Not rated T for content. Rated for MILD themes, and advanced theories. If you don't like space-time stuff, this might not be the story for you.
A soft breeze blew through the now almost silent city, weaving it's way through the buildings in an almost mournful fashion, as if waiting for life to return to the darkened windows of Dakota. A streak of light disturbed it's progress momentarily...an object flying through the sky, and a young, African American boy riding on top.
Static liked patroling at night. The world seemed calmer, more peaceful, and disturbances easier to find. Still, he knew he'd hate himself in the morning. If Mrs. Jacobson caught him sleeping through English once more, she would call his father. That was the last thing he wanted. He knew his dad would cover for him, but than Virgil knew he would get a lecture about priorities, and an ultimatum: If he couldn't keep up his schoolwork and grades, the Super Hero would have to go. He wasn't relishing the idea.
He glided over the buliding tops toward the last part of his patrol. Gear was probably almost done with his half of their area, and would be calling any minute. Of course, he didn't have to worry about grades. He could stay up if he wanted to, and still pass all tests with flying colors. He wouldn't be suprised if some brainiac school was going to come after him.
Still, they'd both had a lot more energy since they had regained their powers. Richie's theory was that they were not only right near the source of the gas this time, but they also breathed a lot more. They would be fortunate if they didn't come up with any other side effects, although, Gear's eyesight had gotten worse. But since they didn't have to expend so much energy to sustain their powers, they had more to spare, which made school and normal life much easier.
Static pulled out his shock box, and was about to tell Gear he was done, when he spotted a lone figure, standing towards the edge of one of the streets. He recignized her almost immedieately, and changed direction. As he drifted towards her, the thought that her staying out at night, even after the cure, didn't add up with everything he knew about her.
"Nightengale," he grinned at her as he sailed closer. She turned, her hand holding what looked like lightless fire. He slowed, wary, but she smiled and the ball of blackness dissapeared.
"Static," she breathed, "You scared me."
"My bad," he smiled again, floating down towards a better talking distance. "So," he said when he could talk without shouting, "how's life been since the cure? Still getting used to it?" She thingyed her head and took off her glasses. Yellow, cat-like eyes stared at him, and his smile dissapeared.
"What cure?" she asked.
"So," she continued to stare at the sidwalk in front of the bench they had been sitting on for the last 20 minutes, "There really was a cure." Static nodded, not wanting to say anything more. "We, the nightbreed I mean, didn't believe it," she sighed. "No one I know of has been cured."
"That makes no sense," Static growled, half to himself. "There's gotta be a reason."
"What about you?" She asked, looking over at him. He shrugged.
"Gear was able to make an antidote to the antidote...he called it some scientific thing, but I can't remember. Anyway, it stopps our DNA from regressing back into the human form when exposed to the antidote."
"Oh," she nodded. He wasn't sure she understood, but didn't press the matter. "Look," she said after a minute, "I've got to go. Fade will already yell at me if he finds out I've been talking to you. Since the Ebon incicent, he hasn't trusted anyone he doesn't know, and sometimes not even then." She looked over, her face contorting in worry. "I'm worried about him. He's like my older brother or something, but I think that he's cracking. He had to give up a lot when he became a metahuman, more than most of the rest of us. I think it's getting to him, and I really want to help him."
"What were you doing out here anyway?" Virgil asked quietly.
"We're setting up a series of safe houses, for the nightbreed to go to when they're caught out at morning. That way, we can get around the city better, which means we can get some decent jobs. We're really trying to do things legit now," she sighed. "We only stole before because we were forced to."
"I know," Virgil said, thinking the situation over in his mind. Finally, he looked back at her. "When are you supposed to be back?" He asked.
"I need to catch the 5:07 train, so I can be back around sunrise. It'll be cutting it kind of close, but I think I'll be alright."
"If I flew you there, would you come with me for a while?" She looked over at him, startled.
"Where?"
"I have a doctor friend, who was the mind behind the Bang Baby Cure. I think he'd like a look at you. Would you mind?" She looked down, biting her lip. "I understand if you can't," he said quickly. "I don't want you to feel like you're being forced into anything."
"Look," she sat back and looked into the night sky, "I know Fade doesn't trust you, but I do. If this doctor of yours can find us a cure, than I'm willing to take a chance on it." She put her sunglasses back on. "When do we leave?" He stood and brought out his disk.
"Right now."
On their way there, he phoned Gear and asked him to have Dr. Todd meet them at his lab. Then he told his partner to try and obtain a few samples of the different stages of the cure. If nothing else, Gear could have a look at it, and they could send some back with Nightengale to give to Tech.
He only hoped that they could help Nightengale and the nightbreed, and that it wouldn't take another several years to do so.