DragonsBreath

Dragonsbreath -(18)

Echo once again finds herself, flying into the cold wind down the busy streets of the city. Using the information that Leo gave her, she flaps her wings towards the Brooklyn Bridge. Snowflakes and stinging sleet bare down on Echo. The wind rushing through her hair and into her eyes, she had to squint against the falling snow. She winces, trying to fly straight as she was still half frozen from her icy imprisonment at Vile's lab. The incoming snow storm wasn't making it any easier on her flying.

"Come on, Echo. You can do this. Fly" She grits her teeth. Pushing herself up with her wings, not wanting to not fall to the ground far below. She had to get to Vile, she had to save Drew. Echo couldn't believe she let this happen. 'I'm a horrible hero, I made a promise to protect the city I love. Not realizing the ones I love were in more danger.' Echo was beginning to loose hope. Thinking that she wasn't the hero she claimed to be.

She was having such difficulty flying, her wings still had ice hanging off of them. The blistering wind stinging her face under the mask. Looking up she could see the dove grey clouds. She couldn't fly above them, it was becoming too painful to flap her wings. Echo now was forced to fly low, soaring close power lines, and glide like a hawk in the icy draft.

Echo was dropping, she couldn't hold herself up! Painfully flapping her wings, she attempts to get some more altitude to get out of the way of some low hanging power lines. Only she was too short in her attempt and her boots snag on the pole. She screams in fright. As Echo goes spiraling out of control, crashing down onto the street below. Echo rolls across the pavement, eventually stopping in a nearby alley.

"Ahhh, Ouch." Echo grumbles, sitting up from the gravel. Taking off her mask, she brushes the snow and chips of concrete off her arms. "Ow." Echo whimpers out, seeing a few scrapes and cuts on her skin. Streams of black blood oozing from her arms. Her leggings and shirt lightly torn from the collision. She hisses in pain as she sits on her knees, placing a trembling hand on her aching forehead. "Oh God, Oh God." Echo whimpers, running her hand through her reddish black hair. Tears beginning to fall from her eyes. "I really screwed up. And it's all my fault, It's. My. Fault."

Echo looks back to examine her battered, frozen wings. They were now barely able to open. "Ahh." She winces, trying to move them. They were simply just two giant icicles hanging off her back. Echo attempts to stand, only that too was virtually impossible!

Pulling herself up, she slowly gets to her feet. Her shaking knees wiggling under her, as if they were going to give out. Echo grits her teeth once more, and somehow manages to summon the strength to take a few steps forward. She lets out a small squeal, and collapses to the pavement. Echo falls into an icy puddle in a disheveled heap. Her body trembling and goosebumps were rising on her arms.

"I GIVE UP!" She cries out into the desolate streets. Tossing her mask away to the side, she accepts her failure. Her mask was a symbol around New York, the symbol of a hero, a hero who came to the aid of others when times were dark. Only now it was a symbol of her hiding who she really was. She wasn't a hero. She wasn't the one who saves the day and stands triumphally over the city as people cheer for her. Echo was something she's always been and forever will be... A Nobody! Not a hero, not an experiment. Not anything! She was just like everyone else, and no amount of wings, spikes and fire could change that. She wasn't anything special.

Frozen rain and snowflakes continue to fall from the sky. "I Can't Do It." Echo declares, tears racing down her cheeks. She sat in the puddle, shivering and crying into the alley like her heart was snapping in two.

"Who was I kidding? I can't do this. I'm no hero! I can't protect anyone, not even Drew and now because of me, he's with the most dangerous man in New York City. And it's all because of me.... It's my fault." Echo sobs. Wiping the tears from her cheek, her mind tangled and her thoughts running wild. Echo lets out one last cry of defeat. "I failed! I give up."

Echo sat in her puddle, half frozen and her head hung low, as the snow and rain poured down on her. All was quiet except for the patter of raindrops. "So... I hear you've given up!" A voice rises from the frost. It sounded like a woman's voice!

Startled, Echo picks her head up, to see a small ball of light coming towards her. She squints trying to make out who it was as the person steps closer. The light now became a small Chinese lantern and who was carrying it was someone who she hadn't seen in a while and was a very good friend.

It was the fortune teller! An old friend that Echo had encountered a few months ago. She once told Echo that she was destined for greatness. Only it would seem her fortune was not as she foretold.

"It's You!" Echo calls out, as the woman steps from the frost. The old Asian woman looked just as she remembered. Her pale skin with dark braided hair and brown eyes. This time she wore black and silver robes with her cane in one hand and the lantern in the other. Echo gives the fortune teller the saddest and most disappointed expression. "I suppose you've come to see what greatness I've inspired to be. The dragon hero you always saw in me. Well, Guess What You Were Wrong! Whatever You Saw In Me Was Wrong! IT'S OVER!"

The woman huffs, as if she thought Echo's pain was somewhat laughable. "You think just because you've lost everything, you've somehow failed. And now you're sitting here frozen instead of going to get it back, you've simply given up. Shame on you. Shame, Shame, Shame On You!" She implies sternly. Echo narrows her eyes, letting a small growl erupt from her throat.

"When you came into my shop that day I didn't see the wings and tail, the greatness I saw in you was there all along. You just needed time to see it.. and it appears you still haven't." She continues rather harshly. "It was YOU. Just You. The goodness in your heart, and the willingness to put others before yourself is what makes you great. Not your fire or those wings you have on your back."

Echo couldn't believe her ears, and then the fortune teller said something that she will never forget! "A hero saves others with the goodness in their hearts, not the powers they are bestowed. But here's something else to keep in mind.... not everyone can become a great hero. But a great hero can come from anywhere."

Echo pauses for a moment. There was still time to stop Vile and rescue Drew! But her wings were frozen, she couldn't fly! Echo then reaches over and grabs her mask. "I'm glad to see you are making use of my gift." The fortune teller smiles. Echo's eyes widen "You Sent The Mysterious Package!" Echo gasps, excitedly. She nods quite pleased as Echo triumphantly gets to her feet.

"I can stand. And my wings..." Echo turns to see her wings now flapping open, the ice and snow falling to the ground. "So.. who are you, Dragon? Are you a nobody or are you a hero?" The fortune teller asks. Echo puts her mask on and gurgles out another loud snarl. "I AM ECHO. AND I'VE GOT A CITY TO SAVE."

The fortune teller begins to turn back and into the frost. But she stops and calls out. "One more thing... if you ever need me, just look for the sign." The fortune teller then gives Echo a departing smile and walks off into the falling snow. "A Sign? There was a sign?" Echo's mouth drops, in shock. "This whole time there was a sign?"

Echo then tilts her head up and there peeking through the frost, in big red letters it said, DRAGONSBREATH PAWN SHOP. "Dragonsbreath? I like that, it's got a nice ring to it." Echo says softly, and with a big smile across her face. DragonsBreath...