The parade was about half way to Shell House cheering and singing and waving flags, when Aurora started acting up. One foot dragged, one veered sideways, and her short, crowd-rousing roars became an unending terrifying bellow. One of the operators leapt out of the hatch at the side, and ran, screaming, away down the street. Two more tumbled out of the rear door, fighting wildly. Panic started to spread through the parade, and Aurora began to sway alarmingly.
Me, Freezeframe, Ragnarok, Tildy, FDiffy, Diffy and Healthbar sprang into action at once, as a strange, slightly woozy feeling fell over our minds like a blanket. I sent some fireworks into the air to distract the crowd, helped by the Diffys, who set off for the edge of the pavement together to try and calm down and contain the crowd.
'Freezeframe! Do you think you can handle Aurora?! I need to go after whoever's causing this!'
'Uh, I can try!'
'You've done normal puppets!'
'She's the size of a bus and takes 15 people to operate!'
'Just try will you?!'
'My head feels odd..'
'Mine too, it must be the Psychic. Fight it!'
She closed her eyes, holding one hand out towards Aurora, and holding the other out like a conductor, or a puppeteer. She took a deep breath, and the hand reaching towards Aurora flinched. The huge bear froze, and Freezeframe opened her eyes. They were giving off a faint glow. Frowning with concentration, she began to move her conducting hand and, very slowly, Aurora began to move again. I clicked my fingers at the speakers-on-a-bike as I ran past, and the music got louder, drawing a bit of attention. Some people turned, glassy-eyed, to look, and began to shake their heads, looking confused.
'Urgh, where's Broadcast when we need him? He could have this crowd happy and dancing within seconds!'
I sensed Hana sending off a quick text as I made a brief knotting motion with my hands. A small light on each of my shoes lit up, and I felt the hum as the compact technology I'd crammed into the heels started up. 'I was wondering when I'd get a chance to try these out.'
'Tildy!' I called out as she ran past, grabbing a toddler that was about to wander out into the unclear side of the road. 'You picking anything up? This has to be a psychic, affecting everyone's minds like this.'
Pulling the boy to safety, she paused, holding a finger in front of her face. She closed her eyes, and turned slowly, until she was facing Aurora, and brought her finger down, pointing ahead, to Aurora's right. 'That way. Brown hair, stubble, black shirt with some sort of badge on, maybe security. He's giving off a pretty big buzz, but I think this many people is hard for him.'
'Ah, Clairvoyance. I will NEVER get tired of you just finding people like that, saves so much time. Thanks cuz.'
I started running, keeping an eye out. I spotted him lurking by a car, brow furrowed with effort. Ducking out of the way of a frenzied pedestrian, I failed to notice one of Aurora's puppeteers on my left, who tackled me. I staggered, by managed to spin with the force, sending him reeling away from me. 'I will NOT fight them. He wants to turn this into a riot, and I'm not going to help him.'
Around Aurora, the crowd was too thick, and I had to slow down. I kept watching the black shirted man, but he turned and saw me, and a look of panic flashed across his face. He fled, shouldering people out of the way, heading for the clearer roads ahead.
'Ok new shoes, let's see if I was wasting my time.'
Since my powers took a hit during the 'reset', the Forcefield Express has been a bit....unreliable, so I have been looking into other ways to use my powers to get around quickly.
I sent a wave of ice ahead of me, curving gently to rise up above the crowd. I leapt on, just as short, wide ski-like blades slid from my shoes. Summoning an air current to whoosh me along, I flailed as I tried to find my balance on the winding ice road. 'Come on, you can do this, you've watched Frozone do it....Whoaoaoah...Oh god I've made this thing like Rainbow road, I can't aim like this.....OK, whoah, there we go. Wheeee!'
The ice road was already melting, snowing down on the people (and Polar Bear) below. This helped distract some of the less manic people, but things weren't calming down.
I looked below and ahead, spotting the Psychic as he shoved a man aside in order to run down a side street. I slid round the corner after him, mentally connecting to my phone as it started to ring.
'Jump?!'
'I brought Broadcast, Hana said it was an emergency. Where'd you want us?'
