Different ways of life

[Oracle]

The Clocktower

WAIT a minute....I just HEARD Zachary....he's.... ZACHARY! I KNOW you're in there! GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!

Zizi wheeled herself towards the bedroom.

“Sharon, wait, please calm down, I don’t think you should do that-“

But she was already shoving Ashley out of the way to get to Zach. Poor, poor Zach.

So THIS is where you've been! SLUTTING IT UP with THIS viking tramp!

“Sharon! There’s no need to be nasty…”

Sharon raged, resisting all attempts to calm her down. And then she turned it on ZIZI.

HOW can you tolerate someone like this!?

“Sharon, there are things you don’t know. Now, let’s sit down and discuss this calmly…”

his woman is USELESS! And you let her walk around here thinking she can intimidate, disrespect, and BULLY people...well she CAN'T. It's TIME someone put her in her place, and I'm JUST the person to do it!

Steel: [standing up] “But it’s perfectly okay for YOU to bully people? Is that it?”

Zizi shot him a look.

“John, please. We can talk about this like adults…”

An alert came over the systems:

[automated female voice]: Text message to: Oracle from: unknown. Encrypted.

[under her breath] “Oh thank god.”

She turned back to the console and set the encryption program to opening the text.

Her mouth dropped open as she saw pictures begin to fill the screen, for all to see. Pictures of Zach and Ava, time stamped earlier that day – just before Ava had attacked Vivica and Simon.

She turned and looked at Zach, speechless, then to the others.

"Oh...my..."

 

[Valkyrie]

The Clocktower

ZACHARY! I KNOW you're in there! GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!

Ashley sighed. She didn’t have the energy to do this right now.

“Sharon, I’m not in the mood for this so could you-“

Sharon SHOVED past her, into her OWN bedroom!

So THIS is where you've been! SLUTTING IT UP with THIS viking tramp!

Ashley stumbled backward and hit the doorframe hard, before falling to the floor on her knees. Couldn’t they have left them alone for ONE NIGHT? What did it matter, anyway, what they did? What was the harm. Why did these self-righteous ho bags give a damn?

The calm Zach had brought to her shattered.

HOW can you tolerate someone like this!? This woman is USELESS! And you let her walk around here thinking she can intimidate and BULLY people...well she CAN'T. It's TIME someone put her in her place, and I'm JUST the person to do it!

ZACH, you....OH GAWD...YOU FUCK UP! THIS is your idea of watching out for ROSE!? By carrying out surveilance BETWEEN THE SHEETS with THIS bitch!? MOST of the mess we're facing right now is because of YOUR ex-fiance!

It all came back to her in a rush. The video. Her meeting with Berserker. Haleigh. All while Sharon and Alycia squawked in her ears. On her hands and knees still, she looked at Oracle, then at Zach, tears in her eyes once more.

And then the screen behind Zizi lit up with pictures of Zach and Ava. Together.

Ashley laughed, a slow, choked sound. And then she shrieked:

“What IS it about this bitch?!”

And then she turned her head to look at Zach and said, quieter this time.

“She have beer flavored nipples or something?”

And then her gaze fell on Sharon, STILL screeching about things that weren’t even her BUSINESS, and everything became clear again. She brought one knee slowly towards her chest and placed her foot firmly on the ground before pushing herself up to a standing position. Her eyes narrowed at Sharon.

She looked a sight – her hair a mess, wearing only a shirt three sizes too big, makeup smeared, her cheeks wet and stained. But she was a valkyrie, by all the gods, and this bitch here was not about to make her feel small.

She wiped her nose on her sleeve.

“Well, Sharon, since you SO politely asked: since I told Haleigh today about how phenomenal a fuck Zach was, it got me to thinking if that was really an accurate assessment of his abilities, so I thought I’d come back here and have a little refresher.”

She slinked over to Zach, running a hand seductively over his chest as she moved to stand behind him and rest her chin on his shoulder, leaving the arm curled around his waist.

“And it was…phenomenal…”

She blew Sharon a kiss, then raised one eyebrow.

“Aw, little pigeon, you’re looking a bit green. Are you jelly no one likes fucking YOU?”

 

[Matrix]

I got back with the ladies and we set up for another meeting. I could see this was gonna be juicy and messy, but...not my concern. Miss D was, and I nodded when X gave her some of that high post water. he wanted to hit, but he was good people, a smart guy. And who could blame him.

Alycia was still mad as fuck about ole boy hitting up Haleigh and her mouth was reckless as hell. X and I was rolling, but trying to be cool. Miss D stressed decorum at meetings and that was the goal. Until the Valkyrie leaned out in a shirt.

“Can you take this powwow downstairs? We’re sort of in the middle of something here.”

ZACHARY! I KNOW you're in there! GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!

[Sharon BELLOWED as she stood up, marched right over and SHOVED Valkyrie out of the way with such force, causing her to fall back against the door]

GET OUT here, you....

[ The door was WIDE open now, and EVERYONE could see]

So THIS is where you've been! SLUTTING IT UP with THIS viking tramp!

And don't bother denying it. I HEARD EVERYTHING just now, INCLUDING you warning Valkyrie about US.

Is THIS your idea of being a RESPONSIBLE person, Zachary!?

While ROSE hasn't heard from you in over a MONTH, and YOUR rabid ex-fiance has betrayed everyone, AND her sister, Persephone...the woman who rendered ME unable to help SAVE more of those children from that BUS, is attacking members of YOUR team, YOU'RE in here...screwing around with this TRASH!?


We [ Alycia and I] TRUSTED you to carry on the work that we did with Rose, and LOOK how you've behaved!

GET OUT HERE AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF!

Wow...my hand turned into sound dampening earmuffs and covered Dominique's ears. I did not like where this was headed and HER well-being was my concern just as she considered mine to be her's. I stepped in front of Miss D, pulling her chair behind me and changing to something more...protective (Osmium). I looked at Zizi.

Look, Miss D has had enough for one night. if there is nothing more than this shit, she should go rest.

I gave Miss D a no-nonsense look. She put me in charge of her security; I was doing my job.

X and I can check back in with the Victorias. They are familiar with us and there is no negative history. And we can watch each other's back as we go. The other group can check on Rose and Steel can help you referee..........this. But Isis has done enough for now and this is not good for her.

I turned to escort Miss D back to her room and then depart...

[automated female voice]: Text message to: Oracle from: unknown. Encrypted.

[under her breath] “Oh thank god.”

She turned back to the console and set the encryption program to opening the text.

Her mouth dropped open as she saw pictures begin to fill the screen, for all to see. Pictures of Zach and Ava, time stamped earlier that day – just before Ava had attacked Vivica and Simon.

She turned and looked at Zach, speechless, then to the others.

"Oh...my..."

Well I'll be damned. That man must have the best talk game ever. But his timing? TRAIN WRECK. I was even more determined to get going. I was in no mood to argue over this man and his sex life.

Miss D? I do not like the lean of the room. Please come with me...

 

[Recall]

The Clocktower

"I do know that among other things, Rose has the power of mediumship and divination. Perhaps she has perceived or divined some of Zach's behavior of late, and KNOWS why he has been so neglectful in his duty to her and those children, and she's ANGRY. If so, she has EVERY RIGHT to be. This situation effects even HER."

"Of everyone on this team, Zach been the most naive and foolish of all where Haleigh and Ava are concerned. Is he even AWARE of Persephone's attack on you, Vivica?"

"I'm not sure it was just that, Dominique. We can replay the footage I livestreamed to Oracle during the attack, but it was clear that there was something deeper and more complicated than anger.."

