The Watchwomen

Chapter 4 (Act I): Terabyte Therapy

We last read Chapter 3, in which we checked in with Cassie a.k.a. Coldsnap—the Harbinger of Ice—as she continues her tenure as the Ice Sect Leader of the Mage Aspects. After two of her Ice Sentries bring her a prisoner—who is revealed to be the ringleader of a rogue sect of ice mages who are still loyalists to Coldsnap's nasty and misogynistic predecessor, Frost King Alpin—she is quick to shut down his arguments and promptly put him in his place, intimidating him into submission, backing him up into an active ice mist geyser, and turning him into nothing more than her personal ice sculpture in mere minutes.

This time, we see what the fourth female member of the Paragons, Monica Drevis a.k.a. Voltara, has been doing in her spare time following the group's suspension from superhero activities.....

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-Tessa Gardenhigh Therapy Institute, Mercury Heights, New York, United States-

The Tessa Gardenhigh Therapy Institute was an establishment based in Mercury Heights, New York which was considered to be one of the main points of contact for individuals who had been through particularly traumatic events. It wasn't a particularly big building; it only hosted one floor, although it was a very expansive one.

When a visitor pulled open the front door, which was mostly constructed with glass and had steel forming its lining and handle, they would be greeted with a warm, soothing, comfortable waiting room. The door to the back hallways and the examination rooms was straight ahead, a receptionist's desk was on the right wall—complete with a small rack holding brochures—and a sizable waiting area with soft cushioned chairs and couches covered the left side, with a men's restroom, a women's restroom, and a gender-neutral restroom also being present.

The walls were given a clean, dark beige paint job and had white baseboards, crown moldings, and chair rails that were carved with intricate designs. The room itself was, for the most part, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop; after all, pretty much everyone was distracted with something else, and most of the action was taking place behind the check-in desk, anyway.

The waiting room was about half-full, filled with numerous guests who sought counseling for one reason or another. Some were reading the provided magazines, while others were playing various games or scrolling social media and news reports on their phones. Sitting amongst them, though, was none other than Monica Drevis a.k.a. Voltara herself, looking noticeably nervous and shaken up. She constantly stirred in her seat as she experienced internal flashbacks to the incident. It had already been two years since then, and the memory was somehow still fresh in her mind.

Monica Drevis a.k.a. Voltara was the older sister of Lifeline Industries C.E.O. Dr. Duncan Drevis, and she presented as a young woman with upper back-length jet-black hair, a short-sleeved black inner T-shirt with a sleek red leather jacket thrown over it, a flared black skirt that ended somewhat above her knee, fitted tights that sheathed her skin while still emphasizing her legs, and dark shoes similar to what you would see a ballet dancer wearing. Her waist was also hugged by a black belt with a silver V-shaped buckle directly in the center of it.

Her skin, however, was unlike any other person. She first became an enhanced individual after being zapped by a huge number of genetically-modified jellyfish at her brother Duncan's innovation company, leading to her gaining electrokinesis in the process. As a result, her skin had permanently turned a vibrant, translucent shade of blue with visible lightning constantly coursing through her body. Though her usual outfit covered most of her skin, her neck, head, and hands could still be seen, showing her rather interesting skin for all to see.