'YES! Thank you, you guys rock! Broadcast needs to do some serious crowd control, try and drown out whatever that guy's putting in their heads. Maybe something jolly, get the parade back on track? Can you just keep people safe, make sure anyone in danger of falling in the river or stumbling into the traffic, well, doesn't?'
'We're on it.'
'Thanks!'
I hung up and skated round another corner after the Psychic. He was fleeing back to base. Back to his employers. Back to the people who had payed him to ruin the parade, because they were scared.
Shell House loomed as I raced after him, big and smooth and faceless. Snow was falling all around us now, and it clung to the Psychic, wrapping him like a snowman, his head free, wriggling desperately to get free. The fuzzy feeling in my head faded a little as I came to a stop on a column of ice across the road from Shell House.
'H-h-h-how...' the Psychic shivered.
'Yeah, you're not the first Psychic we've met, and you won't be the last. We've got pretty good at resisting it. Actually, I think someone gave us a mind block from stuff like this...Evan....no...hmm...'
I was jolted from my thoughts by Tildy, who was flying towards me surrounded by a faint shimmer of green light. She smiled 'The parade's on it's way, Broadcast's made everyone hurry up.
'Good, they should be here. This is why they're marching.'
People were wandering out Shell House, looking scared and awed at the wintery landscape.
Jump called again. 'I have an AMAZING idea. Can you get everyone out of the building?'
'Can do.'
I flicked a finger at the building and the Fire Alarm went off, causing everyone else to flood out.
The parade rounded the corner, led by Freezeframe, who was riding on Aurora's back, guiding her expertly ahead of the mass cheering people.
'Hey! You there!'
I looked down to see one of the suited men nervously peering up at me, shaking a finger. 'Leave now, you hear me? You have no right to be here. I demand that you go.'
'Right? Trust me dude, you do NOT want to throw stones about who does or doesn't have a right to be places. You know what I'm talking about right? Big white place, full of Polar Bears, isn't yours? Ring any bells? We're in a public street, so shut up.'
I felt Hana send another text as the parade arrived. Two canadian women had joined Freezeframe, and were shouting about their ancient homeland, that is was NOT for sale, and that Shell could NEVER convince them to leave. A look passed over Tildy's face, and she beamed.
There was a sudden 'Shcloop' sound, and gasps from the crowd.
Shell House was full of oil. Black Liquid pressed up against the windows, filling several floors. Laughing, I turned to see Jump, trudging towards my pillar, peeling of a very grubby boiler suit. She looked up at me. 'What? They wanted oil, now they have it.'
Clouds were sending sheets of rain down on the building, a thick layer of falling water surrounding it.
'Hey Shell!' I cayelled. 'You want to drill for ice? Allow me to suggest an alternative location.'
I sent a blast of freezing wind, and the water solidified, encasing Shell House in a block of ice about a foot thick.
'Have fun guys! And stay the hell out of the Arctic.'
The Psychic was starting to get free, but Healthbar surrounded his head in her black fog, removiing the fuzzy feeling from our heads completely, while the suits from Shell were looking angry. 'What?! How did you....How DARE you! You think you can stop us? We will drill wherever the hell we like!'
'Oh really?'
Everyone turned to look at Tildy, who was floating in the air, her green light spreading out behind her as misty forms started to take shape.
'Thousands of people came here today to ask you to stop, but if you still won't listen, I have a few more supporters that might...persuade you.'
The figures behind her had come into focus. There was a large number of people wearing thick, robe like clothes, similar to the women with Freezeframe, several Polar Bears, a couple of Arctic Foxes, and a family of Arctic Rabbits.
'These are the ancestors of the people whose land you want to buy. They have been watching over it for centuries, protecting it, keeping it and their descendants safe. That includes protecting them from you. And these are the native creatures who have died because of your actions. They'd all like a word with you.'
The wave of ghosts swept forwards, washing over the suited people, filling them with terror as consequences, visions and warnings flooded through their minds.
Tildy tilted her head, and looked thrilled. 'Oh, and a latecomer! Do join us!'
A ghostly old woman shuffled past Tildy, waving her walking stick angrily. She reached the Psychic, and started whacking him on the head with it. 'Walter! THIS is what you're doing?! How could you?! Does your father know about this? I bet he doesn't, he'd never allow it! The Shame! I have NEVER been so disappointed in you!'
