5 years ago

            “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday, dear Jae Rin. Happy Birthday to you~ Happy 16^th birthday! Make a wish!” Her friends cheered happily as her face glowed above the candlelight. She shut her eyes tight, clasping her hands in front of her as if in prayer.

            I wish for this moment to last forever. She opened her eyes and blew out the candles. The room went dark.

--

            “Umma, I don’t feel so good,” Jae Rin mumbled, rubbing her sore abdomen.

            “Did you get your period, honey?”

            “No. It’s not that. This feels different.” She dropped down on the couch and held her hand out. A cup from the dining room table filled itself with water and floated into her open palm. She hadn’t noticed the dark cloud that had briefly engulfed the jug of water.

            “What do you mean?” Her mother entered from the kitchen and joined her daughter on the couch, resting the younger girl’s head on her lap.

            “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like every hour or so, my body feels these vibrations. It sort of feels like standing in an earthquake, but I feel it inside my organs...” she groaned as another wave rumbled through her body. “It doesn’t hurt much more than it is uncomfortable.”

            “Well, it could just be a bad case of the flu. Don’t worry about it, dear.”

            “Neh, Umma.”

            “Just wondering, when did you start getting these feelings?”

            “I don’t know, two days ago?”

            “Hmm, exactly a hundred days after your birthday...” her mother whispered more to herself than to her daughter.

            “What did you say, Umma?”

            “Huh, what? Oh, nothing important, Jae Rin. Why don’t you go upstairs and get some rest?”

--

            “Honey? What’s going on?” Jae Rin’s mother asked from the bottom of the stairs. Faint sounds of vomiting could be heard from the washroom. It was abnormal for her daughter to stay sick for over a month, let alone a week, but Jae Rin had been feeling feverish and nauseated for quite some time now. Her mother pulled out an electronic, handheld device and sent an email to a forward-only user.

           [Symptoms began one hundred days after 16^th birthday. Has been thirty days since; extreme nausea/vomiting. Signs of true powers have shown on occasion.]

            “Umma...” Jae Rin weakly called for her mother from the top of the stairs.

            Startled, she quickly hid the device behind her and looked up at her daughter, putting on a worried expression.

            “Umma...I need to get out of Seoul.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “I don’t know. I don’t know what to do. This isn’t normal. These symptoms won’t go away. And...this may sound weird, but, I think something’s after me. I don’t know what it is, but it’s as if this thing is making me feel sick. I can sense this energy source, and...and it seems powerful....Umma, what do I do?” She dropped down on her knees, loosely holding onto the railing. Everything seemed to be blurring into one giant blob of colours as her organs knotted together. The urge to vomit returned and she shut her eyes and held her breath, hoping that somehow, it would help make it go away. But, it didn’t. The nausea persisted and she clutched at her churning stomach.

            “Honey, do what you have to do, whatever you feel is the right thing to do. Your father and I won’t stop you. If you feel that something is after you and you need to escape, we won’t hold you back. Just know that we’ll be here waiting for your return.”

            “I’m sorry, Umma. I’m so sorry.” Tears streamed down Jae Rin’s cheeks as the pain overwhelmed her. She rushed to the washroom as a clear liquid rushed up and into the sink. Hunched over and panting, she tried to catch her breath. I need to get out of here. Now.

--

            “Take care. Don’t get lost. We’ll be right here, waiting for your return,” her father hugged her tight before handing her to her mother.

            “Remember to eat properly and take care of yourself. Just because we aren’t there, doesn’t mean you can overlook your health. And most importantly, be safe.” She kissed her daughter’s forehead and gave her a tight hug before letting the girl go.

            Jae Rin e last time, waving weakly to her parents before getting into the taxi.

            “Where to, Miss?”

            “Incheon International Airport, please.”

--

            Her parents watched as the taxi drove off, disappearing into the distance. Just as the car faded out of sight, they both raced into the home. Her father dialed a number as he raced through the house, packing all of his belongings in the study. Her mother ran to the bedroom to pack two suitcases and grabbed a few files from under the bed.

            “Commander, this is Agent 0581 speaking. The mutant has left home base. Yes, Sir, she is on her way to China as we speak. No, Sir. There have been no signs of the boy yet. Yes, Sir. Agent 0582 and I are on our way to headquarters right now.”