:: She paused for a moment. ::

"Zach was at The Clocktower when I arrived with Steel and Simon. I don't know how long he had been there.."

"But he seemed pretty wrapped up in thinking that Ava had good REASON to attack me. Or at least he was rationalizing it..the bastard."

:: Vivica didn't say that out loud. The amazons and Isis seemed pretty poised to take down Zach at any particular moment, and while she was indeed pissed off over his lack of awareness of the situation and his inability to respond, she still cared about him, and she wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt that he was doing this for purpose, and that he wasn't just simply spiraliing into the dark. ::

I spoke face to face with Delilah. She is quite certain about Haleigh...but I know that she won't allow Haleigh to hurt anyone that she cares about...that WE care about.

:: Alycia AND Sharon stared at Vivica for a moment.::

Vivica, you make it sound like Rose was about to turn into CARRIE!

Before she attacked Ava she said "You KILLED my children..."

Don't forget, PERSEPHONE....however unintentional it may have been at THAT time...did the enemies work FOR them, when she K.O.'ed Sharon , preventing her from getting more children out of the bus before it finally exploded. Perhaps there is some lingering RESENTMENT, and for Rose to see Ava attacking you and Simon, someone who TRIED to help the night of the bus accident, it pissed her off to no end.

Sharon: But even so, WHERE was Zachary when this occurred? And to hear that he has NOT been in contact with Rose?

:: Now THIS pissed Alycia off. Another man, another FAILURE...::

"Look..even if she is just angry, it's worth taking a look at. I'm just going off my own feelings...but I think that you two should see her...and SOON."

:: There was more back and forth between the women about Zach's location and wondering why he had been dropping the ball lately, as Oracle tried to smooth over the situation a bit. It wasn't working. Vivica agreed that this was uncharacteristic of Zach. She understood that he had been going through a lot lately, but if she was being honest, when was he not. He had always been able to get the job done before. She was worried for her friend and a little hurt at his responses lately, but Zach was a people pleaser and sometimes that blew up in his face. This was one of those times. ::

:: And then trouble appeared. Ashley. In Zach's shirt. Vivica smacked her hand against her forehead. ::

"Oh for fuck's sake."

Valkyrie: "Can you take this powwow downstairs? We're sort of in the middle of something here."

Oracle: "Um, yes. Okay. We should check on Simon anyway.."

"Ziz..right now...I think Simon's about the only safe person in the building."

:: Sharon quite LITERALLY called Zach to the carpet upon seeing that he was being "entertained" by Ashley. None of that really bothered Vivica. He was a single man and he was quite obviously trying to cope with sex, which was a terrible idea, but hey who hadn't been there before. ::

Then Sharon proceeded to read him the riot act for some things that were out of his control, and the fact that he was again spending time with Ashley. She demanded that he explain himself so loudly, his ears were ringing. He calmly stood there, and tried to listen, but his expression was grim and he was shaking his head. Sharon started ripping Ashley, and Alycia tag-teamed in on Zach. Both of them were bundles of stress and fury. Zach maintained his composure despite the challenge. It was a good thing he'd already relieved a lot of stress today.

Alycia: ZACH, you....OH GAWD...YOU FUCK UP! THIS is your idea of watching out for ROSE!? By carrying out surveilance BETWEEN THE SHEETS with THIS bitch!?

"Wow, the two of you are being EGREGIOUSLY INAPPROPRIATE right now. I don't even know where to begin. You don't approve of my relationship with Ashley? We're all WELL AWARE of your opinion, thank you."

Alycia: MOST of the mess we're facing right now is because of YOUR ex-fiance! Haleigh, that LIFE and RELATIONSHIP RUINING CANCER that YOU can't seem to realize is a MONSTER who destroys EVERYTHING she touches!

"You seem a LOT more upset with her than you were earlier. What did you find out at the Parthenon?"

:: Everyone was spiraling and they were ALL seeming to miss the part that they were mad about. They were focusing their rage squarely on his sexual relationship with Ashley, because that was the easiest thing to be mad about in this moment. ::

:: Alycia took her turn. For a moment she was feeling bad for Zach. ::

I didn't FIND anything. I was REMINDED...

[ Zach was a smart man, AND intuitive, AND an empath, at this moment, as Alycia responded, coupled with her emotions, her very HEART, he should KNOW what she discovered. It wasn't so much that she found out, it was more that the things she discussed with Cameron...and IMPLIED with Zach after the Purifiers attack, had COME TO PASS. Cameron AND Haleigh.]

[ She wasn't ABOUT to reveal anything more in front of this wench Valkyrie. At the moment, Alycia couldn't decide which woman was WORSE, and how STUPID Zach was for being with BOTH of them. ]

Isis: SPEAKING of INAPPROPIATE....All of you, LOOK at the screen!

:: Vivica's eyes widened. ::

"Oh...my...sweet JESUS!!!"

:: The sympathy she had felt for Zach originally was beginning to fade from her body. She rolled her eyes all the way into the back of her head. ::

:: ANOTHER moment of disbelief, as Alycia looked at the pictures, placing her hand over her mouth....and then BACK to Zach::

You...and AVA!?

ISIS: So THAT'S where he went when he tore out of here earlier, unable to handle the truth about Black Widow and Persephone!

AND you were with her...BEFORE she attacked Recall and SIMON!

You were with your ex-fiancee's sister. You LITERALLY slept with the enemy!

:: Alycia was ready to storm RIGHT UP to Zach and PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE, and knock some teeth out, but she had a feeling that VIVICA was going to beat her TO THAT!::

No WONDER you FAILED Rose, Zach.

:: Her tone was tinged with bitter disappointment. ::

:: They were experiencing an argument that was painfully reminiscent of The Six. Even Steel seemed upset at Sharon, Oracle didn't know WHAT to do and with what she had just seen on the screen in front of her? Well, the rage she thought she had exorcised was coming back in full force. But it was different. It was sad. ::

She wiped her nose on her sleeve.

“Well, Sharon, since you SO politely asked: since I told Haleigh today about how phenomenal a fuck Zach was, it got me to thinking if that was really an accurate assessment of his abilities, so I thought I’d come back here and have a little refresher.”

She slinked over to Zach, running a hand seductively over his chest as she moved to stand behind him and rest her chin on his shoulder, leaving the arm curled around his waist.

“And it was…phenomenal…”

She blew Sharon a kiss, then raised one eyebrow.

“Aw, little pigeon, you’re looking a bit green. Are you jelly no one likes fucking YOU?”

"Oh Ashley..SHUT up! PLEASE!"

:: Vivica rose to her feet. Her eyes seemed a little wet, as if she were about to cry, but she held it together. She had gone all night without crying and she wasn't about to break NOW, even in SPITE of what she had just seen. ::

"This isn't about YOU!"

[looking towards the Amazons and Isis]

"It's just not! This isn't ABOUT him screwing Ashley! It's just a painful afterthought."

:: She looked at Richard ::

"Matrix. Don't you dare go ANYWHERE. You both wanted to be on the team?! This is a TEAM MATTER."

:: looking back at Zach ::

"I trusted you Zach. With my life. No matter what...I always knew that you had my back. But, goddammit! You're making it so hard right now!"

:: gripping her fist ::

"AVA CASSADINE!?!"

:: She PUNCHED him in the nose ::

"AVA!!?!"

"You're supposed to be the ANTI-CAMERON. That's what people LIKE about you! It shouldn't have been STEEL that tried to come to my AID earlier. It shouldn't have been ROSE or DANNY motherfuckin' DONNELLY. It should have been YOU! Instead I come back here and find you watching FOOTAGE OF ME ALMOST LOSING MY LIFE and rationalizing it. Because you don't want to believe that your ex-fiance and her sister went ROGUE. I could have DIED and you are sitting there trying to rationalize the motives of my attacker..."

