Frozen..

He woke up with a jolt, feeling a kick to his back. Struggling to open his eyes was a great feat, but doing it anyway made him realize he was in much more trouble than he was just laying on the cold concrete. There where two large males, regarding him with a look in their eyes that told him they where going to beat him to death if he didn't fight back. He reached out a hand to the now snow covered porch, towards the door when a rough hand grabbed his, dragging him backwards. He let out a yelp of pain as he thumped down the few stairs, and lay there like a raggedy doll as they took turns prodding him with their shoes.

"I think hes still alive, but only just. He'll be no fun." One of the men said scornfully, and Ace didnt stir, ignoring them as he drifted into a tempting bliss. Suddenly, he heard an all too familiar voice ring out from above him.

"Im sorry, leave." Said Cedar politely, though his stance radiated authority that Ace couldn't see, his cheek beginning to sting against the pavement. He didn't dare struggle, and Cedar looked down upon him with a cool, calm calculated look.

"Make us." Snarled one of the men, and Ace held in a snort. Whoever these men where, they clearly didnt know that Cedar was way above all of the in terms of royalty.

Cedar merely narrowed his eyes and said, "Take them."

They let out a shout as four burly men leapt out from the corner of the building, instantly heading for the little crowd.

"You okay kid?" Asked the closest one, Ace dimly recognized this man as Tiger.

"Tiger?" He gasped softly, feeling his voice grow weaker by the minute. In response, Tiger picked him up, surprisingly gentle despite his size, and cradled him into his arms. Ace winced at the now searing hot from his muscles, and struggled to get away weakly, letting out pitiful cries of protest.

He calmed down once Cedar placed a hand on his shoulder, speaking slurred words as everything became more and more blurry. Ace shut his eyes in what he could tell was the last time, and he drifted off with the panicked note in Cedars voice pinging through his head.

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Ace woke up with a start, flinging the dirty rags off of him as he gasped in lungfuls of air, trying to look everywhere at once. His mom came in and said the lines he had heard twice in his life.

"Ace, get ready for school." She whispered, and doubled back as she nearly shut the door, looking at him in concern as he flinched at her tone.

"Is something.. wrong?" She asked hesitantly, and he turned on her, his dark eyes burning with rage.

"YOU LEFT ME TO DIE" He yelled at her, and it was her turn to flinch at his volume, backing away with fear and submission.

"What are you talking about? Calm down." She whispered, and he shook his head violently, pointing a shaking finger out the door.

"Go." He ordered, and her eyes flashed with a scruffy stubbornness.

She stepped in and closed the door, towering above him. It occurred to him how tall she was, nearly as tall as him when she pulled back a soot covered hand to slap him. He barely felt the burn of her hand as her angry words burst into his mind.

"Do you even think for a second that I don't regret having a child? You think I wanted to have one? Id use every excuse to get rid of you, even if it means throwing you out. I love you Ace, and if anything I regret bringing you here. You should have been born with Cedar, and if Cedar offered to adopt you i'd accept in a heartbeat. Because my place is here, but you should be so so so much more than me." She ranted, and he flinched at her words.

"I can take care of myself! I don't know why you keep insisting on protecting me, if you keep doing that how in the world am I going to do better than you? Getting you slapped first before me? Getting you to be thrown out just for my protection? Your just as nearsighted as a rabbit. I can do anything I want, and it doesn't have to do with you. You made the choice to bring me here, and you knew you where taking a risk when you did!" He retorted, and she let out an exasperated huff, turning on her heel only to fall back with terror. There stood Jasper, looking thunderous.

"You awoke me with your whining and groaning." He said simply, coming towards the pair. Ace grit his teeth as she shoved him behind her, looking down at the ground with submission.

"Honestly, Im ashamed to be your child if you never even stand up for yourself." He hissed in her ear, stepping out form behind him as he matched eye level with Jasper. Jasper stared at him with a calm look, looking scarily still as he took in the situation. He was still dizzy from sleep, and Ace shuffled forwards ever so slightly, his eyes narrowed. "Don't touch us." He said, his tone unwavering.