--

            At 32,000 feet in the air, her body finally relaxed. She felt the energy return to her body and her thoughts were beginning to clear up. Finally, I feel like I can breathe again. Her muscles were loosening up and her stomach stopped churning. She couldn’t explain how horrible it was the past  few weeks, not being able to eat properly, think properly. Even the simplest tasks made her feel nauseous. Vomiting became a daily routine. My throat is definitely done for. There’s no way it didn’t scar. I wonder if my voice changed...

            Jae Rin definitely felt a lot better, however, the thought of these symptoms possibly reoccurring tugged openly at her thoughts. This wasn’t a normal illness. No, it absolutely wasn’t. And the idea that it could happen to her again seemed highly likely. Yet, she still had a glimmer of hope left that it wouldn’t return.

            Maybe it was a onetime thing? I did just turn sixteen. In mutant lives, that marks adulthood. She brushed off the thoughts and snuggled into her seat as fatigued embraced her. The plane rocked her to sleep as she drifted off to dreamland, waiting for her adventures ahead.

--

            “Agent 0581, Agent 0582, welcome back to Sector 19. Your mission was a success, I presume?”

            “Commander,” the male and female both greeted him with a salute.

            “The mission was a success. We have files and progress reports on the mutant girl. She has tapped into her true powers and will show full potential with time,” the female spoke. The Commander cackled darkly.

            “Excellent. What colour was it?”

            “Black, sir. Looked similar to mist.”

            “Impressive, I assumed she would affiliate with the white. So that leaves the white with the boy then. Hahaha, this will get interesting, without a doubt. You two keep track of those two, I want you to keep tabs, files, gather all the information you can get that will come out of the two mutants.”

            “Yes, Sir!” they chimed and bowed out.

            “Black and White....Black and White...two polar opposites, yet both come from one. Interesting...very interesting.”

--

            Jae Rin had landed safely in China and had been living there for three days now. She easily adapted to the culture, seeing as it was similar to her Korean roots. Communication, on the other hand, was difficult for her and she regretted not paying attention in her Chinese lessons in school. But, she managed to survive on her minimal knowledge of the language.

            She strolled through the mall, window shopping for her apartment when something on the television caught her attention. Although it was in Chinese, she was able to decipher the news easily. The ripple of rings surrounding the dot on the geographical image of South Korea was a no brainer. Two tiny numbers flashed upon the screen and she just knew that it was related to her. It was a gut feeling, but she just knew.

            [A small earthquake shook Seoul, South Korea just two days ago. At a 3.2 on the Richter scale, this quake was minor and created no damage. Most citizens did not feel its tremors.]

            I created that, didn’t I? It was me, and whatever was after me. She continued standing in front of the store window, staring blanking at the television screen. Realization hit her and she just knew that it wasn’t going to be the last time. No, it was just the first. The first of many. How many? As many as until it catches her. But I’m not going to let it catch me. No, I can’t let it do that. I don’t want to feel that way ever again. I have to run. From now on, I have to run.

--

            As the years passed by, her awareness of these events expanded. She discovered after the third time it had happened to her, the tremors, the vibrations in her body would hit after a hundred days. Nausea would only occur if she stayed in the location for more than a hundred days.

            It was like the ultimate menstrual cycle. The usual, “normal” periods came with cramps and bloating with the occasional odd craving. But this thing, this thing was far more extreme. Cramps were replaced by huge tremors that ripped through her entire being, twisting and knotting her stomach and intestines, all of her innards. She didn’t bloat, thank goodness, but her cravings disappeared for she would lose her appetite completely. After the one time she had attempted to eat something and then immediately ran for the nearest trash can, she hadn’t tried to do it again. Food came after the quaking died down.

            The most important data she collected though, was the aftermath of their near encounters. Every single time they would cross paths or were in near proximity of one another, an earthquake would follow. The closer they were, the stronger it was. Jae Rin grew smarter and would leave earlier than the one hundred days. But, there were occasions where she would forget and would stay for the full time frame. And, when those days did happen, the earthquake would be heavy. Not near fatal or damaging, but noticeable to humans and mutants.

