She told herself, zipping around trying to find any sort of landmark. She wasn't at her smallest size because of her own visibility among the trees, but at about two and a half feet.
The forest itself was dense and difficult to navigate. The trees blurred and it was hard to find any one landmark to pick out. It looked like the forest never ended. It would eventually make way to a clearing that was still surrounded by trees. Sitting there was a man. "
Seems like you are lost," he said.
"
Duh. This does not look like Central Park. Like, at all. I haven't seen one bench or equestrian cop and I've been flying around for twenty minutes." Then she sighed. "Sorry, just frustrated."
Zane raised an eyebrow. "
That's on a whole different continent, back state side. At least that is what school taught me. This is the Rainbow Forest, in Starlight City," he added. He would run his hand through his stubble. "
Though if you are the person from earlier I saw fall out of a portal, it does make sense to being confused."
Portal? "
I honestly don't remember a portal, I was on my way to meet my friends, and then suddenly I'm here. I've never even heard of Starlight City..."
Zane laughed. "
Nobody ever remembers the portal because most of the time people just appear somewhere either within or just outside the city. You wouldn't hear about us. We're kind of off the grid- invisible to the world, smack dab between Europe and the States. No Collateral rules here- thankfully. Home to Superior Industries."
"
I never broke any anyway... Well, not since I got real control over my powers..." She had no idea what Superior was but didn't let on. "
Well, I just need to get back. I've got a friend who can get me a flight, I'm sure... So if you can direct me to the airport, I'll be on my way."
Zane looked over at her. "
Hmmm,.... that's something I wouldn't expect to hear," he mumbled. He looked over at her and thought for a moment. " We don't exactly have an airport, honestly, only planes that ever leave is Nicholas Harris's private plane from Superior Genetic Modification Industries... you can probably try to get back by boat though." he replied.
Boat? "
Great, I'm on the Island of Dr Moreau... And what do you mean...try?"
"
Starlight's a little weird. Getting here is easy, leaving on the other hand- oh boy, leaving is very difficult."
"
Fuck. I was on a mission. I should at least call my teammates, to let them know..." Amiee sighed. "By the way, I'm Firefly, at least when I'm dressed like this..."
"
Well, you're going to need to get mainline to do that. We're kind of in the heart of the city's most deadly forest. " Zane Jackson," he replied back to her. She didn't need to know his supervillain name for now.
"
Deadly... Forest. What the actual fuck. And if it's so deadly, why are you here alone?"
"
Not my first choice of being here. Kind of woke up here. Fucking time travel remnant has been doing some displacement recently."
"
Back up... Time travel? So, what year is it?"
Zane paused to think. "
August 2018 is my best guess, might be September."
"
Fuck. I've been gone for four months. Everyone probably thinks I'm dead."
Zane stared. "
Well, being gone for four months would certainly do that. You may have gotten lucky and some of your allies may have landed here, the portals have been a lot more active recently...."
"
So, if people get sucked in here like the Land of the Lost and it's hard to get away, why aren't you guys overpopulated by now?"
Zane would look at her. "
Mostly because just as much as the portals bring people here, they sometimes take residents as well. I assume they are returned home, but who knows? So far the only confirmed people to escape are Belldandy, Iron Man and Keiichi."
"
Hard to escape... Only three people and that's just hard? That's impossible!" She flew up for a bit then came back down. "Well do you even know which way town is?"
Zane shrugged. "
Yeah, that was kind of my point. It's actually impossible to escape. Rumors are two natives escaping, but it's just a rumor." He would look at her. "
Your guess is as good as mine. Ever play Legend of Zelda? This place is like the lost woods, very easy to get lose in, very hard to leave. Our safest bet would be to go to the lake..... before it gets dark." A howl could be heard in the distance.
"
Sure. I'm really not too worried with my power set, but sure."
"
Less a worry about not wanting to see, more that all of the werewolves, kretins, wendigos and other nasties come out after dark."
"
Well where's the lake?"
Zane paused to think. "
It should be north east here, it rarely changes."