:: she scrunched her nose in anger. ::

"I would have NEVER done that to you. NEVER. God why do I keep allowing myself to get close to people who don't care if I live or die?! It's MADDENING!"

"At the end of the day, your world turned upside down. But it did for all of us. The Six are emotional wrecks like ALWAYS. When is your world NOT always on the verge of crumbling!? When are you going to stop needing Haleigh to be a HERO and put your focus where it NEEDS to BE?! To the people who you rallied, brought together because you trusted them and they trusted you! You wanted this team! You got it! So stop trying to numb your pain with your goddamn dick, your scattered heart...and maybe try using your BRAIN!"

:: a bit softer. ::

"God dammit, Zach..Ava Cassadine. I was just sitting here thinking that I don't care who you sleep with...but this one stings. It really stings. And I hate that it bothers me...but it does, and I am sick of holding back..and unfortunately, none of us has the luxury of time off. None of us have the luxury of self destructing.."

:: shaking her head she turned off to the distance, a moment of reflection out loud. ::

"I mean..my god, I've spent the night fighting for my life...being so scared about my future...and to know what you've been doing, all the while?"

:: turning back to face Zach. ::

"It sucks Zach. It really...really sucks."

:: shaking her head again. ::

"But we can't do this right now. We can't scream and shout anymore. We can't be like THE SIX. The Inner Circle is after us, and if you think they aren't aware of this? Aren't trying their best to tempt us and lead us down that HORRIBLE path they've led The Six, you're crazy! This is a part of it...and we're playing into it."[/quote]

 

[Isis]

The Clock Tower

Look, Miss D has had enough for one night. if there is nothing more than this shit, she should go rest.

I gave Miss D a no-nonsense look. She put me in charge of her security; I was doing my job.

X and I can check back in with the Victorias. They are familiar with us and there is no negative history. And we can watch each other's back as we go. The other group can check on Rose and Steel can help you referee..........this. But Isis has done enough for now and this is not good for her.

I turned to escort Miss D back to her room and then depart...

Just a moment, Richard. Some explanations are in order, and I intend to be here to hear them.

:: She said matter of factly. While she DID stress the need....the REQUIREMENT for decorum...she was giving Alycia a pass due to the trauma she experienced, she was ALREADY in agreement with SHARON, and with all that Vivica had been through? Well...there really was no point in "pretending" at this moment. People were hurt, upset and ANGRY, and a source of that anger was in this very building.::

:: Still...this was all happening faster than she anticipated, and it felt TOO MUCH like the aftermath of the Blue Moon. Part of Dominique WANTED to stop this...but at the same time, too many things, such as ZACH, AND the problem of ASHLEY, had gone unaddressed for TOO LONG. ::

:: She looked at Richard ::

"Matrix. Don't you dare go ANYWHERE. You both wanted to be on the team?! This is a TEAM MATTER."

:: NORMALLY, Isis would have CORRECTED Vivica for daring to give Richard a command like that, but AGAIN, under the circumstances....she was RIGHT, this WAS a team matter, fo

An alert came over the systems:

[automated female voice]: Text message to: Oracle from: unknown. Encrypted.

[under her breath] “Oh thank god.”

She turned back to the console and set the encryption program to opening the text.

ALL OF YOU, LOOK AT THE SCREEN!

Her mouth dropped open as she saw pictures begin to fill the screen, for all to see. Pictures of Zach and Ava, time stamped earlier that day – just before Ava had attacked Vivica and Simon.

She turned and looked at Zach, speechless, then to the others.

"Oh...my..."

Well I'll be damned. That man must have the best talk game ever. But his timing? TRAIN WRECK. I was even more determined to get going. I was in no mood to argue over this man and his sex life.

Miss D? I do not like the lean of the room. Please come with me...

Stand fast, Richard.

:: Isis says as she places her hand on his arm, and stands up along side of him::

:: She REMEMBERED the conversation that Sharon, Alycia and herself had about their issues, ONE of them being Ashley. If THIS was going to come to a head, Isis was going to make sure she remained true to her pledge to back the Amazons on this matter. But beyond that, it was time for ZACH to explain himself...TOUT SUITE.::

Steel: [standing up] “But it’s perfectly okay for YOU to bully people? Is that it?”

Zizi shot him a look.

“John, please. We can talk about this like adults…”

And why isit that everyone ELSE is expected to toe the line, EXCEPT her? If WE are expected to display BASIC traits of human decency...SHE should be as well, and thus far, she has NOT. And just because Detective Boyscout over there chooses to see her through rose colored glasses, doesn't mean the REST of us are going to.

:: Sharon went IN on Zach and Ashley. Followed by Alycia. While it WAS rather distasteful, PATHETIC EVEN, how Zach seemd to ENJOY slumming it with women who behaved badly, the more PRESSING issue WAS his behavior as of late, dropping the ball with rose...and NOW sleeping with the ENEMY!? After Alycia lambastes him....Vivica has HER turn::

"I trusted you Zach. With my life. No matter what...I always knew that you had my back. But, goddammit! You're making it so hard right now!"

:: gripping her fist ::

"AVA CASSADINE!?!"

:: She PUNCHED him in the nose ::

"AVA!!?!"

"You're supposed to be the ANTI-CAMERON. That's what people LIKE about you! It shouldn't have been STEEL that tried to come to my AID earlier. It shouldn't have been ROSE or DANNY motherfuckin' DONNELLY. It should have been YOU! Instead I come back here and find you watching FOOTAGE OF ME ALMOST LOSING MY LIFE and rationalizing it. Because you don't want to believe that your ex-fiance and her sister went ROGUE. I could have DIED and you are sitting there trying to rationalize the motives of my attacker..."

:: she scrunched her nose in anger. ::

"I would have NEVER done that to you. NEVER. God why do I keep allowing myself to get close to people who don't care if I live or die?! It's MADDENING!"

"At the end of the day, your world turned upside down. But it did for all of us. The Six are emotional wrecks like ALWAYS. When is your world NOT always on the verge of crumbling!? When are you going to stop needing Haleigh to be a HERO and put your focus where it NEEDS to BE?! To the people who you rallied, brought together because you trusted them and they trusted you! You wanted this team! You got it! So stop trying to numb your pain with your goddamn dick, your scattered heart...and maybe try using your BRAIN!"

:: a bit softer. ::

"God dammit, Zach..Ava Cassadine. I was just sitting here thinking that I don't care who you sleep with...but this one stings. It really stings. And I hate that it bothers me...but it does, and I am sick of holding back..and unfortunately, none of us has the luxury of time off. None of us have the luxury of self destructing.."

:: shaking her head she turned off to the distance, a moment of reflection out loud. ::

"I mean..my god, I've spent the night fighting for my life...being so scared about my future...and to know what you've been doing, all the while?"

:: turning back to face Zach. ::

"It sucks Zach. It really...really sucks."

:: shaking her head again. ::

"But we can't do this right now. We can't scream and shout anymore. We can't be like THE SIX. The Inner Circle is after us, and if you think they aren't aware of this? Aren't trying their best to tempt us and lead us down that HORRIBLE path they've led The Six, you're crazy! This is a part of it...and we're playing into it."

:: But it wasn't going to end like this. Sharon and Ashley weren't finished::

Ashley laughed, a slow, choked sound. And then she shrieked:

“What IS it about this bitch?!”

And then she turned her head to look at Zach and said, quieter this time.

“She have beer flavored nipples or something?”

