Dedicated to ELatimer. On the off chance you live under a rock and have never read one of her works, go do so. She's also insane and doing NaNo with 'Bright', although she's on fire with her words.

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Chapter 4 - Things Might Crack

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At the sound of her name, Athira’s arms unlocked and hovered at her side.

Her breath came faster. She blinked, examining his face closely for the first time.

She’d been too distracted inside the tower to realise, to make the connection between the familiar voice and put the thought down to the impact of her colour having free reign over her body. But now, looking at him closely...

“Raph?” she asked, her voice barely more than a squeak.

His reaction confirmed her suspicion. A kind of horror started spreading throughout her. He exhaled, half laughing, his hand lingering beside her shoulder as if he was suddenly unsure of her existence. “Oh my god, Athira, it’s you? It’s actually you?”

Shift stepped forward, saving her from having to reply. “Uh, care to explain how you know a notorious villain’s actual name, Raph?”

“I...” Raph’s words trailed off as he touched his ear, listening to something. “No, send them away! Tell them we didn’t--ah damn it all, fine!”

“What are you going to do?” asked the elemental suspiciously.

Raph clucked his tongue, glancing at the doors and nodding his head before looking back to Athira. “Just follow my lead. Trust me, okay?”

Athira started backing away, holding her hands out. Already, the guilt rising in her chest was sending her colour into a fresh wave of frenzy. She had to get to her amulet. Why the hell didn’t she put it on? Get the amulet and get out. “Raph, I don’t need--“

All at once, the semi-quiet of the warehouse exploded as people suited in Colour uniforms of varying ranks burst in through the doors and windows simultaneously. Athira immediately commanded her colour to cover her bare, runed arms. The colour wrapped around her skin, making it appear as though she wore long black sleeves with a white-lined design on it where the runes lay underneath. 

The joys of having instant fashion changes.

The inside of the building lit up like a rainbow as reds moulded their weapons, blues clutched their pre-runed objects and the rest drew their colour to the surface, ready to act.

A taller man dressed in yellow stepped through the doors. His suit was different from the rest, more extravagant, and Athira instantly knew he wasn’t a regular Colour. He was an Elite.

“Scan the area, pick up anything you deem important.”

Murmured replies of ‘Yes Discord’ came from several people. The man, Discord she assumed, gave the area a precursory glance before settling on Raph. “Team Indigo, report!”

Raph pushed Athira behind him. “We tracked Reader and the Owl to this warehouse sir, but they fled when we arrived.”

“From Starpoint tower?” asked Discord.

“Yes, sir. The tower collapsed but Shift got a tracker on the Owl, who pursued Reader.”

Athira was barely listening to their words, too disoriented to even be offended by Shift’s betrayal.

Her brain felt like it was trying to dig its way out of her skull via her eye sockets. She couldn’t handle this much at once, the revelation of finding Raph working as a Colour, the guilt that came with having to face him, having to explain what happened.

I should just slip through the floor and be done with it.

Yet something stopped her from leaving. A niggling feeling of responsibility worming its way up through years of repression. It was taking all her concentration to hide the runes on her arm from Raph and the Colours around her. She struggled to stay upright and not give in to the urge to cave into the floor.

“What’s wrong with her? Does she require medical attention?”

Athira managed to shake her head. Shift caught it and spoke up. “I think she was hit with a mind blast from Reader, sir. She’s still a little shaky from the ordeal.”

Discord’s voice was cold. “She was involved?”

It was Raph who fielded that one. “From what I understand, she was already in the warehouse when the villains arrived and got caught in the crossfire. She was a credit to us, helping lock down a few of Reader’s attacks before he ran.”

“She’s your responsibility then,” said Discord. “See to it that she’s stable and finds her way home, you’re capable of that at least I hope.” He waved a hand dismissively and walked past them, losing interest. “Have you Colours found anything yet or do I have to come over there myself and do the analysis!”

Raph ushered Athira over to where Shift and the elemental stood, the latter glaring at her. “Just stay here, we’ll be out of here soon and back to base.”

“Yes sir!” said an orange Colour. “We found these in the rafters in the corner, tucked away.”

Athira glanced up to see Discord picking up her cloak, and with it, the amulet.

She started forward, pushing past Raph’s warnings. “That’s mine, Reader--the Owl took it from me before they left!”

Discord looked up and raised an eyebrow. “Too bad. They’re now evidence.”

Athira balled her hands. “No, they’re mine.”

He picked up her amulet, rotating it around his fingers. “And I suppose it just so happens that the Owl left it behind after they ran. Or was that Reader, hmm?” When she didn’t reply, he pressed on. “So which one was it? The Owl or Reader? Or was it neither, because it’s not actually yours? Why would a child have use of such thing?”

Rage rose up in her chest as the words spewed from his mouth.

He thought her so childish, did he? Stupid even? Flaunting his power over someone he believed to be below him. Black colour edged her vision. The burning of her body faded into the background, leaving only her hands and a point in the centre of her chest tingling.

A tendril of thought entered her mind. I’ll show him what true power is.