All he could do was gasp and tremble as she continued to rant and smack.
This lasted for several minutes, the parade cheering the whole time, until evryone from shell was cowering in terror, and the Psychic was weeping and snivelling. The parade organisers rounded up with a few short talks, the women from highest Canada sang a lovely song, and the parade broke up, with everyone cheerily heading off in their own little groups.
It was a good day.
'Freezeframe! Do you think you can handle Aurora?! I need to go after whoever's causing this!'
'Uh, I can try!'
'You've done normal puppets!'
'She's the size of a bus and takes 15 people to operate!'
'Just try will you?!'
'My head feels odd..'
'Mine too, it must be the Psychic. Fight it!'
She closed her eyes, holding one hand out towards Aurora, and holding the other out like a conductor, or a puppeteer. She took a deep breath, and the hand reaching towards Aurora flinched. The huge bear froze, and Freezeframe opened her eyes. They were giving off a faint glow. Frowning with concentration, she began to move her conducting hand and, very slowly, Aurora began to move again. I clicked my fingers at the speakers-on-a-bike as I ran past, and the music got louder, drawing a bit of attention. Some people turned, glassy-eyed, to look, and began to shake their heads, looking confused.
'Urgh, where's Broadcast when we need him? He could have this crowd happy and dancing within seconds!'
I sensed Hana sending off a quick text as I made a brief knotting motion with my hands. A small light on each of my shoes lit up, and I felt the hum as the compact technology I'd crammed into the heels started up. 'I was wondering when I'd get a chance to try these out.'
'Tildy!' I called out as she ran past, grabbing a toddler that was about to wander out into the unclear side of the road. 'You picking anything up? This has to be a psychic, affecting everyone's minds like this.'
Pulling the boy to safety, she paused, holding a finger in front of her face. She closed her eyes, and turned slowly, until she was facing Aurora, and brought her finger down, pointing ahead, to Aurora's right. 'That way. Brown hair, stubble, black shirt with some sort of badge on, maybe security. He's giving off a pretty big buzz, but I think this many people is hard for him.'
'Ah, Clairvoyance. I will NEVER get tired of you just finding people like that, saves so much time. Thanks cuz.'
I started running, keeping an eye out. I spotted him lurking by a car, brow furrowed with effort. Ducking out of the way of a frenzied pedestrian, I failed to notice one of Aurora's puppeteers on my left, who tackled me. I staggered, by managed to spin with the force, sending him reeling away from me. 'I will NOT fight them. He wants to turn this into a riot, and I'm not going to help him.'
Around Aurora, the crowd was too thick, and I had to slow down. I kept watching the black shirted man, but he turned and saw me, and a look of panic flashed across his face. He fled, shouldering people out of the way, heading for the clearer roads ahead.
'Ok new shoes, let's see if I was wasting my time.'
Since my powers took a hit during the 'reset', the Forcefield Express has been a bit....unreliable, so I have been looking into other ways to use my powers to get around quickly.
I sent a wave of ice ahead of me, curving gently to rise up above the crowd. I leapt on, just as short, wide ski-like blades slid from my shoes. Summoning an air current to whoosh me along, I flailed as I tried to find my balance on the winding ice road. 'Come on, you can do this, you've watched Frozone do it....Whoaoaoah...Oh god I've made this thing like Rainbow road, I can't aim like this.....OK, whoah, there we go. Wheeee!'
The ice road was already melting, snowing down on the people (and Polar Bear) below. This helped distract some of the less manic people, but things weren't calming down.
I looked below and ahead, spotting the Psychic as he shoved a man aside in order to run down a side street. I slid round the corner after him, mentally connecting to my phone as it started to ring.
'Jump?!'
'I brought Broadcast, Hana said it was an emergency. Where'd you want us?'
'YES! Thank you, you guys rock! Broadcast needs to do some serious crowd control, try and drown out whatever that guy's putting in their heads. Maybe something jolly, get the parade back on track? Can you just keep people safe, make sure anyone in danger of falling in the river or stumbling into the traffic, well, doesn't?'
'We're on it.'
'Thanks!'
I hung up and skated round another corner after the Psychic. He was fleeing back to base. Back to his employers. Back to the people who had payed him to ruin the parade, because they were scared.