And then her gaze fell on Sharon, STILL screeching about things that weren’t even her BUSINESS, and everything became clear again. She brought one knee slowly towards her chest and placed her foot firmly on the ground before pushing herself up to a standing position. Her eyes narrowed at Sharon.

She looked a sight – her hair a mess, wearing only a shirt three sizes too big, makeup smeared, her cheeks wet and stained. But she was a valkyrie, by all the gods, and this bitch here was not about to make her feel small.

She wiped her nose on her sleeve.

“Well, Sharon, since you SO politely asked: since I told Haleigh today about how phenomenal a fuck Zach was, it got me to thinking if that was really an accurate assessment of his abilities, so I thought I’d come back here and have a little refresher.”

She slinked over to Zach, running a hand seductively over his chest as she moved to stand behind him and rest her chin on his shoulder, leaving the arm curled around his waist.

“And it was…phenomenal…”

She blew Sharon a kiss, then raised one eyebrow.

“Aw, little pigeon, you’re looking a bit green. Are you jelly no one likes fucking YOU?”

:: She was certain that Sharon would address that low blow quite soundly, but FIRST....::

WAIT a minute...you "TOLD Haleigh?" The only way THAT would have happened, is if you PHYSICALLY went to the HELLFIRE MANSION within the past 12 hours.

:: Dominique knew there HAD to be a reason why Ashley was so BITTER about Ava and Haleigh, and so...SULTRY regarding Zach right now, and since ZACH was being called to the carpet, it was time for ASHLEY to join him.::

 

[Orion]

The Clocktower

There was a lot being said that Zach wouldn't even dignify with a response. He could tell from her emotional turmoil that she was unloading, and from her dialogue that he was merely an effigy for her issue.

Alycia: I didn't FIND anything. I was REMINDED...

He looked at her for a long moment, and then gave a solemn nod, because he knew what she'd been reminded of, and could tell she wouldn't say it aloud because it was too personal. It was frustrating that she wanted to hang him out to dry, but didn't want to put HERSELF on display in the same way. He could have stooped to her level, but that would only make things worse, and he wasn't that kind of guy anyway.

"That must have been difficult, I'm sorry."

He offered, but went no further. In his opinion, Alycia set herself up for that, she KNEW Haleigh was a problem for Cameron, just like Zach knew Cameron was a problem for Haleigh. So it wasn't like Alycia was clueless about the probability of Cameron cheating on her. Why hadn't she gotten out, like he had? Still, it was awful to get your heart chewed up and spit out. He knew that better than MOST. If she wasn't in the middle of completely slandering his character, he might have been more inclined to help her work through her emotions. Also, he wasn't an IDIOT. Anything he said right now would be used against him in some way.

So he was just going to let all that slide, and maybe he'd be able to discuss the situation CALMLY and RATIONALLY with her some other time, when the knives weren't twisting in their hearts. He was GOING to just be quiet and let them wear themselves out with their own rage. And then Isis chimed in.

Isis: SPEAKING of INAPPROPIATE....All of you, LOOK at the screen!

He looked and his heart threatened to stop.

Aphrodite, why do you curse me? You grope me with one hand, and slap me with the other, I just don't understand.

There was something else he wanted to understand as well: who took those pictures? He and Ava had been alone in his condo, or so he'd thought. Ashley asked if Ava had beer flavored nipples, and Zach gave her a 'can you BLAME me though?' expression.

"She's a GODDESS, If I'd said no I would've had to turn in my di-- [he remembered there were some that might not appreciate his language] my man card."

Ashley was rubbing up on him, and saying something to Sharon, but Zach couldn't listen to it, because Alycia went OFF on him, AGAIN, and THIS TIME.... it was just TOO MUCH. He could have explained himself, but they were obviously not in the mood to hear it, and it was GROSS for this conversation to even be happening.

"OH I APOLOGIZE! I DIDN'T REALIZE MY SEXUAL RELATIONS WERE A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY!"

Vivica: I trusted you Zach. With my life. No matter what...I always knew that you had my back. But, goddammit! You're making it so hard right now!

"Et tu, Viv?"

Vivica: AVA CASSADINE!?! :: She PUNCHED him in the nose :: AVA!!?!

His head snapped back and his eyes watered as he got punched right in the face. He couldn't imagine how he deserved that. His nose started to bleed and her anger washed over him and he wanted to just walk out on all of them. This firing squad attack was beyond ridiculous. Vivica unloaded on him too, and he cared about her, he really did, but while he was being flayed alive for being imperfect? He didn't have much to offer. He wasn't going to be their doormat. Not a single one of them gave him any benefit of the doubt. They all just dumped their baggage on him like he was the bellhop of the BoP, and it was completely unacceptable.

"I didn't do 'that' TO YOU, Vivica. YOU had nothing to do with THAT. So if you're going to take it PERSONALLY? I'm sorry you're hurt, but there's nothing I can do for your sudden onset victim mentality."

 

[Valkyrie]

The Clocktower

"Oh Ashley..SHUT up! PLEASE!"

She looked at Vivica with a sneer, taking a couple steps into the main room.

“Excuse me? Fuck YOU. These hypocritical bitches come in here, into my ROOM, throwing around words like ‘whore’ and ‘slut’ without a care. As if it fucking MATTERS what they call me or who I sleep with. And you tell ME to ‘shut up’?”

She shook her head.

“Not fucking likely.”

She looked at them all.

“He hasn’t done anything to you. ANY of you. So FUCK OFF, all of you.”

Redignation washed over her face then, a hint of sadness on her face.

“Just leave us alone.”

WAIT a minute...you "TOLD Haleigh?" The only way THAT would have happened, is if you PHYSICALLY went to the HELLFIRE MANSION within the past 12 hours.

Ashley looked to Isis, her eyes flashing.

“That’s because I did. I spoke to a contact I still have there. If I’d known this was the thanks I was going to get, I wouldn’t have bothered.”

She crossed her arms.

“But other than their swelling ranks, I didn’t get anything we didn’t already know.”

Other than the fact that Alek doesn’t miss me, at all.

"So do whatever the hell you want, think whatever the hell you want, I don't give a damn."

She turned an returned to her room, slamming and locking the door behind her.

 

[Recall]

The Clocktower

She looked at Vivica with a sneer, taking a couple steps into the main room.

“Excuse me? Fuck YOU. These hypocritical bitches come in here, into my ROOM, throwing around words like ‘whore’ and ‘slut’ without a care. As if it fucking MATTERS what they call me or who I sleep with. And you tell ME to ‘shut up’?”

She shook her head.

“Not fucking likely.”

She looked at them all.

“He hasn’t done anything to you. ANY of you. So FUCK OFF, all of you.”

Redignation washed over her face then, a hint of sadness on her face.

“Just leave us alone.”

:: She liked Ashley a lot. She really did, and Vivica realized in this moment that she had fallen into the role of trying to "stop" Ashley from reacting to the others in an effort to broker peace. That didn't work. Ashley did what she wanted to do, and she made no apologies, AND she seemed to be pretty clear as to WHY she was doing those things. In that moment, Vivica felt a tinge of regret. Ashley didn't deserve anywhere near what Sharon, Dominique and Alycia had given her. After all, they had ALL opened their legs to Cameron King, and in terms of dubious bed fellows, that took the cake. ::

:: And then she went all crazy on Zach and he responded. ::

"He didn't hear a goddamn thing I just said."

:: Her eyes narrowed. ::

Zach: "I didn't do that TO YOU, Vivica."

"No..you did it to yourself. Which is the worst part of it, Zach."

