The Society of Justice: A Super Hero Roleplay

[CounterAttack]

Katie couldn't help but look into Jason's eyes; they seemed so warm, comforting, helpful... a perfect reflection of how she thought of him in that moment. Then she looked down, ashamed of herself for what she was about to do. She willed herself not to cry, not in front of everyone else.

"Jason... there is a problem... I can't do it anymore." She pulled the folded note out of her jacket pocket, put it in his hand and fleetingly pressed her lips to his. Then she pulled away, broke free of his grip and ran out of the Promenade, leaving doors wide open behind her. Tears were building behind her eyes, though she would not shed them.

Katie ran straight to her room, threw the last of her things into the open suitcase and grabbed both of them. She walked back out to the gardens, turned to the plants and murmured in a slightly shaking voice, "I'm sorry." Then she turned and hurried away, out of the Promenade gates and turned in a random direction, looking for a bus stop to find her way home.

 

[blaze96]

Richard saw the visibly distraught Katie run out of the Promenade he quickly went after her and caught up at the bus stop.

"Katie, what the hell is going on? To see you just run out of the Promenade like that and now seeing you wait for a bus? Whatever it is, I'll help and do my best to keep it from the others if need be. I'm already carrying many secrets, one more won't hurt." Richard said with concern clearly evidenced in his voice.

 

[Captainguy42]

Tommy heard Katie's foot-steps as she ran away, but by the time he looked up she was already around the corner. He shrugged again, thinking it was his imagination. He returned to cloud gazing, now he fondly remembering a day when his mother had read a fortune in the clouds, and predicted he was going to skin his knee on the way home. I wish I could see in the future, maybe I wouldn't have to hurt anyone if I knew what they were going to do, just take care of things before they got violent.

 

[CounterAttack]

Katie looked up at Richard, slightly shocked, then buried her face in her hands. "I... I don't think I can do this any more, Richard," she answered, her voice audibly shaking. "I've had my doubts recently... I could've died. We all could have." She knew she was stating the obvious, but it seemed the only way to speak her mind.

"Except for you, of course. You're nigh immune to conventional weapons such as deadly viruses," she added, looking at him once more. Her eyes had turned red, as if she'd been crying, though she hadn't yet. "I'm going home... I need some time off, to take a break... I tried to think of a way to do this properly, but couldn't. I've just been... so afraid..."

With those last words, Katie started to cry behind her hands.

 

[blaze96]

Richard gently grabbed her wrists and pulled them away.

"I get it, you need some time to think, but running away isn't the way to go about it. I'll go back in and explain to the others while you put your things in the car I got you. I refuse to have someone I associate with run away in a bus. So just put the suitcase in the passenger seat, take the communicator in case something happens, and drive off like we both know you can. As an added bonus, I'll make damn sure that you don't get replaced. Between me and Jason, there will be a place kept for you at the team's proverbial table." Richard said before adding.

"I'm also going to extend the offer of time off to the rest of the team, with or without Garrus' permission. This has been a trying time for everyone, so it may be good for everybody to be able to get themselves together if they need it. Okay? Now will you calm down and head back inside long enough to at least properly run away?" He tried to lighten the mood at the end.

 

[Pm0n3y]

Jason stood his ground, taken by surprise as Katie dashed away from him.

"Katie wait-where are you going?" He said, fear in his voice as he finally went after her. But as he approached the doors, she had already vainshed. Sighing, he pressed his back against the door and slumped down it, putting his head in his hands. As the freezing winter winds blew around him, he remembered the piece of paper Katie left in his hands, and took it down from his face. Rising to his feet, he solumnly looked out into the dark winter night one more time before slowly making his way back in, unfolding the paper to read its contents.

 

[CounterAttack]

In elegant, flowing handwriting, the note read:

Jason,

I'm sorry I had to tell you this way, but I have to leave. There's been a lot of pressure on all of us during the time I've been with the Society... and I'm not sure I can take it. I'm not quitting the team entirely, but I've found that I need some time away from the action. The virus was the last straw. We could have all died. I would never have been able to live with myself if the rest of you had died, and Leland had spared me alone. I don't know if I can continue down this path any more.

By the time you read this, I'll be on my way home to my parents. I'm going to try to live a normal life as best I can. I'm not giving up my powers, though, largely because that's impossible, but also because the city's plants need my help to grow and become strong again.

Before I say goodbye, though, think back. Remember the day we planted the seeds together in the gardens. The day of our first kiss. It seems so long ago now, even though it's been less than a month. I remember you said you were in love. And so I have a last gift for you. Something I've waited to say until now.

I love you, Jason, with all my heart. But I can't take the stress any more.
You should be able to find out where you can find me, if you want to.

Please forgive me.

Katie Southe.

A photo of Katie standing outside her plant room in the Promenade's gardens was attached to the bottom of the note, a rose behind her ear and a half-smile on her face.

[hr]

"I understand," Katie murmured. "Though you can't really call it running away if it's a sanctioned course of action." She stood up, wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket and picked up her suitcases.

"It's just that... I don't think I can take the heat," she added. "I left both keys and my communicator in my room, 'cause I didn't want to take them with me. I want to try and live a normal life until I'm ready to come back."

 

[blaze96]

Richard chuckled at what she said with a smirk on his face.

"I guess you can't. Though you can't call it sanctioned unless Garrus approves. I'd call it a revolt for time off well earned." He replied before responding to her second part in a more concerned tone.

"Take the car and the communicator at least. I'm not going to force you to use them or even keep them. You can make a pretty penny off the car and I can replace it easily should you come back. It will also make the trip home far easier on you. The communicator is just in case. Once again, not going to force you to keep in contact or even on, it's just a way that you can still reach us easily should you ever need us."