She dropped her voice. “Give it back, Elite.”

The other eyebrow went up. Discord had the nerve to laugh. “Or what?”

“Or this.”                                          

Starting at her feet, the floor began to tremble. The vibration travelled out, slowly encompassing the entire building as the windows shattered and her makeshift roost in the rafters collapsed.

Raph’s voice came beside her ear. “Athira, stop, don’t do whatever you’re about to do.”

Athira closed her eyes, pushing back the urge to slap him away. Remember what you did to him? To her? “Raph, even though you probably hate me, please understand. I need that amulet.”

“We’ll get it back, but not now. A day or two at most after they’re done processing it, and--“

“You made the building shake,” said Discord, mock clapping with her amulet. “Well done. Now if you don’t mind, we Colours have some actual work to do, tracking down some villains who do much more dastardly things than making the building shake.”

Her back muscles clenched so hard it hurt. She took deep breaths through her nose, trying to reason with the thing rising up inside her.

Fighting like this means losing control. Losing control means everyone dies. She exhaled, biting her lip so hard it drew blood. Raph dies. Talon dies. E.v.e.r.y.o.n.e. Because you can’t control yourself.

Discord lost interest. “Alright Colours, move out. We’re taking this back for evidence, see if we can pull anything on the Owl or Reader from it. Indigos, you can take the building-shaker back to base, I think she may need a little help after that, ah, ‘mind blast’ she took, hmm?”

Athira marched herself back to Shift, knowing if she looked at Discord she’d do something she regretted. She ignored the snorts that came from Raph’s elemental friend and the other Colours in the room. Her migraine was returning and her improvised sleeves were starting to slip. The urge to leave was still there, but she couldn’t. Not without giving Raph an explanation.

Shift grabbed her arm, steadying her as she stumbled. Once more, something about his touch caused the fire in her limbs to dissipate somewhat.

“Let’s go,” said Raph. “Back to base, see if Kione’s got anything for us.”

*+*+*+*

It took them an eternity and twelve minutes for their ride to reach the Indigo base. Shift knew, because he’d counted.

Every.

Single.

One.

He put it down to the Owl, or as Raph had named her, Athira. The name suited her. It was different, unusual, and he wasn’t sure of its origin or meaning. He still wasn’t entirely sure why they were harbouring a villain with acclaimed criminal intent, but he trusted Raph enough to go along with it. That and the whole saving his life thing.

The atmosphere around her was... heavy. There was no other way to describe it.

She sat hunched in the corner of the vehicle, the tips of her fingers digging into the side of her head as she muttered the same words under her breath. Without her cloak, it was difficult to think of her as the same person that’d pulled him to safety from the crumbling tower. Her frame was smaller than he’d realised and somewhere along the line, she’d covered up her arms with long black sleeves decorated with white lines that looked suspiciously like...

Shift narrowed his eyes. Didn’t her colour make things get white outlines? Why would she be hiding them?

He considered asking her, but took another look at the pained expression on her face and decided against it. If she wanted to tell them, she would in her own time.

When the vehicle came to a stop outside their base, Shift was the first one out. Raph and Talia followed, but Athira seemed to be having trouble stabilising herself, half stumbling, half levitating out on to the street.

Unsure of what to do, he held his hand out to her.

To his surprise, she took it. He pulled her out, grabbing her elbow to steady her. He went to let go when her fingers tightened around his wrist.

Athira’s other hand was back on her head, her eyes closed once again. “Just... just hang on to my hand. It’s helping.”

Shift wasn’t entirely sure what it was helping with, but he complied. He made his way to the door, bringing Athira with him. Already, her movements seemed easier, the lines on her face not so deep. It made the heat spreading up his arms, once more covering his body in that uncomfortable tingle easier to ignore.

He sucked in a silent breath. Uncalled for, an emerald shade of his colour flickered to life around his hand gripping Athira, before changing to black and sputtering out of existence. It was so quick he wasn’t sure he hadn’t imagined it.

Weird.

Neither Raph nor Talia seemed to notice the exchange. If they did, they didn’t care enough to comment on it. Raph punched in the code and the panel slid back into the wall. The rest of them followed him inside.

Shift led Athira through the corridors and up the stairs, escorted by worried looks from Raph. He took it slow enough that they doubled the usual time it took to reach the common room.

Once there, Talia collapsed on to the couch without bothering to take her suit off, swinging her arm over the back of the chair. “So what now? Harbouring a known villain, little risky if you ask me,” she said.

Raph all but ignored her, coming over to where Shift was holding up Athira. He bent down to her level. “What’s wrong? Anything we can do to help?” he asked.

Talia rolled her eyes and twisted on to her stomach, turning on the video system and scrolling through her recorded shows.

Athira swallowed. “I need a quiet, dark room and to be left alone for a few hours,” she said slowly. Her fingers squeezed Shift’s wrist. “I’ll... I’ll answer any questions you have after that Raph, I promise, but I need to be alone.”

Raph nodded to himself. “You can have the spare room, the one in the east north wing on the third floor near the rest of ours. I’ll take--“

“Can Shift take me?” she asked.