Zach: "YOU had nothing to do with THAT. So if you're gonna take it PERSONALLY? I'm sorry you're hurt, but there's nothing I can do for your sudden onset victim mentality."

"Thanks for that."

:: thinking ::

"I'm sorry I punched you. I've been on kind of a rage spiral from the moment Ava Cassadine tried to literally bury Simon and myself under the city."

:: Vivica slinked back into her seat and took a sip of water. She knew that this was about to get worse as Sharon and Alycia and ISIS for that matter were no doubt gearing up for Round Two, and Recall felt like she had inadvertanly just gaslighted the situation because she was angry with him. It was clear that he was just HURT. The Zach Armani that she knew just didn't act like this. Even when he was upset, even when he was sad. This was something different altogether and she just didn't know how to handle things, or if she even could. ::

:: The Birds of Prey were in their first official fight and it was not lost on Vivica how big these fights could get, and the damage that they could do. She had seen it countless times in The Six. Zach WAS dropping the ball, even if he had a right to in this moment. He was saddled up next to Ashley who had apparently been visitng The Hellfire Mansion. All of these things mixed with the hyper aggressiveness of Silver Swan and Charope just signaled disaster, and she couldn't believe this was happening. There had to be a productive way out of this, but even Vivica's brain could navigate the situation, which only troubled her further. ::

"You have a right to feel the way that you do, and act out in any number of ways. Lord knows you need it...and i'll support you as best I can. But come on, man. Help us out here. Explain this away..please?"

:: She shot a concerned look at Oracle. ::

 

[Matrix]

Vivica, then Miss D wanted me to wait. Fine.

Lucky me, I got to watch the worst HBO-level reject soap shit ever. I could not possibly give less of a damn about all of this. Zach was screwing his way through his breakup, responsibility be damned, and Ashley just came up empty at the HC, lied to them and is trying to fuck it off. I shook my head as she slammed the door to the room and locked it. They wanted me here, may as well sum this up.

So, Zach's ex went to the HC, slept with Alycia's now-ex on the way out. Her sister slept with Zach on the way to try to kill Vivica AND Simon, following orders from the HC since she joined too. Ashley, who I KNOW has jack shit for intel at the HC from having recently been there as the Black Knight just had a meeting there TODAY, after Viv was almost killed, that she did not report but she needed to lie to us just now about. And she got to just tell us to fuck off and lock the door while we sit here freaking out...instead of doing what needs to be done OUT THERE. I am glad I got to stay here and soak up all this TEAMWORK. We don't even know who we can fucking trust here. No accountability, no team.

I hated to have my time wasted. Miss D knew this. Maybe the rest of them would understand it at some point. I leaned back, arms folded. We got way more shit done when it was just Miss D and me. I liked it here but this SHIT was petty and small as fuck.

 

[Silver Swan]

The Clocktower

She wiped her nose on her sleeve.

“Well, Sharon, since you SO politely asked: since I told Haleigh today about how phenomenal a fuck Zach was, it got me to thinking if that was really an accurate assessment of his abilities, so I thought I’d come back here and have a little refresher.”

She slinked over to Zach, running a hand seductively over his chest as she moved to stand behind him and rest her chin on his shoulder, leaving the arm curled around his waist.

“And it was…phenomenal…”

She blew Sharon a kiss, then raised one eyebrow.

“Aw, little pigeon, you’re looking a bit green. Are you jelly no one likes fucking YOU?”

:: Sharon raised one of her eye brows . Strike 1::

:: Zachary remained defiant, not EVEN addressing his neglect of ROSE in anyway shape or form. Strike 2::

:: Vivica and Alycia each took their pound of flesh as the revelation that Zachary had been with AVA right before she attacked Vivica and Simon came to light, and Vivica struck Zachary, which he DESERVED, only for her to turn around an APOLOGIZE for it. ::

:: Somehow, Ashley thought this was the end...and that she'd come out on TOP, with her PRIZE [Zachary].::

These hypocritical bitches come in here, into my ROOM, throwing around words like ‘whore’ and ‘slut’ without a care. As if it fucking MATTERS what they call me or who I sleep with. And you tell ME to ‘shut up’?”

She shook her head.

“Not fucking likely.”

She looked at them all.

“He hasn’t done anything to you. ANY of you. So FUCK OFF, all of you.”

Redignation washed over her face then, a hint of sadness on her face.

“Just leave us alone.”

:: Sharon commanded her silver eye mask to appear as her armored hand balled into a trembling fist. ALYCIA saw this, but chose to do nothing. She only wondered what Alycia might be thinking just now.::

Ashley looked to Isis, her eyes flashing.

“That’s because I did. I spoke to a contact I still have there. If I’d known this was the thanks I was going to get, I wouldn’t have bothered.”

She crossed her arms.

“But other than their swelling ranks, I didn’t get anything we didn’t already know.”

Other than the fact that Alek doesn’t miss me, at all.

"So do whatever the hell you want, think whatever the hell you want, I don't give a damn."

She turned an returned to her room, slamming and locking the door behind her.

[That whole bit about them not THANKING HER? THAT was STRIKE 3]

So, Zach's ex went to the HC, slept with Alycia's now-ex on the way out. Her sister slept with Zach on the way to try to kill Vivica AND Simon, following orders from the HC since she joined too. Ashley, who I KNOW has jack shit for intel at the HC from having recently been there as the Black Knight just had a meeting there TODAY, after Viv was almost killed, that she did not report but she needed to lie to us just now about. And she got to just tell us to fuck off and lock the door while we sit here freaking out...instead of doing what needs to be done OUT THERE. I am glad I got to stay here and soak up all this TEAMWORK. We don't even know who we can fucking trust here. No accountability, no team.

She went back to the Hellfire Mansion, because that's where she WANTS to BE. There's something...or SOMEONE there that she wants to be with. She had no REAL access to any INTEL there. She's the LAUGHING stock of the entire INNER CIRCLE! Dominique and Rich would've had a better chance of tapping someone for information.

:: She looks at Oracle and Steel::

And of course, the two of you are going to stand there and allow this, allow Zachary to get away with neglecting his responsibilities, allow HER to once again SHIT on EVERYONE in this room and we're expected to THANK HER?

NO!

Enough is....

[ TEARING that door off its frame and SLAMMING it to the floor, she SWATS Zachary aside as if he were nothing more than a fly and now stands right before Ashley]

ENOUGH!

You want THANKS?

Well, then. Allow ME to THANK YOU.

[FLASH!]

<< The Clocktower , a view of it at night, standing tall, standing strong.>>

<< That same clocktower, ONE. MINUTE. LATER....>>

[POW!]

[ With ONE thunderous punch, The Silver Swan sends Valkyrie FLYING THROUGH THE WALL, OUT OF THE CLOCKTOWER and ALL THE WAY TO CENTRAL PARK!]

[ She doesn't stand there to admire her work either. She IMMEDIATELY takes off, flying THROUGH the hole created by the impact of Ashley's body, flying at subsonic speeds to central park where she soon lands]

GET UP, BITCH. GET UP...and get KNOCKED DOWN AGAIN!

 

[Titan]

The Clocktower

It seemed that other than Vivica being attacked, no one had achieved much since the last time they had been together here.

Vivica talked about Rose acting strangely. Andrew’d never met Rose, but he had no reason not to believe Vivica’s feeling on the matter. She also mentioned that Zach hadn’t been to visit Rose lately. Didn’t any of them know what Zach was going through? Breaking up with Haleigh, someone he’d been with- well he didn’t know exactly how long they’d been together but it had been a long time.

However, after talking with him, and Delilah Trelaven, who seems to be doing far better than when I last saw HER, I decided to allow Nicolas to remain with them.

