Ember

Ember -6 (Story of an ex-Superhero)

Several Months Later

_________________

The light evening air breezed through the metal skyscrapers of San Marino City. It was a Saturday night and usually, the younger generation combed the bustling streets of the city off to parties, the movies or favorite teen haunts. But not tonight, for as the sun began to crawl closer to the horizon, sky tinged pink, night lights beginning to flicker on, a crowd was beginning to gather in front of the capitols steps. A small wooden podium lay empty atop a metal platform, the marble stairs rising up behind it. Three fold-open metal chairs formed a brief line behind it, empty, but not for long. A bustle of cameramen and women and dozens of reporters clustered in front of the platform, hands clutching their cameras and pencils sharpened and notepads out. Then came the public, men, women, girls and boys of all ages standing in wait, a buzz of conversation rising like the din of a beehive. This wasn't a usual political statement, for teenage girls lay in wait for a glimpse of the new Hero of San Marino. His success was mind-boggling over the last few months and he had cleared the street better in a few months than Ember did in her many years. But he was also famous for other things, like his face for an example. With his swoon-worthy looks and hero stature, it wasn't long before he attracted a flock of admirers.

They waited for him, faces done up in thick makeup, hair flat-ironed or even curled to perfection, with a crazed hope of attracting his attention. But one girl with a black hood pulled tightly over her head and a murky expression didn't squeal when Reno stepped out of a limo, white blond hair curling over his ears, a wide grin pressed across his dazzling face. Instead, she grimaced at him and fought the urge to blow her cover then and there, but alas, she knew she had to wait for that. Then, and only then she would have her revenge. A dark grin spread across her face as she watched him, the mayor and Mr. Bones hike up the steps and take a seat on the three chairs . The Mayor took a step up to the podium, wearing a sharp suit of black satin. A calm rushed through the crowd as they waited on the mayor, cameras trained on his figure.

"Good evening San Marino!" he said into the microphone, causing his voice to boom and echo across the buildings, "Tonight, we are all gathered here today to celebrate the success of our finest hero and reward him with a medal of honor,"

The crowd thundered making the girls ears thrum with noise, but her hands stayed rooted in the front pocket of her jacket. She made no such move to clap or shout with joy. No, she stayed silent, hood shadowing her burning eyes. She watched as Reno unfolded his long legs, and sauntered up the podium, where the mayor held a gold medal hanging from a satin blue ribbon in his thick fingers.

"I know bestow our city's gratitude for your services with this Medal of Honor, Reno," he said, and fit it over Renos blonde head and everyone cheered, voices rising up to the skies in a chorus of harmony. The girl in the black hood wanted to scream. When she helped the city for all those long years, she had never been bestowed such a gift in such a short amount of time. This day, last year, was when she herself was presented with the Medal of Honor, and that was after she fought crime for years longer than Reno had. The thought made her blood boil and she found herself clenching her teeth so hard she felt pain in her jaw. But still, she did not move from her spot and watched as Reno accepted the medal with a sturdy handshake for the mayor and Mr. Bones and stepped up to the podium.

"Thank you citizens of San Marino," he said, leaning down to the microphone, for he was too tall for it. He flashed a dazzling smile at the crowd and Ember felt the sea of girls sigh in sync, "I'm so very honored to receive this gift from you all and I shall always keep my word to serve this city. I will make sure no more criminals walk on your streets!" his voice rose to a shout, "I will keep your families and friends safe from harm and I will not fail like others before!"

His words sent a rage of fire tearing through Ember and she couldn't hold herself back any longer. She felt the heat rising in her veins, felt the flimsy cotton of the sweatshirt burn away, revealing her old fireproof clothes, now stained with city grime and dirt. She felt her hair flash in the evening light, bright red like the sunset had poured its light into her hair. Her skin glowed like her name and she shot into the air, engulfed in flames. She flew high, high above the orange-tinted clouds, flipped her body and shot downwards, streamlined like a diver and landed on the podium so hard it shook, causing the Renos empty metal chair to collapse and fall with a metallic clang.

All was silent. Reno had stopped his speech and trained his intelligent eyes onto her flame and so did the rest of San Marino, cameras zooming in onto Ember.

"I did not fail!" she boomed, voice like an explosion, "You stole from me! You are no hero of San Marino!" she throw a handful of fire at him, but with a flick of his fingers, he stopped it in its tracks and made a tornado of air until it fizzled out from lack of oxygen.

Then, he looked at her, now smiling a smile that reminded Ember of poison, "If it's a war you want, Ember, then it's a war you shall have," he whispered and flicked his hands over towards a bright red fire hydrant and the top came booming off, flying high into the air, a stream of bursting water rushing after it. Before Ember could register what his plans were, he seemed to rise into the air, eyes transfixed on the water, holding it in the air, creating a gigantic morph of water and turned back to Ember, grinning once again and with another flick of his long, slender fingers, sent the rushing mass of water straight towards Ember and her body of flames that had began to burn the wooden platform.

And like a fire, when its hit with water, her flames went out.