 

[Captainguy42]

Tommy sat up, it was too dark to make out clouds anymore, he looked at the flowers they seemed to be slightly wilted, Tommy went to one and coaxed it open, the small fairy inside seemed to be sad. Tommy tried to figure out what could be making the flowers act like this. He began walking back until he saw Jason standing alone. He walked over to Jason, feet stomping loudly across the ground until he came to him and put a tentative hand on his shoulder.

 

[CounterAttack]

"Fair enough. I probably won't use it unless I want to talk to someone," Katie answered, wiping her eyes again. "And I don't plan on selling the car. I think it's too good to sell, even though its value is probably pocket change to you."

A bus pulled up to the stop, expecting one or both of them to board, then drove away. Katie watched her intended escape route go for a second, then said, "We should probably head back; I don't really want to show up at my place while my parents are asleep." While Katie spoke, she was thinking of what to do when she got home. Sleep was definitely in order, followed by... something. What, she didn't know.

 

[blaze96]

"If it helps you not feel bad about selling the car, it was a gift. Should you need the cash, the price of that car could buy a less expensive car and keep you in nice lodges or hotels until you get home. On the communicator front, use it to chat with whoever and in case of emergencies." Richard replied before starting to walk back.

"If you want you can go straight to the garage and I'll get the keys and comm, if it makes things any easier." He offered.

 

[CounterAttack]

"That might be helpful, thanks. They're on a shelf in plain sight," Katie answered, quickly following in Richard's wake. "Just so you know, I'm pretty sure it's not that far a trip. I mean, sure, Horizon is a ways off, but I should be fine. If needs be I'll find a park and sleep in a tree." She chuckled to herself. "I amaze myself sometimes," she added as they reached the Promenade gates. "I just had a breakdown and yet I can still make myself laugh. Is that bad?"

 

[blaze96]

"Nah, it just means you're resilient, that's all. You go ahead and get to the garage and I'll get you the things, you'll be out of here before I announce, explain, and offer." Richard said before they split off. Him going to the plant hut without a word to the others and grabbing both sets of keys and the comm before walking back out and to the garage where Katie was already waiting. He handed them to her before speaking.

"There you go, I figure you can be long gone in fifteen minutes. So I'll tell everyone else after that much time has passed, alright?"

 

[CounterAttack]

"Jason's probably told everyone by now, if he hasn't done anything stupid. I explained it to him in writing as best I could," Katie replied, taking the keys and communicator. She put the comm and motorbike key in an inside pocket of her jacket and walked around to the driver's side of her car. At which point she paused and looked back to Richard before turning the key.

"I don't know how long I'll be away, so until we meet again, good luck to you all," Katie said before she unlocked the car doors and got in. She closed the door and gave Richard a last wave, then started the car, buckled herself in and carefully drove out of the garage.

 

[blaze96]

"And the same to you." He replied and waved back as she drove away.

-Fifteen minutes later-

Richard had gathered everyone through the comm in the lounge. He spoke clearly and concisely.

"All right, as I'm sure some of you have figured out, Katie is gone for the time being. Considering the last mission and how close most of us came to death, I think she may have had the right idea. Anyone who wants a break has certainly earned it, and myself and those who decide not to go will remain with the society to hold the fort while the others are off taking a well deserved break. Now, will anyone other than Katie be leaving?" he asked.

 

[42forlife]

Walking down Connor finds the house a bit emptier.

"Well, I can feel the drama in the room," he said to no one in particular.

 

[CounterAttack]

By the time Richard had called the others to a meeting, Katie had driven through the empty streets of Nova City until she found a deserted park. It was getting too dark to see properly, so she pulled over, locked the car up and took one of her suitcases inside. She would finish the trip home tomorrow, when it got lighter. Katie found a suitable tree close to the entrance, an oak by the look and scent of it, and grew some of the branches to shape them into a near-invisible room.

Katie fashioned a staircase from lower branches, brought her suitcase up and disassembled the staircase once she was in her new lodgings. She wove the wall closed, leaving a few gaps for air, and lay down on the branch floor, thinking of the team she had so selfishly abandoned. Eventually she began to cry again, this time with nothing to stop her, and she fell asleep to the sound of her own sobbing.

 

[Pm0n3y]

Jason quietly sat in the lounge, drowning out the conversations of everyone else in the Promenade, scanning and rescanning the note over and over until Richard's words over the comm broke him out of his trance. Looking down, he found himself clutching Katie's picture endearingly. He was instantly reminded of all the good times they shared as a couple, causing a soft smile to form as tears fell upon the small picture. He hadn't experenced a feeling like this since he escaped from the Key Corps, all the friends and family he had seemingly abandoned and betrayed, knowing he could never see them again unless he wanted to die. Remembering these things, along with Katie leaving, brought up even stronger feelings of sadness. Quickly, Jason bent over, burying his head into his arms as they laid on his legs. His back began to rise and fall rapidly as he heaved heavily into his arms.

"Kid, it'll be okay, she'll be back." Erebus spoke out sympathetically, in hopes to make his master feel better.

"I know Ero, it's not that. It's just...my family...how can one live the way I do, knowing that they have no family to fall back on? You already know how saddened I was when I learned that the same people I once trusted were the same people who were set out to destroy me. And you know I happy I was when I joined the Society, better yet, how happy I was when I met Katie. She, and everybody else filled the void the people I once called my family left gaping a mile wide."

"So you know what you do? You learn to forgive and forget. Move on! Look at Garrus for example, both his mother and younger brother are evil. Now, they probably wouldn't kill him they your family would, but still, you don't see him crying. Besides, these people are your family now. Your diverse, dysfunctional, superpowered family. So relax, stop crying, and wait for Katie to return." Erebus finished as Jason's head rose from his arms, wiping his eyes.