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       #Post#: 393662--------------------------------------------------
       Dakota City
       By: Raijuta Date: October 29, 2015, 4:20 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       It's the day after the Big Bang. The city is about to be filled
       with confused and anxious meta-humans. Get ready for school!
       It's Friday!
       #Post#: 393673--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Dakota City
       By: Hydro Date: October 29, 2015, 5:03 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       6:45am
       Hanini woke up in the morning, reeking of an unusual scent. It
       didn't stink, but Hanini didn't like it. It reminded him of the
       incident the night before. He had stayed late after practice to
       help a friend with decorations for a school event, and before he
       knew it, it was getting dark! He took a shortcut to try to get
       home quicker, when the sounds of a fight could be heard just a
       block ahead of him! Hanini didn't want any part in that, so he
       walked as quietly as he could. It turned out there was a full
       blown brawl taking place near the docks! and then BOOM!
       Purple smoke erupted from the site, causing all parties to
       scatter, coughing as they tried to maintain their breath! Hanini
       hadn't been caught in the blast, but he inhaled so much of the
       smoke he might as well have! He wasn't injured or anything, so
       he just went home and took a shower.
       But now it was morning and he felt....
       Thirsty! He jumped out of bed and rushed to the kitchen, where
       his mother, Kalea was already preparing breakfast. "Breakfast
       will be ready soon." She told him. His mother was a beautiful
       Black, Hawaiian woman who was the object of admiration for many
       of Hanini's friends. But to him, she was just... mom. He didn't
       respond to her statement, instead grabbing a glass from the
       cabinet and filling it with water, guzzling it down in mere
       seconds. "You thirsty?" Kalea teased, as he finished his second
       glass. He nodded his head as he poured a third. Three glasses
       later, she appeared concerned. "I know they say you should have
       six to nine glasses of water a day, Hanini, but it doesn't have
       to be all at once....
       The boy nodded his head and put his glass in the sink before
       heading upstairs and getting dressed. He was out the door before
       breakfast was ready.
       10:52am
       Hanini Had all but drained every water fountain in the school,
       and spent at least ten dollars on bottled water from the vending
       machine. He had been excused from both his morning classes for
       water breaks, but no matter what, he remained parched!  This
       would continue for the entire day.
       3:42pm
       Swim practice started at 4:15, but Hanini was always the first
       to arrive. On this day, he was even earlier than normal! Down to
       trunks, he walked up the the pool, took a deep breath, and
       jumped in. MAN The water was heaven! Like, even moreso than
       normal! He didn't even bother to swim! He just closed his eyes
       and floated on his back. But when he opened his eyes, he
       realized something wasn't right! It was almost as if his body
       was melting into the water! He barely even resembled a human!
       Rather a blown mass of floating mush!
       In a panic, he frantically struggled to get out of the water!
       Without a solid form, he didn't know what he would do on land,
       but he had to get out! Once he escaped the liquid death trap,
       however, his body returned to it's normal shape! Still
       terrified, he screamed and ran out of the gymnasium, just as his
       coach and teammates arrived. "Hanini what is it?!" They screamed
       after him, but he was already gone. Not even bothering to gather
       his things. He didn't stop until he was home, still spooked. But
       you know what? He wasn't thirsty...
       #Post#: 393893--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Dakota City
       By: guest1380 Date: October 30, 2015, 8:56 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Jerry was talking to Martha downstairs; she could hear them.
       Gale perched herself on the stairs and leaned down to better
       hear what they were saying.
       It was early, maybe five a.m. Jerry usually did not get up to
       about eight to leave for work, but a persistant knocking on the
       front door had awakened them. Martha started to cry. The sound
       make her stomach churn. Martha would not have cried if the
       police had not been present.
       Her foster dad started to ask the officer what had happened, but
       officer remained silent. Perhaps he heard the threatening edge
       in his voice too.
       Then, there was shouting following the front door slamming. She
       was surprised that the old door still functioned correctly after
       many years of being slammed in anger.
       Mike had slammed it more than a few handfuls of times.
       To everyone's surprise, Martha stopped crying. Gale heard her
       light a cigarette and cough. Stage two lung cancer and she was
       still at three packs a day.
       "What we going to tell the kid?" she heard Jerry ask as he
       shuffled across the room.
       "Let's ask her," Martha said coldly. "She's listening right
       now."
       Gale sighed and gave up her hiding space. Her body felt sore
       from the night before.
       She walked in and winced at the harsh kitchen light. Jerry
       looked her over.
