Leslie and Kaitlyn looked over at Amy and Rakutsu. Indeed they recognized him, although Amy raised a hand before they could say anything in front of the imprisoned and quite-likely supervillainess.<br/><br/>“My heart’s pounding and I have no idea if I’m stuck in this form long-term,” Kaitlyn answered, “but at least I’m not dead!”<br/><br/>“See now, that’s the attitude we gotta have if we want to get through this!” Leslie said with a thumbs up. “Come on, let’s go and see what else we can do. But before we do…”<br/><br/>Leslie looked back up at the imprisoned woman. “Say cheese!”<br/><br/>She whipped out her phone, but no flash emerged.<br/><br/>“What the-” she exclaimed. “Oh man, I had the<em>perfect</em>pose all lined up, too!”<br/><br/>“Phones don’t work,” Amy explained. “Else we’d have called the cops a long time ago.”<br/><br/>While making their way through the ruined zoo, Rakutsu noticed that Leslie had a thin translucent layer of vegetation growing around her arms, legs, and torso.<br/><br/>“So I take it you can control plants?” Amy asked.<br/><br/>“I think so,” Leslie answered. “And those wings, you must be part-bug like how Kate’s part-frog now?”<br/><br/>Both girls glared at her.<br/><br/>“S-sorry!” Leslie stammered. “What I mean is, it’s clear that this storm and the zoo...our powers seem connected to the surrounding wildlife. Or were triggered by it”<br/><br/>She turned to Rakutsu. “How about you? You feeling any different?”<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/o6r9i1T.jpg?1)</div><div class="floatright">(https://i.imgur.com/0CUCbNx.jpg?1)</div>All around them the city streets were empty; cars clogged up the road, some broken, melted, or fused together. Others had doors open from people who decided to escape on foot. Although still tense, the hurried breaths of Rakutsu’s classmates subsided to a worried yet slower pace, as did their more apparent physical changes. Eventually Amy’s more insectile features retracted into her body, Kaitlyn’s skin returned to its normal complexion, and Leslie’s clinging vines and moss sloughed off her in clumped-together patches.<br/><br/>“That’s weird,” Amy remarked. “Is it...temporary?”<br/><br/>Before they could re-test any powers, Leslie pointed over to a rushing figure. “Hold your super-skills, civvies at 10 o’clock!”<br/><br/>It was Ryoko and Teruko, their agile forms overcoming newly-formed potholes and fallen streetlights.<br/><br/><em>Dialogue will be different depending on whether Rakutsu is still wearing his mask or not.</em><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">As Sleeping Wyvern</div><div class="spoiler_body">For a moment both women breathed in deeply at the sight of him, but quickly regained their composure.<br/><br/>“Hey!” Ryoko called out. “Are you all right?”<br/><br/>“We’re fine!” Amy waved back. “You uh...you’re not gonna attack us, are you?”<br/><br/>Both of them shook their heads. “No, of course not! There’s a lot of crazy things going on, but we’re just trying to find a family member. Are you from William O. Douglass High School?”<br/><br/>“Yeah,” Leslie answered. “Most of us got out safely when the...the Storm hit the zoo.”<br/><br/>“That’s...good to hear,” Teruko said. “Really good. Well, if you happen to see Rakutsu Hayasa, please let him know that we’re looking for him and...and that it means so much for us to know that he’s okay.”<br/><br/>“Teruko can escort you to an emergency shelter if you need it,” Ryoko said. “But otherwise, I’ll keep on looking.”<br/><br/>Ryoko headed down a side street. “Don’t worry,” Teruko said as she watched her go off. “She’s good at working alone.”</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Rakutsu</div><div class="spoiler_body">“You’re safe!” Teruko cried. “Thank God!”<br/><br/>“Oh hey!” Amy waved. “Are you one of Rakutsu’s family members?”<br/><br/>The two women hugged him, confirming the answer.<br/><br/>“As soon as the Storm hit, we took off trying to find you,” Ryoko explained. “We’re glad that you’re okay.”<br/><br/>“I...I thought something terrible happened...sniff... after that crazy flying metahuman started tearing up the zoo!” Teruko wailed.<br/><br/>“There there,” Leslie said as she patted Teruko on the back. “But, did you see where the rest of the class went?”<br/><br/>“They’re in an emergency shelter,” Ryoko answered as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Come on, we’ll get through this…”</div></div><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;"><strong>Aftermath</strong></span></span></div><br/>Scene Music (dryhope - Someday) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40NH3N6Dy9A)<br/><br/>"This is Caleb Gardner with Channel 12 Eyewitness News. What is being called the Silver Storm is theorized by experts to be an artificial creation..."<br/><br/>“Storm’s epicenter traced to a Redshift Energies truck at the intersection of Yellow Brick Row...”<br/><br/>"...spokespeople for Redshift have declined to comment..."<br/><br/>"...casualties are estimated in the thousands, over 100 still missing..."<br/><br/>Rain fell in curtains outside the hospital’s visiting room. The building’s ample lighting merely contrasted the surrounding darkness, of wet grass and hard pavement giving way to black. The place was far busier than Rakutsu had ever seen it; small crowds of concerned friends and family paced anxiously or sat sullenly, awaiting the news of their loved ones’ fates. Rakutsu recognized a few siblings and parents of his classmates, although only not all of their names were known to him. A trio of staff rushed past with an oversized stretcher, housing a figure that would be the spitting image of a metal statue did it not just writhe and jolt.<br/><br/>Ryoko and Teruko were there as well, this time dressed in more practical wear.<br/><br/>Teruko didn’t say anything. She extended her arms into a hug, although she didn’t initiate contact unless Rakutsu reciprocated.<br/><br/>Rakutsu’s phone vibrated again.<br/><br/>Are you here? I hope it wasn’t too dangerous.<br/><br/>Ryoko tilted her head. She didn’t have to see the text to know who it was from.<br/><br/>“Would you prefer to see her on your own, or with us?”<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;"><strong>Its history literally written in lightning, this once-quaint region in the Pacific Northwest is now the metahuman capital of the United States! No amount of training could’ve prepared Rakutsu for this! But thankfully he is not alone; while he may not realize it, today marks the founding of Emerald City’s greatest superhero team, the Menagerie!</strong></span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;"><strong>Wondering what’s in fate for our heroes-to-be? Tune in Next Time on Shorn Spandex!</strong></span></span><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Power Point Rewards</div><div class="spoiler_body">Sleeping Wyvern and every DMPC gains 2 Power Points. Updates and spending will be written in the original post as <strong>Changelogs.</strong></div></div></div>