"
Rarely? Oh that's comforting." She flew in that direction but not too fast so she didn't leave him behind.
Zane would look over at her and walk in the direction. Somehow they wound up back in the same clearing. "
Well, that's not good."
"
I assume flying up will get me nowhere?" She crossed her arms.
"
Probably above the trees, might be able to see the lake.... if the forest doesn't drag you down to prevent that.... hmmm.... I wonder if it is possible that my directions from before I got backwards. The teleport put me on the opposite side to get here, so perhaps the lake is south west."
She dropped to her smallest size and shot up above the trees to get a vantage point. Thankfully the forest couldn't see her. She would see that the lake was actually south west. It seemed the city itself was a bit out of view though still. She returned to his side, and told him where the lake was spotted.
"
Huh- south west, I did get it backwards. Not sure how I confused those two directions. Let's go. Actually, I think I'll fly," he replied, closing his eyes and consuming himself in electricity and using it to shoot up. "
That's better. South West you said?" He asked.
"
Huh. Interesting."She looked at him then pointed out where she saw the lake, and headed that way.
Zane would follow her and look over at her as they arrived at the lake. Sitting by the shore was a blind woman with a scepter.
"
Sooo... Oracle or something like that?" She landed and returned to her full 5'4" height.
Zane looked at her. "
Something like that is an apt description. She's the lake's guardian."
"
Who's blind- not deaf. So what do the hero and the villain want?" Laura asked, not looking up.
"
Wait I'm no... " She looked at Zane. "
...shit." She pulled up her heat shield.
"I am not in the mood to fight right now but I swear to God if you pull any shit I will burn your ass." Then she turned her attention to the lady. "
Ideally? A way back to New York. Failing that? A way into the city."
Zane remembered why he hated the lake guardian a lot. He looked over at her. "
Believe it or not, I just want to get back into the city and to the kid-"
"
Teen," Laura corrected.
"
Teen, I'm helping to take care of whose an orphan," he replied.
Laura looked over at her. "
You are needed more here. You can help dismantle some of the bad guys hurting your friends here. Oh and your BFF is here with the reporter."
"Cyn is caught up in this too? And what do you mean hurting my friends? Is Cyn in trouble?"
Laura looked over at her. "
Ahh, my mistake. I meant there, back in New York. Cyndee is fine...." Laura trailed off.
"
Now I'm confused... Even more."
"
Well, the bad guy who's been funding your villain in New York owns a company here... and they do lots of fun stuff that can be exposed. Oh and also, tons of powerful villains here. Not this guy- but others."
First off she flinched. "
Ouch. That's gotta hurt. Blind woman says she can see you're not powerful. Isn't it hard as hell to do business with this... Bermuda Triangle of a city? Nevermind, I just want to get to the city and see Cyn."
Zane just shrugged. "
I mean- to be fair, she's a lake guardian with tons of powers and I'm not high level compared to others."
Laura shrugged. "
Stuff gets in and out of the city, it's just really the people who can't. Well, I don't do portals, but it's about an hour walk east of here."
"
We tried that. But this isn't a regular forest. It's a freaky forest, and we ended up right where we started."
Laura looked up. "
Ahh yes, I forget that the forest likes to keep people trapped. Hmmm.... if I escort you, it should be safe."
"
Well, escort away." She gestured.
Laura would look over at her. "
Just follow the butterfly." She would transform into her butterfly form and fly west at a decently slow speed.
Amiee could almost break the sound barrier for speed, so this wasn't an issue. She hadn't tried before because Sonic booms cause Collateral damage.
Laura would get them to the edge of the city. "
Well, just a little up north is the main portal, most people appear there. Hopefully, your friend is there as well."
"
Thanks. I didn't get your name?"
"
Ahh- my apologies, I'm Laura, the lake guardian."
"
Thanks, Laura." From there she headed into town.
"
You are very welcome," Laura replied as she left. She shot Zane a glare as he headed to the school.
@LuckycoolHawk9 @Gands @ anyone interested.