Andrew’s ears perked up at that, and he took a couple eager steps towards Dominique.

“Better? She’s doing better than when you last saw her? Are you sure? Maybe she’s just putting on a brave face?”

He sounded hopeful.

Of everyone on this team, Zach been the most naive and foolish of all where Haleigh and Ava are concerned. Is he even AWARE of Persephone's attack on you, Vivica?

Andrew looked at her quizzically.

“Well, if it’s naïve and foolish to be in love with someone, and to be hurt when they leave you…”

They mostly talked about people he didn’t know, or had barely met, that one time, at the cathedral. But then they really started laying into Zach.

Ana-Leigh, she advised me that it's been OVER A MONTH since he last contacted ROSE! I would call that a FAILURE too. I want to know WHY that is!

He looked at her like she was thick, rubbing the stubble that was forming on his face.

“Well, shit’s sort of been going down.”

If I had known he was going to get so damn SLOPPY after his two faced, twisted, robo-slut ex fiance showed her true colors...

He held up his hands.

“Come on, though, who hasn’t gotten a little sloppy after a break up. But she’s hot, right?”

He grinned and nodded his head, his brain headed back to the video. This was compounded by the fact that at this moment, Ashley came out of her bedroom wearing Zach’s shirt. And nothing else.

“Oh, nice!”

Andrew pumped his fist.

And then everyone started losing their minds. Sharon and Alycia were screaming at Zach. And then they were making some not too polite comments about Ashley.

And you let her walk around here thinking she can intimidate, disrespect, and BULLY people...well she CAN'T. It's TIME someone put her in her place, and I'm JUST the person to do it!

“Hold it, hold it, hold it…don’t you think this is getting a little bit out of hand? I mean, she wasn’t really in a position to intimidate, disrespect or bully anyone was she? Well, other than Zach of course. You, however…”

He raised his eyebrows and made a low whistle.

And THEN Zizi got a text, which contained pictures of Zach in flagrante delicto with Ava.

“Oh, dude! Really?! You are my HERO. Give me some!”

Andrew held out his hand for Zach to slap, which he did not. Your man was the luckiest bastard on the planet. Well, except for this moment right now. And when his ex sent him a video of her screwing someone else. And before, when Sharon and everyone was yelling at him THAT time.

And then just now when Vivica punched him in the face.

"I mean..my god, I've spent the night fighting for my life...being so scared about my future...and to know what you've been doing, all the while?"

This was really getting out of hand.

“He’s hurting, and so is she, can’t you see that?”

And why isit that everyone ELSE is expected to toe the line, EXCEPT her? If WE are expected to display BASIC traits of human decency...SHE should be as well, and thus far, she has NOT. And just because Detective Boyscout over there chooses to see her through rose colored glasses, doesn't mean the REST of us are going to.

Andrew wasn’t laughing now. He levelled a steely gaze at Dominique.

“If this is what you call ‘human decency’, I’d hate to see you when you’re being a vindictive bitch.”

And then her pet decided to speak up, as if HE had contributed anything but a taxi to this group.

So, Zach's ex went to the HC, slept with Alycia's now-ex on the way out. Her sister slept with Zach on the way to try to kill Vivica AND Simon, following orders from the HC since she joined too. Ashley, who I KNOW has jack shit for intel at the HC from having recently been there as the Black Knight just had a meeting there TODAY, after Viv was almost killed, that she did not report but she needed to lie to us just now about. And she got to just tell us to fuck off and lock the door while we sit here freaking out...instead of doing what needs to be done OUT THERE. I am glad I got to stay here and soak up all this TEAMWORK. We don't even know who we can fucking trust here. No accountability, no team.

“Oh, piss off munchkin. You ain’t nobody’s ‘black knight’ anymore. You see where the door is, why don’t you use it.”

Sharon took this opportunity to RIP Ashley’s door off her hinges and PUNCH her THROUGH the wall of the Cloctower.

“I guess that’s TWO vindictive bitches.”

He turned to Oracle.

“What do we do now?”

 

[Matrix]

“Oh, piss off munchkin. You ain’t nobody’s ‘black knight’ anymore. You see where the door is, why don’t you use it.”

When you think you are the man to put me out, come see me.

Isis and Zizi knew that I was done playing. And this motherfucker apparently thought a breakup meant you could just wallow in it. I had been dead at least a week, lost everything, scavenged on the streets until Miss D found me and STILL could not see my Mama TO THIS DAY. And he thinks that losing a girlfriend is a reason to hide away and die? Pussy. But he set to get fucked if he keeps on...he was already on thin ice for his mouth with Miss D.

 

[Oracle]

The Clocktower

This all deteriorated so fast. Ashley hadn’t gotten up from the floor, and Zizi looked down at her, her heart going out to the girl. She was in so much pain, and the others were too busy being angry to see it, or to care.

Her pleas for them to act adult fell on deaf ears. And then Ashley’s armor was back up again, and she was returning fire at Sharon.

Zizi shook her head.

Look, Miss D has had enough for one night. if there is nothing more than this shit, she should go rest.

She looked at the young mutant.

“Rich, baby, I love you, but if you ever speak for an intelligent, powerful and beautiful woman in my home again, you’ll be finding meals on your own. The avatar of Isis is neither a doll, nor your senile grandmother. I expect you to show more respect than that.”

She returned her attention to the chaos in front of her.

"But we can't do this right now. We can't scream and shout anymore. We can't be like THE SIX. The Inner Circle is after us, and if you think they aren't aware of this? Aren't trying their best to tempt us and lead us down that HORRIBLE path they've led The Six, you're crazy! This is a part of it...and we're playing into it."

“PLEASE, listen to her.”

But it didn’t matter. They kept biting at each other. Ashley took herself out of the equation. And it was clear that the adults were not making a favorable impression on those younger in attendance.

So, Zach's ex went to the HC, slept with Alycia's now-ex on the way out. Her sister slept with Zach on the way to try to kill Vivica AND Simon, following orders from the HC since she joined too. Ashley, who I KNOW has jack shit for intel at the HC from having recently been there as the Black Knight just had a meeting there TODAY, after Viv was almost killed, that she did not report but she needed to lie to us just now about. And she got to just tell us to fuck off and lock the door while we sit here freaking out...instead of doing what needs to be done OUT THERE. I am glad I got to stay here and soak up all this TEAMWORK. We don't even know who we can fucking trust here. No accountability, no team.

“Oh, piss off munchkin. You ain’t nobody’s ‘black knight’ anymore. You see where the door is, why don’t you use it.”

“That is QUITE enough of that.”

She rolled forward.

But before she could say any more, Sharon exploded, ripping off Ashley’s door and PUNCHING her completely out of the Clocktower before going after her.

“Oh, my, THAT’s not good. Dominique, if you please, take us to Sharon?”

 

[Valkyrie]

The Clocktower

Ashley was taking some deep breaths in her room. Those absolute COWS. Screaming at her, and then acting like she had done ANYTHING to them. THEY were the ones acting out of turn. And it was just too much. All too much.

And then suddenly her door was in splinters and Sharon was standing in her room.

“You crazy bitch! Get the hell out of here before someone downs you with some horse tranquilizer like you need to be.”

And then without warning, Sharon PUNCHED her. She slammed backwards through the wall of building, over blocks and blocks of city, finally skidding through the parkland before coming to a stop.

She sat there for a second, FUMING.

“You. CUNT!”

GET UP, BITCH. GET UP...and get KNOCKED DOWN AGAIN!

She stood up.

