyes widened for the last time in sudden shock and fear. The dog quickly took note of her and turned so it could take her out by biting her one of her legs. Well this wouldn’t do. With her normal left hand she punched the dog in the mouth from the side, with enough crushing force to make the dog yelp in pain as it was flung a foot backwards. She then ended the poor beast’s misery with her make-shift ice claw.

She then bent down towards the man once again and searched his person, finding that he was indeed an agent. The antique like watch he had in his pocket was engraved with the Agency’s symbol on the back. Hmm… how unpleasant… there was sure to be more of them… hiding somewhere.

Her attention was then brought back to the three figures from before but she recognized on of them as Darek. The other two were too far away to really distinguish them out. But whoever it was it seemed safe enough since Darek’s weapons were not out. She then easily picked up the dog and left the man there, she would have to let her bodyguard know that she was disappointed.

She then slowly rose out from the shadows of the trees. Then she quickly threw the dog before the woman and Darek. “Tsk tsk… I thought that you would have already gotten them all by now.” Her cold eyes then landed on the woman. “So you hear to give out information now? Well I am sorry to inform you that you will not just leave here with the money…” With the tilt of her head she looked directly over at Raven, “Well well, still here? I figured you would be long gone by now”, she allowed a smirk on her face, “At least I was able to run into you before you left again.”

Red liquid dripped from her right hand as it hung casually by her side. Surely the woman would take note of this. Zelena mentally laughed at herself she could be sadistic sometimes…

[raven]

He watched, satisfied that 500 was more than this shady woman deserved. He still didn't trust her, she was too flighty. But this wasn't his contact, it was Derek's, and for some strange reason, he trusted her. Well, to an extent anyway. He took another hit from his cigarette, blowing the smoke into the darkness, watching it drift towards the stars.

Raven gave a dark chuckle, his black eyes meeting those of Ms. Heart. "I'm sure that we don't have to say anything as stereotypical as tell anyone about this little chat and you're dead." He grinned, and cocked his head to the side. "Then again, i guess i just did. Have a nice night Ms. Heart."

Thump!, the dog landed. Raven blinked several times, resisting the urge to jump. Then Zelena stepped out of the shadow, a grim look on her face. Her appearance caught him off guard, but he did well at not showing it. He flicked the cigarette into the dark, watching its ember smoke through the grass. His eyes flicked to the blood dripping from her hand, then looked to her face, his eyes hard. "Where else would i have to go?"

[dantieduurden]

Darek looked to his left as he heard a whooshing noise and saw a big shape flying at him. On pure instinct Darek loosened four of the blades on him and sent them flying. One hit the dog in between the eyes, the other two in the chest, while the forth one landed deep inside a tree on the side of were the dog was thrown from. Darek then saw that it was Zelena stepping out of the woods and bowed. " I am sorry my Ace. I thought you were an enemy, not that you were bringing food for me. Thank you by the way." Darek said as he went to get his knives and start eating, then he heard Zelena's words. " What do you mean my Ace, I would have had them all taken care of? And you know Raven?" Darek asked confused as he grabbed Ms.hearts shoulder and held her in place as she tried to get away. In that moment he had turned all in the group invisible, his eyes glowing an eerie white through the sunglasses.

As he did all this he walked to Zelena's side, disarming Ms.Heart all without looking,as his hands roamed her body, finding weapons and taking them off of her as he found them. There was no personal space as far as Darek was concerned when his Ace was involved, and weapons would be checked and taken.

Ms.Heart struggled against Dareks grip, kicking at his shin and everything else trying to get free, but it was to no avail. Then when the monster began searching her body without care for where he was touching her anger hit an all time, " Get your dog off of me before I have him thrown in jail. Better yet I'll have you all in jail." Ms. Heart said as she looked at Zelena as Dareks free hand went down her leg and took off her knife she had hidden in her shoe.

Darek finally let her go as he took the last of her weapons off of her and was standing on the side of Zelena, the woman was in front of her. " Where have you been?" Darek asked her softly as he kept his eyes else where, he had been worried about her the whole time, but could not go looking for her do to the fact he needed to find the contact.

[Zelena]

Her cold eyes met with Raven’s serious gaze as he spoke, "Where else would I have to go?" She replied with a business like tone, “I wouldn’t know, usually when I catch a glimpse of you it seems like you’re in a rush to get somewhere.” She then turned her head towards Darek at the moment he was disarming the woman and Zelena was once again disappointed. “You should have disarmed her long ago.” Her tone was flat and cold. She was pleased that they boy had enough common sense though to hid their presence from the eyes of others, too bad that their voices wouldn’t be covered up.

She watched as the older woman struggled to gain freedom from Darek’s grasp, but it wouldn’t work out for her in the end, knowing that Darek wouldn’t allow it any other way. Then the woman threatened the boy first. Then she threatened Zelena about putting them both in jail. This once again wouldn’t do. For the woman to think that she had the power to threaten any of the three here... it just wouldn't do at all. She causally walked up to the woman after Darek had fully disarmed her and cupped the woman’s chin with her bloodied hand.


She heard Darek’s faint whisper, “Where have you been?” Her harsh and quick response was, “It doesn’t concern you.” She didn’t take her cold gaze off of the woman but her comment was fully directed to Darek. He should know not to show so much in front of others, especially with those that were possible enemies. “Now I will make this clear. If I find that you are working with someone else I will kill you, if you try to escape I’ll kill you, and if you don’t tell me everything down to the tiniest details I will kill you, without a second thought.” She paused as she kept her cold and distant appearance. “Now be careful with what you say, because now your life is on the line here.”