            However, that wasn’t the only thing she learned about her life for there was something far more important that she had discovered one day.

2 years ago from present time

            It was her 19^th birthday and she was in Mexico. Some acquaintances she had made had invited her out for some drinks in celebration. Being the kind person that she was, she couldn’t back down from their offer and agreed to go. The night started out casual, a dinner with a couple of drinks, no harm, no foul. Yet all of that changed when someone suggested going to a club down the street. Being the birthday girl, Jae Rin couldn’t decline.

            She knew she shouldn’t have gone, her conscience had told her not to. But, it was only a club, right? What could possibly go wrong?

            Everything went wrong. The second they stepped foot into the club, all their morals were forgotten and thrown out the window. Mutants and humans mingled into a huge crowd and personal space was a foreign subject. Jae Rin too, was cast under the forbidden spell of the club, partying and drinking like she had never done before.

            Her conscience reminded her to do what was right and get the heck out of there, but she was too caught up in a drunken euphoria to even consider it. For once, she had felt free. All her worries about escape and fear, they left her for that moment. And, she liked it. Screw you, conscience. It’s my turn to have some fun. I don’t give a damn what you say, I want to have a memorable birthday.

            And memorable, it was.

--

            “I think I’m going to go for a walk, guys. It’s time to hit the beddy-bye.” Jae Rin drunkenly waved at her completely wasted friends and stumbled her way out of the club. It was well past midnight into the early morning and a few stragglers were still on the streets, just as drunk as she was, if not more. She tottered back to her apartment, humming happily, still in her alcoholic high.

            The two guys followed her in the shadows, watching her with hungry eyes.

            “She’s a pretty little thing, ain’t she?”

            “Oh, yes. Very pretty. Should we get her?”

            “Of course.”

            They snuck after her, waiting for the perfect moment for their attack. Just then, Jae Rin turned down an alley to take the short cut home. The two men nodded at each other with sinister smiles. With silent steps, they rushed forward.

            Jae Rin didn’t sense the men until they were about a foot away. If she were sober, they would’ve been taken care of long before. But, she wasn’t. She was still drunk and impaired. Even though she caught their scent, it was too late. Her body lurched forward and she was pinned to the ground. One man held her down while the other looted her purse.

            “Little girls like you shouldn’t be hanging around dark alleys like these, especially at night time.”

            “I’ve got it all. Let’s go.”

            “Why don’t we have a little fun with her, hm? She seems like she would enjoy having a good time.”

            “Uh, I don’t know, man. Cops are starting to come out now.”

            “They won’t hear a thing.”

            Either it was the tackle from the man or the sudden sense of panic, Jae Rin still couldn’t figure out which, but her mind cleared and she went into defense mode. Using her powers, she confined both men in her invisible grasp and threw them against the wall.

            They stared at her, wide eyed, as she pushed herself up off the floor and approached them. Her eyes were dark, as dark as a moonless night sky. It sent chills down their spines and they panicked.

            “Please, don’t hurt us. We mean no harm.”

            “No harm? So attacking me was meant to be fun? Taking my money was supposed to be a joke?” She ripped her belongings out of the man’s hands and tucked them into her purse. The burly men struggled to get out of the unseen ropes that bound them, but their attempts were futile against her hold. “Give me one good reason as to why I shouldn’t crush you both to smithereens?”

            They sputtered, trying to reason with her. Fear coursed through their trembling bodies as she uttered three cold words.

            “Not good enough.”

            Jae Rin stepped forward and they were suddenly enveloped in a dark mist, obscuring them from her view. She could hear their screams of terror as they plunged into darkness, entering a world of hollow sound and pitch black. They called out for help, pleading for forgiveness as they sat in a deafening silence. Now, the orb was almost solid black, their cries for help diminishing. It began to hover up off the ground and floated towards the flickering alley lights, blocking it. The sudden flash of darkness brought her back to reality.

            She snapped out of her fury and let go of her hold. The black orb disappeared and the men dropped into a pile on the floor. They were unmoving.

