Monique

On a sunny afternoon, in a park who many new as Central Park, it felt so dreary to her. Watching the kids play in the park as their parents spoke of their highest achievements and what they dreamt of at night. She observed young teens awkwardly attempt at a first date. She then turned her attention to the happy go-lucky couples dreaming of futures they would share with one another whilst hearing the elderly converse about the journeys they shared together. This was all quite daunting for her. If it wasn’t for the fact that she didn’t believe that she was made for love or to be loved, it was this gut wrenching feeling that she felt as though she didn’t belong. She sighed at it all as she packed her items into a bag sack and readjusted the hood on her obsidian cloak. It did well to hide her in the shadows as she steadily walked in the tall shades of each towering tree hoping no one would notice her “shady” antics. The sun was in the right position as more and more shade grew from each tree. She never wanted any of this. Powers she couldn't control. A life that felt not of her own. And to top it off, she can still hear it. The sounds of a world not wanting her here. It screeches. It bellows. But what's worse of all is no matter how many times she has tried to remove herself (by any and every means) the world continues to taunt her. Keeping her here, as if chained yet yelling at her to go away. How discomforting it all is.

As she walked towards the busy streets of a bustling city that never seems to sleep, she paused for a brief moment at the buelleton that was posted. So many lost and runaway kids were posted all with the hopes of having them return home safely. As soon as she saw her poster, she ripped it out. A flame conjured in the same hand that held the poster. Before she could utter any thoughts, she heard a commotion coming from downtown. Now what? She thought to herself. She tried ever so hard not to be pinned as the hero of the town, or of any town really. She never wanted to play hero, she just simply wanted to live a life all of her own, without any hearsay or anyone attempting to use her. Who plays hero when no one’s asked for it? Yet, deep down inside she could never stray away from a cry for help. As she slowly crept onto the scene, she found a boy about her age trying to fend off a foe. She asked herself, does he really need help? He had it under control. She was observing him from a distance, a long, silver haired boy who tried his best to counterattack monsters (seemingly not even from this world) with a sword. What is he, an anime character? Does he really need my help? Right before she walked away, she saw his attacks quite not up to par with the monster's strength. Oh fuck it. She teleported there...and funnily enough there it was. Where their eyes intertwined. His soft deep-ocean blue eyes piercing directly through her demonic red eyes. And for that split moment, she forgot why she even teleported over to his rescue in the first place. Her face flushed a tinge of pink seeing him stare back at her. But the moment was interrupted by the beast's load roar. 

The boy: WAIT! You can't fight him!

BET

She turned her attention to the foe behind her. A gangly creature towered over her at seven feet. Its quartz colored eyes violently stared back at her as it snarled through its nostrils. Inhuman claws as sharp as blades steadily rose up to only immediately pull down in its attempt at attacking her. In a matter of seconds, her skin readily transformed into osmium, a heavy metal she had read once in a book that she noted was quite dense. To her delight, it was dense enough to not only stop the oncoming attack but break apart the monsters claws. Blades then formed from her arm, forming an outward scythe on both sides. She smiled from ear to ear, as if knowing that this battle was done for. The monster roared once more, going in for another charge attack. The moment was a blink once and miss it, for in moments, the beast was cut into pieces. She made a circular figure on her fingers and brought them up to her lips and began to blow, creating a flame tunnel that would consume the fallen foe. 

Passerbys cheered at the site of the slain beast as the boy tried picking himself up. 

:Hey wait up!

He reached out to her, in the hopes to get to know her. However, when the fires died down, and the smoke cleared off, she vanished without a trace to be found. 

She had appeared at the top of one of the buildings, catching her weary breath. The fight, to her, was both exhausting and exhilarating. It was almost as if she hit a state of euphoria if that boy hadn’t interrupted her feeling. She knew if she lingered any longer, he would ask her questions and she would reluctantly tag along on whatever it was he was going to do. And even though she was curious about how a person like him could be on par with a beast like that, how could she forget the cruelty of humans? How could she, for a moment, let her guard down? She knew all too well how awful others can be. Sure, she's saved people before but they've always turned on her. For cash, for protection, for the single fucking thought that she'd even hurt them they always turned on her. She knew he would be no different. Even though in the brief interaction she had with him she thought he was cute, a guy with those eyes-you-can-get-lost-in, he was just another disappointment waiting to happen. 

What if it wasn’t like that she heard herself asking. It’s always been like that. They’ll try to treat you to something because that’s the thing to do when you’ve rescued them. They treat you nicer, they try to keep you around, then they find out you’re a runaway kid from the Organization and they just turn you in. she retorted back. Too many times has she trusted someone to take care of her. Too many times she had trust that they wouldn’t be like the last person. And too many times was she brought back to that place. That fucking god awful place. The cold walls and the pushy demands. Kill that. Kill him. Kill her. It's kill or be killed. Do this. Do that. Run here. Run there. And they'd always tell her she's the best at what she does. She's the best at everything so we can't let you go. We can't set you free. You're a caged thing. Only to do as we tell you to do. Do what we say. Do what we want. No. NO. NONONONONONOFUCKNO. She'll never go back. She’s ran away from home three times, and this time will be her last. And even if they manage to capture her again, she’ll do what she knows best and run. Run far away. She’ll keep running and teleporting away from here. But she knows, this world can't hide you forever. She knew this all too well. 

The sun had set on this busy city. She had made her way to a quaint little villa that sat miles away from the city where the rich come to play during the summer days. Luckily, it was nearing winter. The only ones that stay are those who intend to place themselves in solitude. Those who still want to get away. Those who can still afford to be away. Most houses, however, remained empty. Silent. She liked that. She could pretend she was coming home after a long day at whatever kids 17 year olds did and can comfortably lie down without having to worry. She didn't have to sneak into 24-hour gyms just for a god damned rinse off or steal peoples soaps and shampoos so she didn't have to feel like she was covered in dirt 24/7. She could calmly take a bath, treat herself a little and give herself some time and space to figure out what her next move was and she could finally lie down on a soft bed. That was until she realized someone already was here.