Anniversary

[Altairas]

The sun was beginning to rise over the smog filled streets of Haven City. Most of the houses still retained their quiet, dark demeanor. One house among them stood out in the pale light of dawn, a bright bar of light radiating from one of the second story windows. A tall dark figure moved around with a strong sense of purpose.

Mick shuffled quietly through his things, his hands sifting through the pile of clothing in his drawer. His fingers touched a soft button up white shirt that was buried at the bottom of the pile. He grabbed it, and put it on, buttoning it up and carefully fixing the collar.

Slowly he walked to the mirror, the morning rays granting him enough light to make out his appearance. Micks hair was washed, the red strands sticking together, giving it the appearance that it was longer. His wore black dress pants that covered up his robotic leg. His ice blue eyes darted up and down as he gauged his appearance, deeming it good enough he walked off, grabbing a small collection of flowers with him.

Mick cracked open his door and made his way slowly down stairs and out of the house where he met the cool air of the morning. He took a deep breath, his face showing a hidden grief. He shook his head and started walking, his eyes focused ahead.

[Neki]

Neko heard shuffling in the room next to hers. It was Micks room, and she wondered what was happening. She sighed to herslef, just thinking in the dark of her space.

I really wonder what he's upto. He's not usually up so early, and its early. Even for me. She decided to get up, and talk to him. Neko wasn't one to let questions get in he way...usually.

She silently opened the door to see Mcik walk away, dressed nicely in black slacks and a nice shirt. She watched him walk outside, and wondered what was going on.

Neko didn't move, thoughts swirling. She went to Eveys room quietly, thinking of asking her best friend what was happening. Then she thought better. I'll go make breakfast. As soon as Evey smells good food she'll come racing down. Maybe then I'll ask her about Mciks stranger than usual behaviour. She ducked back in her room to put a robe over her pajamas, and went downstairs to start cooking.

[Altairas]

Mick looked over to Isabel, surprise covering his face for a brief moment before dispelling to reveal pure anger. He ripped the flowers out of Isabel's hand, some of the petals twirling down to the street. "They are not for you, or anyone else for that matter. Where I am going is none of your business and if you want to talk to someone, do it to someone who gives a crap!" He snapped, his brow furrowed scrunching his tattooed face together.

Before waiting for a reply he walked away, his stride quick and precise. If she only could understand how I feel about today. If she knew how much pain this caused me. . . He thought to himself as he rounded the corner heading for Haven City Forest.

Evey yawned, the smell of breakfast meeting her nose. Food? She asked herself lifting her tired body from the bed. Her mouth watered as she picked up the sent of bacon and eggs. She sighed contently, as she stretched thinking happy thoughts until she glanced over and saw the outline of her dress, carefully laid out on the trunk at the edge of her bed. Her heart sank, and slowly rose to her feet and began getting dressed.

Evey carefully slipped on the black cocktail dress, the only dressy thing that she had in her collection of clothing. She put on high heals, mumbling to herself as she tried to move around, her feet clacking nosily the entire time. Finally she adjusted her ring and combed out her hair, yelping a bit when she came into contact with some of the tougher knots.

Evey creeped out of her room, her feet making clacking noses ageist the bare wood. She sighed feeling overly exposed in the dress. As she made it down the stairs, she found it unnecessary to try and stay quite anymore, the high heals had ruined whatever stealth that she had had. Without entering the kitchen Evey yelled to Neko. " Uh Neko, I have to go to work early so. . . see you later?" She lied, working herself out the front door as she went.

[Altairas]

Evey ran into Isabel as she walked into the house, there was a small amount of blood dripping from her cheek. "Uh. . . Hi Isabel?" Evey commented as Isabel walked into the house and disappeared. I guess I will have to talk to her later. She commented and began walking down the street her high heels making her feet sore. Ugh, now is when I wish I could drive a zoomer. She thought to herself as her eyes darted around the crowded streets.

She heard someone whistling at her and growled to herself. Evey, don't bother yourself with it, today is a sad day enough. You don't need to go around fighting people. She mentally reminded herself as her eyes landed on Mick. She opened up her mouth to yell for him, but refrained. She instead sped up her pace, despite her high heals and caught up to him.

"Hey."

"Hey. . ." Mick continued to stare forward his voice hollow, and filled with a grief that they both shared. Slowly he turned his head and looked at her, his eyes burning with a inward anger. It is my fault we have to do this in the first place, The thoughts, the memory spun in his head like a swarm of wumpbees.

Evey could see the pain in Mick's eyes and she reached over and placed her hand on his shoulder. "If anyone is to blame, it's me." She mumbled, hoping it was some kind of reassurance. "I brought my comm link in-case of. . . trouble." She thought, it was sort of a stupid decision, just precautionary.