       "You like look hell," he said.
       She nodded. She felt like it too.
       "So you know 'bout Mike?" Martha asked, probably noticing her
       reddened eyes.
       Gale swallowed back tears and nodded her head.
       Martha snorted. "Course you do. Were you there, too?"
       Flashing red and blue lights came to mind as screams polluted
       her sanity.
       "No m'am," she lied.
       Martha accepted the lie. "Go get ready for school."
       She was thankful to be dismissed. Climbing the stairs, she could
       not hold back the tears any longer.
       -
       School
       Morning
       What was that awful stench? She leaned forward and smelled her
       hands. It reeked of the night before, but she had been far away
       at the times things went down.
       Well, hardly less than a block away by that time, but still far
       enough she did not know she would have been effected.
       If only she would have ran instead of disobeying Mike and
       turning back to watch.
       "Gale."
       It was Lindsay. She was her pretty sophomore friend. Although
       she was a year younger than her, she had the maturity of a
       middle aged adult. Perhaps that was why she enjoyed her company
       so.
       "I heard about Mike," she murmured. "Why are you even at
       school."
       "And go home to cuddly Martha? I don't think so, Liz," she
       muttered throwing her books in her locker.
       Lindsay stared at her as if trying to crack open a safe locke
       without the code.
       "You okay?" she asked.
       Gale ignored her friend. Of course she was not 'okay', but when
       you lived where and how she did, you learned the means to
       survive. That's what Mike had taught her.
       Except, he did not survive.
       -
       School
       Afternoon
       Each time she passed a window, her eyes would start to water and
       her skin would prickle. She wrote it off as a consequence to her
       having cried all night.
       The dismissal bell sounded and students began to shuffled
       hurriedly out the door, eager to get home. She was not eager
       whatsoever to return home just yet.
       Instead, Liz asked her to go out and grab a bite to eat. She
       agreed and they took a cab across town together to a pizza
       joint. They conversed about school and Liz's boyfriend. Well,
       Liz talked and she just mainly listened. Gale was not in a
       talkative mood.
       "Can I stay with you tonight?" she asked, accidentally
       interrupting Liz in mid-sentence.
       Liz, like the amazing friend she was, did not seem to mind the
       interruption. They both knew she was just talking to make the
       air less dense with awkwardness.
       "Of course," Liz said, licking her fingers free of any runaway
       pizza sauce. "Won't Martha be pissed though?"
       Gale shrugged. "If she notices at all, she will probably just
       threaten to call the agency or the cops."
       Liz frowned, but did not speak further on the matter. Either
       way, she was glad that she did not have to return home.
       #Post#: 394520--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Dakota City
       By: Hydro Date: November 3, 2015, 4:42 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       "Is that you Hanini?"
       Kalea's voice rang through the house before the boy could even
       close the door all the way. Short of breath, Hanini didn't
       answer immediately. Before he could say a word, she came around
       the corner. "You're home early." She said, stating the obvious.
       Hanini could have said the same to her, but she gave him no
       chance. "Was practice cancelled?" She spoon fed him his excuse!
       "Yeah." He answered, nodding his head as he walked by. "Where
       are your books?" She asked before he could make it to his room.
       "I left them at school." He said dryly. "Don't have any homework
       this weekend." She didn't seem as satisfied with that answer,
       however, she let it go. Hanini went into his room, closed the
       door, and flung himself onto the bed. What had happened to him
       before? He definitely saw his body change forms! Maybe he should
       see a doctor? No. It must have been his imagination. Clearly he
       was fine, right?
       As he pondered that, Kalea walked into his room. Privacy wasn't
       a thing in her house, and don't even get her started on locked
       doors... "Since you're home so early, I want you to go to the
       store for me." She handed him some cash and a short list of
       items. Hanini didn't bother to argue. He took the money and put
       it in his back pocket before heading out the door.
       It wasn't far to the store. A few blocks maybe. It was in a
       little shopping center just past an old pizza parlor. Hanini was
       thinking on his day so heavily as he walked, that he didn't
       notice the storm clouds brewing. His first warning was a few
       scattered raindrops, which, for some reason, brought him a sense
       of comfort, rather than concern. They carried a smile to his
       face,like he hadn't had all day. But then, with a boom of
       thunder, the very sky seemed to fall out! Still, he didn't seem
       perturbed, until he looked down to see his arm appearing to melt
       under the falling rain water. "Shit!" He half yelled, making a
       mad dash for cover. He ended up under the awning at the pizza
       parlor, where he rushed through the door, and fell to his knees.