Her face morphed as she sent her Valkyrie power out to Sharon. Her face would look like a rotting skull, with two gaping holes where the eyes should be. She pushed all that doubt and intimidation into Sharon.

You are weak. You couldn’t save your family. Your SON. You can’t save anyone. You should just crawl up into a ball. You are worthless.

And then Ashley ran at her and leapt into the air, pulling back her right arm on the downward arc and coming down onto Sharon throwing a haymaker to her head.

 

[Isis]

The Clocktower

“Oh, piss off munchkin. You ain’t nobody’s ‘black knight’ anymore. You see where the door is, why don’t you use it.”

:: Dominique places a hand on Richard's arm, and PULLS HIM BACK, stepping in FRONT of him.::

YOUNG MAN.

If you VALUE your life in it's current form, and do NOT wish to spend your remaining days as an ARTICHOKE, I suggest you HOLD YOUR TONGUE. Of EVERYONE in this room, you appear to be the WEAKEST, so you should have the LEAST to say.

“That is QUITE enough of that.”

She rolled forward.

NO!

Enough is....

[ TEARING that door off its frame and SLAMMING it to the floor, she SWATS Zachary aside as if he were nothing more than a fly and now stands right before Ashley]

ENOUGH!

You want THANKS?

Well, then. Allow ME to THANK YOU.

[FLASH!]

[POW!]

[ With ONE thunderous punch, The Silver Swan sends Valkyrie FLYING THROUGH THE WALL, OUT OF THE CLOCKTOWER and ALL THE WAY TO CENTRAL PARK!]

AMAZING!

:: Isis' aqua blue eyes widen at that display of raw physical power, AND of Ashley being sent flying out of the clocktower like a bat out of HELL! The one was impressive, the OTHER was FANTASTIC::

Stay by me, Richard, and be READY. The moment of truth is at hand!

Oh, my, THAT’s not good. Dominique, if you please, take us to Sharon?”

Of course, Oracle.

:: And with that, Isis raises her hands and ignites magick, weaving a golden pattern of power as ALL of them are enveloped by a large column of light, and teleported from the clock tower, to central park!::

 

[Matrix]

I was still stung by Oracle bringing up my issue. I got her point on respect but it was my own fault that I was so weak she could hit me like that. I was actually a bit zoned out when Miss D called to me.

Stay by me, Richard, and be RE ADY. The moment of truth is at hand!

Mind clear. Go time.

: And with that, Isis raises her hands and ignites magick, weaving a golden pattern of power as ALL of them are enveloped by a large column of light, and teleported from the clock tower, to central park!::

Make the call, Queen.

 

[Silver Swan]

Central Park

[ Silver Swan was there, squared up and ready to beat Valkyrie into the ground. The look on Valkyrie's face told Sharon that she wasn't EXPECTING that kind of hit. She HONESTLY thought she was the only BRAWLER in that clocktower?]

She stood up.

Her face morphed as she sent her Valkyrie power out to Sharon. Her face would look like a rotting skull, with two gaping holes where the eyes should be. She pushed all that doubt and intimidation into Sharon.

You are weak. You couldn’t save your family. Your SON. You can’t save anyone. You should just crawl up into a ball. You are worthless.

[Her face...it was GROTESQUE, much like everything ELSE about her, including her spirit! Sharon should have KNOWN that Valkyrie would lead off with this as her first attack/defense because she needed TIME. Sharon had seen this before, but never felt it. Valkyrie was confronting her with some of her worst, most personal issues. But this wasn't REALITY, these were FEELINGS! ]

...No....

NO! It's NOT that way....not ANYMORE. Kyle and Robert are gone.....already KNOW I can't...save them.

[She shakes her head]

But I CAN....STOP....HER

[ In the back of Sharon's mind, the chorus of DENIAL was growing. But It was taking TIME to find herself, her balance, to REASSERT herself against this passive attack. To the observer's eye, Silver Swan did not crumble in fear, but she appeared to be standing there, transfixed. ]

And then Ashley ran at her and leapt into the air, pulling back her right arm on the downward arc and coming down onto Sharon throwing a haymaker to her head.

UGGGNNN!!

[ The Belligerent Barbie was stronger than she looked. That full on assault sent Sharon staggering back nore than a few paces! unable to regain her equilibrium as she tumbled into a large, thick tree, causing it to SNAP and fall over. Silver Swan was on her knees in the midst of the wrecked tree, a MOST of the trunk of the tree was still in tact on the ground though]

[ While SHAKEN, due to the ferocity of that strike, which came right on the heels of that curious, passive attack, the Silver Swan was far from down and out. She stands up.]

[ She laughed]

Is that all you got?

Well. I'm going to have to hurt you BADLY.

[ At Sharon's mental command, Valkyrie was ATTACKED by 100's of birds that had been hidden in the leafy canopies of the trees! They charged her as viciously as a SWARM of hungry locusts, obscuring her vision, striking her face, her eyes, pecking, biting, clawing every part of her, the larger birds pulled her hair with thier talons]

[ But this was merely a diversion. Valkryie wasn't the ONLY one who could "set up" an attack.]

::FLASH!::

<< A large column of golden light beams down, and forms of Isis and the rest of the Birds of Prey all can be seen in that column. Isis' teleportation spell concludes, and they are now standing in Central Park, bearing witness to this dreadful fight

[ The sight and sound of the BoP arrival coincides with Sharon's command to the birds SCATTER away, flying fast and high up into the air]

TAKE THIS!

[ now hefting that massive tree, The Silver Swan SWINGS, and SLAMS Valkyrie w/ that tree as if she were hitting a baseball dead center, to send her FLYING once more]

<< And as this battle raged, and the Birds of Prey arrived, ALL of it was being watched by a particular individual who remained sight unseen. @Mystique , the same person who made SURE that those pictures of Ava and Zach reached the Birds, AND who facilitated the PUNISHMENT of Persephone by the Red and White Queens! What WAS her stake in all of this? Why would she even CARE to be viewing the Birds of prey at this moment, particularly Silver Swan and Charope?

 

[Orion]

The Clocktower

Valkyrie to the rescue. She told them all to fuck off, which was a stroke of heroism in Zach's opinion. The only problem was that he could feel the relief he'd JUST found with her slipping away again, in both himself AND in her. She gave up on this clusterfuck, and went back into her room and slammed the door. Sharon slammed Ashley again, calling her the laughing stock of the Inner Circle. And just how did Sharon know so much about what amused the Hellfire Ranks? He couldn't understand why Sharon was acting like this. He hadn't seen her temper this bad since her fist fight with Haleigh at Melrose. Unfortunately it was incredibly difficult to address the root issue, because she was attacking Ashley, who had done NO ACTUAL WRONG TODAY.

Sharon: And of course, the two of you are going to stand there and allow this, allow Zachary to get away with neglecting his responsibilities, allow HER to once again SHIT on EVERYONE in this room and we're expected to THANK HER?

"HOLD ON, SHARON. You've been cutting Ashley down ALL DAY, and acting like SHE'S wrong for meeting you at your measure. What is WRONG WITH YOU?!?"

He said, and foolishly sidestepped to block the bedroom door as Sharon went after Ashley. He realized the error of his move as she shoved him aside, sending him careening into a floor lamp, which he tripped over and landed on top of uncomfortably. Then Sharon proceeded to go absolutely apeshit on Ashley, and the fight turned physical and fully left the building. Zach, still on his ass tangled up in a broken lamp, reached in his pocket for his phone to call Mirage for damage control. Then he remembered his phone was broken and why, and closed his eyes, trying not to think about what else Haleigh might be going through right now, while Sharon was busy ripping her rescue team to pieces.