[Neki]

Neko sighed, wondering what was going on. She had seen Evey in a dress, and that was rare. Like, never-before-seen-footage rare. She glanced up as Isabel spoke, startling her out of her thoughts.

" Go ahead. I don't mind. Just means I get to put off the laundry." She gave a weak smile, still troubled byt the other two. She glanced at the calendar, wondering what was up. She had seen Isabel glance that way too, and a look had come over her that told Neko it only ment something bad.

Wait. This is the day Zale died isn't it. I should have known! I should have guessed. I understand her wanting to be with just Mcik for this, but maybe she shouldhave told me so I wouldn't worry. I had respect for that man too. If it wasn't for him I'd still be some sreet rat. Or maybe worse. The thought sentchills down her smine, erasing any last goodfeelings she had woken up with.

She sighed again, looking at the food she had cooked up. There was enogh for an army, and she was missing two members of the household. She thoughts about just storing it all till later, but then agaon Isabel was here.

" Hey Isabel, would you like some breakfast? I cooked it for my two emo kiddies but they left before I could get any into them."

[adeco]

I saw that today may be a good day. He got out of bed and did his morning rituals with a optimistic spirit. He put on his clothes and grabbed his jackets on the way out. The morning sun was delightful and the air... Not as good as the woods but it'll do.

Rawling didn't have anything to do today. Just say hi to the locals and maybe even see his sister. Of course! "I should go visit Neko and Evey today!" he thought, "I haven't seen them in a while... Maybe even Mick if he's in his better mood."

So Rawling made his way there, almost seemed like he was skipping from how much in a good mood he was in. In fact, he should get creative with his travel. He's got powers, why not use them. Charged himself up with blue eco and bolted off weeving and dodging obstacles and pedestrians as he sped off to his sister's place. "Time to get creative!" He shouted with the most enthusiasm. He basically sling shot himself by pulling the magnetism from the petal objects around him and shot into the air.

He could see their house from where he was but he had plenty distance to cover. He used his eco to emit electro magnetic surges from his hands to steer from to a power line in which he manipulated the electric current to grind on it. He picked up so much speed by doing this and he switched lines as he went on to get to the right direction. Sparked and electrical bolted flew from his feet as the sped down the power lines shouting in excitement.

Only a few blocks away he noticed Evey and Mick walking towards him. He decided to go on ahead and get back on the ground by dropping right in front of them. Why not give them a little jolt in the morning?

He jumped off of the line and hurled towards the ground with so much velocity. He ground the ground rolling forward. He rolled a couple of times before the finally stopped hunched forwards in a knee only feet from them. He felt a little drained from the intense travel and he was breathing a little hard. "Good..*huff*morning." He said looking up with a smurk on his face.

[Altairas]

Mick flinched back as Rawling jumped in front of them. His hand instinctively reached behind him to grab for his blaster, only to grab at empty air. He bit his lip as he noticed that the 'attacker' was only Neko's brother, Rawling. Mick took a deep breath, trying to dispel his inner demons that were haunting him today. Quickly he turned his head and looked at Evey,"I'll meet you there." He mumbled, his voice painted with a tang of pain. He then turned to Rawling and gave him a slight nod and without another word shuffled past him.

Evey was equally as startled as Mick, and moved her hands protectively over her face. Through her fingers she noticed that it was Rawling and she smiled. " Hey! Don't scare me like that!" She joked, as she brushed some dirt off of her dress. Evey turned to Mick as he spoke and walk away, and any playfulness that she had had at that moment vanished from her body.
" Uh, Rawling, it might be better for you to go and hang with Neko and Isabel. They were both at our house when I left. " Her eyes flickered to Micks figure in the distance and then back to Rawling who was still sitting on the ground.

Sighing Evey offered her hand to him, and positioned her feet so that she could at least try to help him off the ground.

[adeco]

Rawling grabbed her hand and got to his feet and it didn't take a psychic to know that something was wrong. He let go of her hand as little electric sparks and whisps of blue eco still emitted from him.

"Evey... What's going on? Mick seems a little more... Down than usual. And I can tell from you're expression that you are the same. Is everything ok?"

[Altairas]

Evey opened her mouth to let out a lie like she did to Neko this morning but refrained, biting her lip instead. " Today. . . it's a really long story. . . " She trailed off her blue eyes flaring a bit with light eco as she fell silent, guilt and pain prominent in her features. " I think that, maybe we should talk about it another time. . ." She said biting her lip, small crystalline tears forming on the edges of her eyes.

[adeco]

The tears were coming and his mood changed instantly. A sense of sadness and remorse ran through his mind watching her cry. "Ok, um... we'll just talk later ok? I'll be at the house..."

He opened his arms as to give hug as warmly and comforting as he could.