       He tried to cover his arms, but they had already returned to
       normal. "What's happening to me?" He whispered...
       #Post#: 394570--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Dakota City
       By: guest1383 Date: November 3, 2015, 6:16 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       "Gale?" asked Liz as she flailed her hands.
       Gale blinked. "Yeah?"
       Liz rolled her eyes and picked up her purse and wallet. "Asked
       if you were ready. Oh great! It's raining."
       Looking out the resturaunt's window, she saw that her friend was
       right. Unlike Liz, she enjoyed the rain, having taken solace in
       its soothing pitter patters on her window many times before.
       She grabbed her things and followed Liz to the door. Suddenly, a
       kid threw himself through the door and onto his knees. He had
       gotten caught in the rain, his body dropping with rain.
       Liz was the one who sprang into action. Gale just stood to the
       side, trying to give him space and not to get in the way.
       Liz laid a decisive hand on his shoulder tenderly, but firmly.
       "Dude, you okay?" she asked, her fingers prying down his spine,
       looking for any signs of an injury.
       What's happening to me?
       The rhetorical question made her frown. She was certain Liz had
       not heard him say it, but she had. Gale cleared her throat.
       "Liz, maybe he just needs some space?" she suggested, rubbing
       her arm.
       Liz scoffed at her statement and glanced up at her with an
       obvious question in her eyes.
       It read, 'who is the one wanting to be a doctor here?'
       Gale ignored it and instead watched him. It took a moment to
       recognize him, but when she did, it only added to the mystery.
       "Hanini?"
       Liz glanced up at her, shocked to hear who it was. She looked
       back down and leaned forward to get a better look of the guy's
       face.
       "Hanini? Like Hanini school swim team, Hanini?" Liz asked.
       "Woah, too much partying?"
       Gale frowned at how forward her friend was being. She had never
       known Hanini to hang with that type of crowd. Then again, she
       really did not know him.
       "Liz," she muttered.
       Liz looked up, blinking innocently. "What?"
       "Do you need us to call someone?" Gale asked, ignoring Liz. He
       didn't look well at all. "Or maybe get you a taxi?"
       "You could come home with us," Liz suggested.
       Ever since Liz started dating, she had been persistent about
       getting a boyfriend for Gale. She wanted to be able to double
       date and be able to gush about their relationships, she had
       said. So now, as she offered allowing him to go back to her
       house with them, Gale knew she was being more than a good
       citizen.
       Gale sighed and Liz looked up at her and mouthed 'what?' as she
       shrugged.
       #Post#: 394583--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Dakota City
       By: Hydro Date: November 3, 2015, 6:41 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       As Hanini was gathering his breath, he felt someone approaching.
       He didn't see her... He felt her... How did he know it was a
       her? What in the Hell was going on? He looked up as a gentle
       hand lay on his shoulder to see two girls from school. He knew
       them both. Not friends necessarily. But nice girls. Liz and
       Gale...
       "I'm fine." He said, rising to his feet. "It's just water.
       Caught me off guard is all." Understatement of the century.
       Water continued to pour from his locs as he looked around, and
       apologized to a worker who was already coming with a mop.
       It seemed the two hadn't recognized him until that moment. He
       smiled, and pulled his hair back. tying it with a rubber band
       from around his wrist and smiled. "That's me!" He said jokingly
       before Liz made her comment. "Partying?" It was clear he was
       genuinely confused by her question. The last party he had been
       to was a member of the swim team's birthday party; and that was
       far from a rager!
       He listened to their suggestions. The issue wasn't getting
       home... He looked out into the rain, considering what might
       happen to him if we went out into it for too long, or even at
       all. "How are you getting home?" He asked Liz. Perhaps the best
       thing to do would be to call his mom and let her know he had
       gotten caught in the rain and would head back when it cleared
       up.
       (Static came out in the time before everyone had cell phones, so
       we're gonna stick to that)
       #Post#: 394609--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Dakota City
       By: guest1383 Date: November 3, 2015, 7:17 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Liz blushed in a way that would make the devil suspicious as he
       confirmed his identity. Perhaps, her relationship was not as
       concrete as she wanted it to be. Gale was fully aware of her
       attraction to athletes, but she also knew how much she liked the
       guy she was dating despite his 'geek' tendencies. He would just
       have to keep her attention if he hoped to have a long
       relationship. It was easy for her to get bored.
