Bordertown, Sunday

[anarchist_queen]

"Orient," Tick Tick said warningly, "What are you doing?"

She was still recovering her strength, but a walk from her place to his had felt like the thing to do. She was after all, keeping an eye on him for Momoko. Not that she was certain just what Momoko could do if Orient got into trouble again. Leda had assured her she could help, which was good enough for the Ticker.

She had arrived just in time to see Hawthorn, one of the higher ups in the Silver Suits exit the apartment. And she had seen the look on her friend's face. It was a look she recognized.

"You are not going after him." she said flatly.

"I just need to be sure." he said absently, heading for the stairs.

"Sure of what? Orient what's going on?" The Silver Suits had found the lab that was making the drug. They were on to one of their own that was working with the villains, but they still did not know ultimately who was behind it.

"It would take too long to explain. I have to leave now if I'm gonna-"

"I'm coming with you." she insisted, but at that moment her legs gave a complaint and she had to lean against the wall. Still not at 100 percent.

"No you need to rest." he said, getting on the motorcycle. Then he swore and got off. He checked to make sure nothing had been added to the vehicle. "See? I'm not falling for the old bomb on the bike trick."

"No you're running off after the bad guy alone." Tick Tick muttered as he took off.

She promised free repairs for a month to one of Orient's downstairs neighbors who owned a bike, and they took her to the border. It was closer than the World. There she made use of the alert system she and Leda had worked out. This close to the border, communication was very reliable. The scrying mirror got through to her friend, who then got in touch with Momoko.

[For Blossom!]

Comments

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Hawthorn had good reflexes, which meant that even though Blossom was able to catch him off guard, he recovered quickly. He aimed a punch for her face, and cast about for something heavy to hit her with.

"Who are you?"

[heromaniac]

Blossom took the punch and frowned. "Hey! That hurt!" Then reached for his wandering arm to pull it back; hopefully she didn't wrench too hard.

Okay, that punch had totally hurt, so she wasn't really hoping that.

"And I told you my name is Blossom. Do I call you evil drug bomber guy?"

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

He grunted with pain. "My name is Hawthorn. Pleased to meet you." His pointed ears marked him as an elf, though he had no accent to speak of.

His next words were in Elvish, and sent a powerful jolt of electricity into her even as he tried to throw her off of him.

It was risky, such spells here on the border. This one however worked just as it should have. Or would have if Blossom was as fragile as most people were. It was supposed to kill her.

[heromaniac]

Well, it definitely tossed her off him and she could definitely feel her bones tingling. It kind of felt like when she'd first been hit with the white light, and she checked to make sure she hadn't de-transformed.

She hadn't, but now she was in the air again and sending her yo-yo after him again. Hopefully.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Hawthorn was losing patience with this. Orient could still implicate him if he didn't stop him. He needed to finish this soon.

The Yo Yo left a nasty bump on his forehead, but he managed to push through the pain, and cast a fire spell on the bushes just behind Blossom. Then he threw two trees at her to knock her into the fire.

[heromaniac]

"Alright. That's it, Mr Hawthorn!" Blossom pulled her yo-yo back, cracking the trees into pieces before they smash into her. "I'm totally adding arson to the list of reasons to take you down." And with that, she flew at him feet first, aiming for his stomach.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Hawthorn brought his clasped fists down on her just as her feet connected.

He wouldn't be getting up again soon after that.

From Fandom Pics

"Well damn." a woman wearing a silver trenchcoat said, having just arrived on the scene.

[heromaniac]

And thank you Azula and Dinah for teaching her to move with an opponent's attack or her legs would probably have been broken, judging by the bruises she did get.

And no, he wouldn't be getting up. Breathing was something elves had to do too; he'd be gasping for a while, not that Blossom wasn't busying herself by tying his hands.

She looked up. "Ah! Ms Rico? Sorry! I got here a little early. If I gagged him, could he still cast spells? Leda didn't say."

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Gagging him would be a good idea. We can get a mage to keep him from doing any spell casting later too. After all I think we want him to be able to talk."

She pulled a pair of handcuffs out of her pocket. "Need these?" She studied Blossom. "You're from that island right? The one Leda lived on?"

Sunny had never actually met Leda, but the girl was kind of a celebrity around here.

[heromaniac]

Blossom sighed. "I totally need to get some of those." Her string worked, but it looked more professional when there were handcuffs! "I am, yes! Well, sort of. I mean, that's where I am now. Hold on a second."