Shell House loomed as I raced after him, big and smooth and faceless. Snow was falling all around us now, and it clung to the Psychic, wrapping him like a snowman, his head free, wriggling desperately to get free. The fuzzy feeling in my head faded a little as I came to a stop on a column of ice across the road from Shell House.
'H-h-h-how...' the Psychic shivered.
'Yeah, you're not the first Psychic we've met, and you won't be the last. We've got pretty good at resisting it. Actually, I think someone gave us a mind block from stuff like this...Evan....no...hmm...'
I was jolted from my thoughts by Tildy, who was flying towards me surrounded by a faint shimmer of green light. She smiled 'The parade's on it's way, Broadcast's made everyone hurry up.
'Good, they should be here. This is why they're marching.'
People were wandering out Shell House, looking scared and awed at the wintery landscape.
Jump called again. 'I have an AMAZING idea. Can you get everyone out of the building?'
'Can do.'
I flicked a finger at the building and the Fire Alarm went off, causing everyone else to flood out.
The parade rounded the corner, led by Freezeframe, who was riding on Aurora's back, guiding her expertly ahead of the mass cheering people.
'Hey! You there!'
I looked down to see one of the suited men nervously peering up at me, shaking a finger. 'Leave now, you hear me? You have no right to be here. I demand that you go.'
'Right? Trust me dude, you do NOT want to throw stones about who does or doesn't have a right to be places. You know what I'm talking about right? Big white place, full of Polar Bears, isn't yours? Ring any bells? We're in a public street, so shut up.'
I felt Hana send another text as the parade arrived. Two canadian women had joined Freezeframe, and were shouting about their ancient homeland, that is was NOT for sale, and that Shell could NEVER convince them to leave. A look passed over Tildy's face, and she beamed.
There was a sudden 'Shcloop' sound, and gasps from the crowd.
Shell House was full of oil. Black Liquid pressed up against the windows, filling several floors. Laughing, I turned to see Jump, trudging towards my pillar, peeling of a very grubby boiler suit. She looked up at me. 'What? They wanted oil, now they have it.'
Clouds were sending sheets of rain down on the building, a thick layer of falling water surrounding it.
'Hey Shell!' I cayelled. 'You want to drill for ice? Allow me to suggest an alternative location.'
I sent a blast of freezing wind, and the water solidified, encasing Shell House in a block of ice about a foot thick.
'Have fun guys! And stay the hell out of the Arctic.'
The Psychic was starting to get free, but Healthbar surrounded his head in her black fog, removiing the fuzzy feeling from our heads completely, while the suits from Shell were looking angry. 'What?! How did you....How DARE you! You think you can stop us? We will drill wherever the hell we like!'
'Oh really?'
Everyone turned to look at Tildy, who was floating in the air, her green light spreading out behind her as misty forms started to take shape.
'Thousands of people came here today to ask you to stop, but if you still won't listen, I have a few more supporters that might...persuade you.'
The figures behind her had come into focus. There was a large number of people wearing thick, robe like clothes, similar to the women with Freezeframe, several Polar Bears, a couple of Arctic Foxes, and a family of Arctic Rabbits.
'These are the ancestors of the people whose land you want to buy. They have been watching over it for centuries, protecting it, keeping it and their descendants safe. That includes protecting them from you. And these are the native creatures who have died because of your actions. They'd all like a word with you.'
The wave of ghosts swept forwards, washing over the suited people, filling them with terror as consequences, visions and warnings flooded through their minds.
Tildy tilted her head, and looked thrilled. 'Oh, and a latecomer! Do join us!'
A ghostly old woman shuffled past Tildy, waving her walking stick angrily. She reached the Psychic, and started whacking him on the head with it. 'Walter! THIS is what you're doing?! How could you?! Does your father know about this? I bet he doesn't, he'd never allow it! The Shame! I have NEVER been so disappointed in you!'
All he could do was gasp and tremble as she continued to rant and smack.
This lasted for several minutes, the parade cheering the whole time, until evryone from shell was cowering in terror, and the Psychic was weeping and snivelling. The parade organisers rounded up with a few short talks, the women from highest Canada sang a lovely song, and the parade broke up, with everyone cheerily heading off in their own little groups.
It was a good day.