“Uh, sure,” said Raph. He waved Shift over to the door. “You know the one.”

Shift didn’t miss the disappointment in his friend’s voice as he guided Athira through the base to the spare room. The door opened without a code, revealing the basically furnished bedroom.

“Thanks,” she said, releasing his hand. The tingling stopped. “I’m sorry if... if I made anything awkward.”

“All good,” said Shift. “You need anything else?”

Athira shook her head and made her way to the centre of the room, facing away from the door. She promptly picked her boots up from the floor, her body remaining at the same height, placed her hands palm-up on her folded knees and sighed.

The ‘sleeves’ on her arms disappeared. It left the runes on her arms visible, and more noticeable, bathed the entire room in a brilliant sapphire glow.

 “You can leave now,” she said without moving her head.

Shift stood in the doorway, watching the light for a moment longer than necessary. A black tendril rose from Athira’s body and poked him in the chest until he was outside the door. It then covered the door panel, turning it black for a moment and dragged it shut.

 There’s a girl with more secrets than years to her.

He made his way back to the common room, where Kione had come down to join them. The dark-skinned orange techie stood behind the couch Talia lounged on, mouth parted and a quizzical expression on his face.

“So you’re telling me you haven’t seen her in years and you immediately trust this girl? Are you serious, Raph?”

Raph scratched his head. “There was always something about her. You... you sort of have to get to know her to know what I’m talking about. Zoe can back me up, I swear.”

Talia blew a piece of blonde hair from her face. “You sure it wasn’t just you making puppy dog eyes at her?”

“She wasn’t working with Reader, Tal, for the last time!”

“You think. The entire thing could have been staged. You admitted it yourself.”

Shift moved around the couch. “Mind if I ask what’s going on here?” he asked.

Talia eyed him and picked up the decorated stones from the table, levitating them around her fingers carelessly. “Raph seems to think this girl has the right to stay at the tower under the pretence that she could help us track down Reader, when really he’s getting all nostalgic on our asses and we should be reporting her to the Elites.”

“That isn’t what I said at all,” grumbled Raph. He folded his arms and leant against the wall, tapping his fingers.

Shift had never seen Raph quite like this. For a man renowned for his weaponry skills and tactical insight, Indigo’s leader looked like a little kid throwing a tantrum at the supermarket. Seeing Athira, then having her almost entirely brush him off probably hadn’t been a good start to their rekindling friendship.

Shift moved beside Raph and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Raph, c’mon. You know we trust you. We just need a more solid reason as to why we’re risking our necks. You know what Discord’s like. Indulge the more skeptical among us.”

He dragged Raph over to the lounge opposite Talia’s and sat him down.

Raph clucked his tongue before speaking. “You all know about Zoe and I, how we grew up on the streets, became Colours ourselves.” He blew out a stream of air. “We just sorta... left out the part about Athira.”

“We came across her one night in an alley when we were about eleven. She was searching through the dumpsters. At first, we didn’t see her, the way her cloak melded with the shadows and she almost took off when she saw us. She probably would have too, if some idiot hadn’t grabbed Zoe from behind and tried to mug us.”

“And what,” said Talia, looking disinterestedly at her stones. “You became the three musketeers? Roaming the streets, fighting crime, bringing down all the villainous plans afoot in the city?”

“Tal,” said Kione. “Don’t.”

Raph continued. “Musketeers was pretty damn close to the plan. We were going to join the Colours together, start our own team, but something happened one night and Athira just... vanished. That was three, four years ago?” He shook his head. “I don’t even know anymore.”

 “You got anything else?” said Kione. “What colour is she?”

“You probably won’t believe me, but she’s a black colour,” said Raph.

Kione gave him a disbelieving look. “Is that a crack at my skin or what? Black isn’t a colour we can use.”

“The Elite reports say she’s probably a psychic who changes the colour of her colour to feel special,” said Talia.

Shift saw Raph’s glare at Talia. “I think they might be wrong. My green is reacting to hers, somehow, when our skin makes contact. I’ve never felt anything like it before,” he said, before adding, “That’s why she wanted me to take her before Raph, whatever’s happening between the colours was soothing the headache I suspect she had.”

“It still doesn’t explain how--“ began Talia.

Shift cut her off again. Why is she complaining so much? “Tal, how many colours can you name that are capable of manipulating objects around, levitating and moving through solid rock?” he asked.

Raph spoke up again. “Anyway, I’d like for you all to at least give her a chance. If she does anything suspicious or betrays the trust in any way, I’ll hand her over immediately. I promise.”

Neither Talia or Kione replied. Shift remained silent, mulling over his own thoughts.

“Despite whatever history I have with her, this team is my first priority,” continued Raph. “The bump on my head earlier isn’t affecting my judgement that much. Now how about we all get out of these suits and wind down until we can ask Athira exactly what she was doing at Starpoint tower?”

 “Yea, sure,” said Talia, getting up from the lounge. “Whatever you say, Raph. Whatever you say.”

She dropped her stones and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

*+*+*+*

A/N - Word count: 12858