She pulled a few hairbows from her pocket, waving one in the villian's face. "Mr Hawthorn? Please watch?" She charged a small bit of energy into the hairbow and sent it flying into a piece of tree, exploding it.

"Understand? Now. Please let me gag you." She stuffed his mouth with a hairbow, then tied it in place with another she had untied. Hopefully she'd made her point that he shouldn't try to undo the gag.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

The fight was largely taken out of Hawthorn already. That display of power rather helped too. As much as a respecting that she did so, as much as believing she'd do it again, this time to him.

So he did allow it.

"Orient says he has an accomplice in an apartment downstairs. He's watching the door now." Sunny said.

[heromaniac]

Well, except that she hadn't charged the other hairbow? She was totally using strategy and psychology! And it was working! Her teachers would be so proud!

"Is Orient okay? I lost him in the chase." Blossom frowned. Losing track of a rescuee was not a good thing and she was not happy with herself. "Do we know anything about the accomplice?"

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"He's okay, though his arm's a little sore. If the accomplice is the owner of the apartment then she's Secretary Leigha. Very high up in one of the noble houses."

[heromaniac]

Blossom scratched her head. "Another elf? Why would they be selling drugs that hurt elves?" She would understand it better if the drug hurt humans, really. "Should we get Leda involved in this, then, if it involves nobles?"

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"The typical penalty for fucking up this big in Bordertown is deportation back to wherever you came from, so chances are Leda will get involved." Sunny nodded.

And actually the drugs were hurting humans. The fact that Elves were getting sick was just an unforseen side effect.

They soon came upon Orient standing guard outside an apartment door that was flanked by two small trees in large pots.

[heromaniac]

"Hi!" Blossom waved, fully knowing that he wouldn't recognize her as Momoko. "Glad to see you're okay! Leda was worried and asked me to come make sure you were okay."

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Orient regarded her with a bemused expression. "Glad you showed up when you did." he said. Orient was not used to other humans having super powers. In the world, so far as he knew he was the only one.

"So you're from, Fandom right?"

Sunny sighed. "Kids, we can all go out for coffee later and get aquainted, but right now there's a bad guy to stop yeah?"

[heromaniac]

"Yes I'm from Fandom," Blossom chuckled and nodded. "And Ms Rico's right, we totally should make sure all the criminals are secure. Do we know if that was the only bomb?"

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Ask me where the bomb is." Orient suggested.

[heromaniac]

Blossom was confused, but complied: "Where are the bombs?"

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Orient looked distant for a moment, then sighed. "Nothing. There's no bombs."

That was something he could explain later when there was time.

"Good." Sunny said. She knocked on the door, then tried the knob. Unlocked. She didn't know if that was a good or bad sign, but they had to confront the bitch inside, so she went and opened it.

"Secretary? We need to talk."

[heromaniac]

Blossom made sure she walked in after Ms Rico, despite how much it actually hurt. She didn't know what this 'Secretary' could do, so she wanted to have that as a surprise if she needed. She stayed a step behind Ms Rico, letting her lead the conversation.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Orient started to follow them in, his face grave, but Sunny ordered him to go down to the lobby and send up the other Suits. He started to protest, but she insisted that his job was done.

Then she turned to Secretary Leigha of the House of the Weeping Birch. "We've got Hawthorn. I have a feeling he's going to cooperate. Care to confess now? The judges will be nicer if you do."

The woman didn't actually sneer, but her tone of voice made it clear that's what she was doing inside. "Whatever I say they will be nice. My house will see to it. Just as it will see to breaking you for your presumption."

[heromaniac]

Blossom raised an eyebrow at the way the conversation was going. "I don't really see that we're making any presumptions? We're totally going to tell what we've found and what happened out there."

She ran a hand down her arm, Leda's gift clearly visible against the cuts and bruises. "The truth is the truth, no matter what your family name."

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Secretary Leigha's face betrayed none of the shock at the sight of the Queen's crest on the girl's bracelet.

"Besides," Sunny added, "We both know your House couldn't even break wind in this town these days."

[heromaniac]

Blossom had to turn and look at Ms Rico for a moment at that statement, because, really? That was totally a rude thing to say and not at all helpful that she could see.

She slowly turned back to the elf. "Madam Secretary? You should cooperate. Peacefully, please. Preserve what honour you have left; you totally don't want me tying you up and dragging you out of here."