Rich had something to say about the situation, and it seemed like his only contribution was going to be making things WORSE instead of better. Andrew, who had been trying to help de-escalate the whole time, finally seemed to lose his patience and told Rich he could leave. Rich responded like a young man with something to prove, and Isis rebuked Andrew.

"Hey, WHY do you think it's acceptable to call him WEAK? Because it's NOT."

Oracle asked Isis to take them all to Sharon, and the next thing Zach knew, he was in Central Park, and the cold air was hitting his bare chest and burning in his nostrils. He climbed to his feet as Vivica apologized to him.

Vivica: I'm sorry I punched you. I've been on kind of a rage spiral from the moment Ava Cassadine tried to literally bury Simon and myself under the city.

He sighed, because he'd been on a rage spiral himself, and he felt bad about being unavailable while she was getting attacked.

Vivica: You have a right to feel the way that you do, and act out in any number of ways. Lord knows you need it...and i'll support you as best I can. But come on, man. Help us out here. Explain this away...please?

Finally, someone stopped attacking and started asking questions. Zach wasn't ever going to apologize for sleeping with ANYBODY, even IF visual evidence turned up, because they were consenting adults and it wasn't anyone else's business. They NEEDED to be focused on whoever took, and sent, those photos. They NEEDED to be focused on saving their friends and themselves from this hell they were in. Instead they were ripping each other apart for totally trivial reasons. Zach wiped the blood that continued to drip into his beard and attempted to answer Vivica.

"Look, this whole Gods-forsaken day has gone off the rails. I'm SORRY I wasn't there for you, I'm sorry if you don't feel like I'm on your side. But Viv? If you want an explanation, then listen to how I spent MY afternoon. After finding out my ex-fiance left the Six and joined Hellfire, I tried to convince one of my oldest friends out of falling into darkness and self-destruction WITH HER. And instead she attacked you and the others, to my HORROR. EPIC FAIL on my part. And THEN, as if THAT wasn't enough AWFUL for one day, I had to watch the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my LIFE with get beaten down and FUCKED by a BEAST of a man, and we're pretty sure she's under Malice's mental control and is trying to communicate but I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. EPIC FAIL AGAIN. And then I just thought for a second I could HELP Ashley, and myself, and stop feeling heartbroken for Haleigh and Ava. But that didn't last, because everybody came home and starting SHREDDING US because WHY? We sought comfort in each other when clearly half of this sorry excuse for a team DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN about what WE might be going through? How are we going to stand against Hellfire while we're busy standing against EACH OTHER?"

 

[Oracle]

The Clocktower

“Andrew? Be a dear.”

Zizi indicated that he should come and push her chair for her.

Andrew walked past Dominique, and as he did so her looked her dead in the face.

Andrew: “Sometimes strength doesn’t come from having powers.”

He took his place behind Zizi, and put his hands on the handles of her chair. Isis waived her hands in the air, and they were all teleported to what appeared to be Central Park.

Teleported, just in time to see Sharon, or rather Silver Swan, uproot a tree and HIT Valkyrie with it! Ashley was flying through the air once more. And as seconds passed, there was no sign of her.

Steel’s body melted to his namesake organic steel as he ran to where Silver Swan now stood, and threw his arms around Sharon, holding her own arms at her sides.

Steel: “Silver Swan, NO MORE! If you want to continue this fight, you will have to go through me. Is that what you want, Pretty Bird?”

Andrew wheeled Zizi forward.

“This must not go on, Silver Swan. As long as Valkyrie lives under my roof, she will have my protection.”

 

[Silver Swan]

Central Park

GOT HER!


[But then, STEEL was upon her!]

Steel’s body melted to his namesake organic steel as he ran to where Silver Swan now stood, and threw his arms around Sharon, holding her own arms at her sides.

Steel: “Silver Swan, NO MORE! If you want to continue this fight, you will have to go through me. Is that what you want, Pretty Bird?”

LET GO OF ME, Steel!

[ She SHOUTED]

I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU!

Steel: You'll HAVE TO if you wish to continue this madness!

[ Sharon was PISSED. But She noticeably didn't resist or move to BREAK Steel's hold on her. Not just YET.]

Andrew wheeled Zizi forward.

“This must not go on, Silver Swan. As long as Valkyrie lives under my roof, she will have my protection.”

WHY, Zizi!?

[ She shouted]

WHY do you protect her! WHY DO YOU TOLERATE SOMEONE LIKE THAT!?

All she EVER does is walk around being RUDE and ANTAGONIZING.

She's OPENLY bigoted toward Amazons, and you say nothing.

She REGULARLY insults and disrespects ANYONE, and you say nothing, and do you REALLY believe that she MERELY went to the hellfire mansion to get INTEL?

[ She WRENCHES herself loose from Steel, and turns to face him and Zizi. Steel stood sentry watching her and making sure he was some sort of barrier between her and anyone else she might be inclinded to attack]

We're supposed to be KIND to her when all she does is SHIT on us!?

In case you haven't notice, we're only GIVING BACK what SHE puts out, and it's BEEN like this since the moment we MET her.

[ She looks at Zachary]

And YOU. I don't even know who you ARE anymore

[ holding up her hand]

And before you tell me you could say the same thing to me, you can just SAVE THAT. I KNOW I'm not the woman you knew before. I told you that MYSELF.

You think you're the only one who's ever shed a tear over a lost love? You think you're the only one who's HURT by THIS?

You can do whatever you WANT, but that does NOT mean you get to dictate anyone ELSE'S response to it! The same thing goes for ASHLEY. Actions have CONSEQUENCES and the two of you don't get to tell ANYONE ELSE how to respond to what you're doing.

You're a FOOL if you think Haleigh is "in trouble." She's NOT. For a man who should KNOW better, you've been acting SO STUPID...and THAT is what I'M upset at YOU about.

EVERYONE has darkness in them, and Haleigh has been quite aware of her's for SOME TIME now. Malice ISN'T mind controlling her. She's there of her own free will, doing WHAT SHE WANTS and I can't BELIEVE that you would think OTHERWISE!

[ She turns back to Zizi]

I will NOT be apart of this.

I will NOT help a man who is so blind and foolish.

NOR will I work with Valkyrie.

Oracle, you asked us earlier if anyone of us planned to "return" to the Six. I have no such plans. But I will NOT stay here under the same roof with Ashley Oldenburg. If SHE is the bar to which are expected to LOWER ourselves to, I'm going.

:: Richard nods in agreement, stepping beside Dominique. So that was two more

:: Shaking her head::

I...thought I could do this, but I can't. No matter where I go...there's ALWAYS someone willing to defend Haleigh, no matter HOW much evidence she provides to show not only is she in full control of herself, but that she is NOT this person that Cameron, Zach or anyone ELSE seems to think she is. I'm SICK of trying to help people who don't want to be helped, and I don't need someone pissing on my leg, and telling me it's raining.

And Zizi...I LOVE you. I ALWAYS WILL. But I'm a PROFESSIONAL. I have my own practice, my own agency and brand...I could accomplish more working with Terra Save and get more respect in the process than I EVER could working alongside someone like Ashley Oldenburg. I went through THIS kind of crap with Haleigh in the EARLIER days of the Six. I'm PAST that now...and after what I experienced tonight at the Parthenon? I've NO interest in participating in a SEQUEL.

If Ashley stays, I'm going too.

:: that was four.::

ROSE is out here, and she needs help. My efforts would be better served, and more appreciated working directly with her again, and now, I have the power to do so much more than i could before.

I WON'T neglect her, or leave her vulnerable to another attack by the Purifiers or anyone who might follow in their foot steps.