       "We were planning on calling a payphone," Gale said, her eyes
       drifting to the angry employee mopping up Hanini's mess. "I
       think we should probably at least go somewhere else.
       Liz went over to the front counter and asked to use their phone.
       They obliged albeit reluctantly, but it seemed as though they
       were willing if it meant that the teenagers messing up their
       restaurant would leave. While she called the taxi service, Gale
       rubbed her elbow and turned back to Hanini.
       "So," she said in a low tone so that her friend would not
       overhear. "What did you mean by what you said when you first
       came in? About wondering what was going with you?"
       She could not place the source of her curiosity, but she felt as
       though she needed to know the answer to her inquiry. Something
       just did not feel right within her.
       #Post#: 394617--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Dakota City
       By: Raijuta Date: November 3, 2015, 7:51 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Hanini would have noticed the obvious blush on Liz' face, but
       his eyes had settled on Gale. For some reason, she seemed the
       one that had it together, though she was the one who hadn't done
       or said much. Both girls were cute, mind you. But everyone knew
       Liz had a boyfriend. Hanini wasn't sure if Gale was taken or
       not. They had never really spoken before, despite having three
       classes together. He nodded his head upon hearing her advice,
       and moved forward to the phone.
       As Liz made the call, Hanini turned to hear what Gale had to
       say. His eyes widened upon hearing the question; a reaction he
       wished desperately that he could take back. He sighed heavily,
       and gently grabbed the girls elbow, pulling her further out of
       earshot. "Ever since I woke up this morning I've been thirsty.
       Like, crazy thirsty. I drank seven glasses of water before
       school and it was like I'd been in the desert for a week. The
       only time I've been satisfied was when I was covered in
       water..." He looked out into the pouring rain, hoping she would
       catch the connection. He decided to leave out the rest. The last
       thing he needed was to freak anyone out.
       Once Liz returned from her call, Hanini went to make one of his
       own. Kalea's voice couldn't be heard, but Hanini's responses
       made it pretty clear what she was saying:
       Hey, mom?
       Yeah, I got caught in the storm
       I'm just going to wait it out. I'll be home when it calms down.
       Don't worry, I ran into some friends at Mario's.
       Ok, I'll call you in a bit.
       After that he returned to the girls. "Alright. What's the next
       move?"
       #Post#: 394834--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Dakota City
       By: guest1380 Date: November 4, 2015, 8:50 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Gale's forehead scrunched in silent thought as she mulled over
       what he was saying. She caught his eye and followed it to the
       door where the rain was still coming down. Before she could
       summon up a response, Liz came running over. Hanini took her
       place at the phone while Gale simply gazed outside.
       The rain suited her mood. Although there were distractions
       around her, she could not help but remember Mike and the night
       before.
       Her attention became divided when Hanini returned and asked what
       they were going to do next.
       "Taxi is here," announced Liz, bouncing up and out the door.
       Gale shrugged and shrugged off her jacket and passed it to
       Hanini.
       "Try putting this over your head."
       The taxi was parked close enough to the door that they would not
       have to travel far, but she was still concerned about the ten
       feet the awning failed to cover.
       Then, she ran outside and jumped into taxi and slid over enough
       to make room for him. Liz mumbled something about how it was
       unfair that she got to sit by him. Gale did not even try to
       reply to her.
       Who was the one with a boyfriend, again?
       #Post#: 394836--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Dakota City
       By: Hydro Date: November 4, 2015, 9:39 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       When Liz announced that the taxi had arrived,  Hanini nodded his
       head,  but hesitated as he looked out at the rain. It was then
       that Gale offered him her jacket.   He wanted desperately to
       take it from her,  but he simply couldn't!  How would that look?
       Making a girl go out in the rain without a jacket so that he
       could cover his head!.
       He smiled and shook his head. "I'll be alright." He told her. He
       didn't know if it was true but he hoped it was.  "You need to
       stay dry too." He opened the door for her,  and walked out
       behind her.  Still under the awning,  the breeze carried rogue
       droplets of water toward him, and they misted over his skin like
       tiny kisses. It felt amazing! But it also made him nervous.  The
       comfort always came first,  then the misshapen skin. . His left
       hand grabbed his right forearm and her tightened his muscles,
       willing himself to remain solid as he ran after Gale,  leaning
       forward so that most of the water would land on his shirt.
       He didn't liquify this time but his skin still took on an almost
       rubbery sheen.  It quickly faded once he was safe in the back
       seat with Gale,  allowing Liz to take the front.
       *****************************************************
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