            Did I kill them? Oh my god, did I just commit murder. What the hell did I do? What the hell was that black stuff? What’s going on? She scrambled forward and checked the pulses. They’re alive, but just barely. What do I do? With trembling fingers, she pulled out her phone and dialed the emergency number and told the dispatcher about the unconscious men. Before authorities could arrive, she fled from the scene and rushed home.

--

            The computer hummed as she tapped away at her keyboard. She entered words into the search engine and waited for the sites to pop up. Black orb...translucent...surrounded object...

            Multiple websites popped up, all relaying the same message to her. She skimmed through all the paragraphs, one after the other, her blood pumping faster with each word she read. Her eyes quickly scanned, faster and faster. Her heart raced as she read the last words. I’m not who I think I am...

            She dropped onto her bed, staring up at the empty white ceiling. The information she had just collected still simmering in her thoughts. So, she wasn’t a telekinetic after all. Well, she was, but she was more than just a regular thought-moving mutant. She had a power so rare that only one person on earth was allowed to obtain this “gift”, if one could call it that.

            Umbrakinesis aka Darkness Manipulation. She had the power to control and create darkness and shadows. It was a power so destructive it only graced the earth in one being at a time, transferring itself to another mutant if the current proprietor dies. If not tamed, this power could dominate its host and the mutant would self implode.

            I’m a walking time bomb. If I don’t learn how to control this...this thing, who knows what could happen to me. I already saw what could happen to others... She shuddered at the vivid thoughts and sat upright. I’m going to research everything I can about this power and learn how to control it. I can’t let myself slip like I did tonight. Never again.

--

            “Sir, we have just received some footage of the mutant girl.”

            “Footage? Play it.” The Commander marched over to the Agent’s workstation and watched the scenes unfold. His smirk grew wider as he witnessed the black orb. “My goodness, look at that beauty. It’s magnificent, isn’t it, Agent?”

            “Yes, Sir.”

            “Wow, what power.” He made to replay the clip when another Agent called him over.

            “Pictures of the mutant boy, Sir.”

            “Really? Where?”

            “In France, the last location she was in. They were able to capture him on CCTV in a subway station. Apparently some homeless man tried to rob him and he, well, just see for yourself.”

            The Commander leaned forward and squinted at the images flashing before him. Three images played like a motion stop animation and revealed a young teenage boy, blasting what looked like a white light at the homeless man, then suffocating him in a white matter, similar to the black orb of the girl.

            “Fascinating... Both abilities have similar traits.... Hers looks like a black mist...while his, looks like fog. Grab me some files, I must write this down.”

            “Sir?”

            “Code names, for the two mutants. Black Mist, and White Haze.”

So, how is it so far? Now we get to learn more about Jae Rin and her ominous powers. Still don't know who White Haze is? Well, we'll find out in the next Chapter. 

How about a little info on Jae Rin now?
She's 21, short, and extremely sarcastic. She's indifferent to those who have just met her, but opens up if she feels like they aren't a threat. Usually, you can tell she has opened to someone if she can joke around with them. Her biggest insecurity is her height. She's strong physically, but mentally, she's her own enemy. Hates being weak.

I think that's good enough. Hahaha.

* Umbrakinesis is one of the many names of the power Darkness Manipulation. Users can control shadows and dark energy and can create them from energy sources or themselves.
* Animal Shape Shifters can morph and turn into physical animals and should not be confused with animal mimicry (copy skill of animals) or Animal Manipulation (control over animals)

- source Superpower Wiki

COMMENT REPLIES

@ kpop_fan_1998: hahaha, yup. Dongwoo's hair is blue, like in the Chaser promotions ^^ amazing colour on him, btw LOL
@ JuzzMee91: yeah, I think I spent a day just thinking about what power to give each member >_< Since Dongwoo's so...spontaneous and playful, I figured this suited him XD Ahh, thank you~~ 
@ xXxCatsLoverxXx: Hahaha, but seeing as it's Dongwoo, he might actually do it O_O hahaha ijoke. Telepathy, huh? Exchanging words via thoughts. I would love that...saves having to speak XD *selfproclaimedintrovertrighthere* Thank you~~~

Anyway, next chapter is when a lot of things are revealed ~~

See you in the next Chapter!

-greenninjapanda GNP-