Union

twenty seven

October 29th

1118 EST

While Avi was not human, she was fascinated with the celebrations that the human race participated in. As Halloween approached, she found herself decorating her room with paper bats and orange and black streamers. She knew everything about the holiday and its origins in a metaphorical heartbeat, and even though October 31st could potentially bode imminent danger for her and her friends, Avi was entirely excited for the holiday to arrive.

Sunlight streamed in through her window as she finished sticking the last of the decorative pumpkins to the glass panes. Smiling with pride, Avi stood back and admired her work. She almost didn't hear her door opening behind her, and didn't turn until she felt the general chill that followed Tristan.

She whirled around, seeing the dark haired boy lean against the doorframe, an amused smile on his lips. "Yes?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.

Tristan's smile grew. He cast his icy eyes around the room, nodding to himself as he noted the decorations. "Way to get into the spirit, Av." He acknowledged.

Avi folded her arms, sticking her nose into the air. "Why, thank you, Tristan. I am quite proud of myself, to say the least."

Tristan laughed, causing Avi to do a quick scan of the boy in her doorway. She'd hardly heard him laugh these past few weeks, what with their strenuous training and relentless meetings with the Contingency day in and day out. Her readings told her that while still stressed, he was happy, and that was enough to put a smile on her face as well.

Tristan nodded his head out towards the hallway. "Come on, we're going on a field trip."

Avi knit her eyebrows. "What? Where?"

Tristan pushed himself off of the doorframe. He was dressed for a day in the city; black jacket over a flannel hoodie and t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. He shoved his hands into his coat pockets. "Halloween costume shopping," He smiled weakly. "By command of Priscilla and my relentless twin sister."

Avi beamed. "Fantastic." While she didn't have a temperature to maintain, she still pulled on a coat and some mittens. She followed Tristan out of her room and down to the cortex, where her friends were waiting. What shocked Avi most was how silent everyone was.

Bristol leant against one of the pillars, her lined eyes shut with her face to the sky. Her arms were folded over her tan peacoat, her hair windswept as always. She opened her eyes to see Avi and Tristan enter, but didn't do much to acknowledge them. She merely pushed herself off the pillar, stretching her muscles.

CJ sat at the base of the training platform, his hazel eyes distant. He bounced his leg up and down rapidly, paying no attention to Avi and Tristan or even Bristol for that matter, which struck Avi as odd.

Liv, it seemed, was the only one with any energy. She clapped her hands together, hopping off of the training platform with a feline agility. "Glad to see you all could make it," She grinned. "Shall we?"

Without another word from her companions, Liv sauntered down the opposite hallway, the others herded behind her. Soon enough, they reached the manual entrance. Avi remembered the time when CJ had brought them down there over the summer, voicing his beliefs of a corrupt system beneath the river.

Avi frowned. Things were a lot easier back then.

Bristol stepped forward, just like she had done back then, only now the prospect of herding a group of heroes beneath a river to the opposite shore didn't even faze her. She spread her hands, forging into the river. The others followed as she headed to the shore leading to Brightbay City, not even breaking a sweat as she climbed back onto dry land.