"Who.. Did... This?" Asked Jasper with contempt flaring behind his iris. He shuddered daintily, and Ace's gaze clouded with confusion. What did he mean? "Who gave you this spark of rebellion. I thought I beat it out of you years ago. I am your god, your sun, your light in the dark. YOU WOULD HAVE NO CHANCE OF SURVIVAL WITHOUT ME!" He ended with a roar that filled the room. Ace's mother whimpered slightly, backing up against the wall.

"Your mother wants to come over here." Jasper continued on, beckoning to her with false kindness. "Come here, away from the threat to our family.." He said in a low voice. She flinched and shook her head slightly, her eyes downcast. "Last chance!" He said invitingly, but still she didn't move, and Ace leapt forward, his fist pulled up as he landed a crushing blow onto his jaw. Jasper stumbled and Ace took the chance, shoving him out of the room before slamming it into his face.

"You did well." Spoke a voice behind him, and Ace whirled around to find Cedar perched on the windowsill, his eyes narrowed into tight slits.

"What took you so long?" Ace asked grinning as he balefully reached up to him. Cedar ignored him and dodged the embrace, leaping back down with a light grunt.

"I haven't come to save you. Actually, its the opposite. Whatever you did, it reversed the time loop. Its reset now." Cedar said cautiously, eyeing his mother to see how she would take it. Ace turned to her too, a excuse dying on his lips as he saw his mother in reverse. The world was whirling about them, and Cedar looked horrified.

"We have to stop it soon!!" He yelled at Ace over the rush of backwards talk emulating from the city window. Ace nodded and the two rushed out of the house, watching the next day and the next reverse, becoming faster and faster. As soon as they stepped foot outside onto the pavement, time stopped. Ace could see birds flying in midair, and see cars at a stop. The two girls where sitting on the bench, not frozen as they giggled with each other.

"What else can this power do?" Asked the shorter one, before she caught sight of Ace. Her lips parted in a gasp of shock, and the taller one turned her head ever so slightly.

"Wren who the hell is that?" She questioned, barely calm as she leapt forwards, her dress flowing with time itself. It was constantly revolving about her, threatening to show her panties as she glared reproachfully at Ace and Cedar.

Cedar bowed politely, and Wren got up too, saying "Easy on it, Camilla.."

"Who the hell are you?" Ace asked aggressively, flinging himself at Camilla and tackling her to the ground. She let out a shriek of pure fury and raised her hands defensively. In an instant he was lifted upwards with an unseen force, struggling to find balance as he drifted peacefully above them.

"Im Camilla, and your friend did so much better at introducing himself. Whats your name?" She asked as Ace drifted farther up, colliding with a bird. as soon as he touched it it sprang to life, yipping with confusion as he held onto it tightly.

"You can undo our magic." Wren stated with wonder, looking up at him as she leapt into the sky, her blue suit barely ruffled as a tie about her neck began waving furiously as she sped towards him. Ace didn't dare look down as she grabbed his hand, the two spiraling down. He shut his eyes as she landed gracefully, fully having expected to slam into the concrete.

He dared to open his eyes, and finding himself inches above the concrete, he twisted himself upwards to land. His landing came much more faster than he expected, his legs folding underneath him as he scrambled to get up with dignity, his cheeks burning. Wren was watching him do this ordeal, peering at him from behind the bus stop.

"Nice of your friend to drop in." Camilla said as soon as he was in earshot, and Cedar chuckled. Ace noticed they where holding hands, and his heart skipped a beat, grabbing Cedar and hauling him away. Camilla let go reluctantly, her eyes narrowed.

"Im Ace." He said gruffly, not bothering to apologize for what he did. Camilla only nodded before turning to Wren , who was a little ways behind Ace.

"Do you think they are the ones?" She asked her, and Wren nodded. Ace looked at the pair suspiciously before confronting Cedar.

"What was that all about? Why where you holding her hand? You don't even know her." He lashed out, and Cedar looked rather bemused, but grinned in response. He patted Ace's arm sympathetically, and Ace automatically sighed, knowing when a lost cause was given.

"Right, we've decided." Camilla said, and Wren nodded her agreement, her eyes glazed over the pair of them as she clearly retracted into her head.

"Do you want to help us save the world? Your going to get powers like this, only to be used for the rescue of the world. We call ourselves Trappers. We trap people who harm the world, and with our powers we're able to see who might be in allegiance with saving, or destroying the world. We couldn't see you though." Wren said, snapping back to reality as she grimaced. Ace watched her with confusion, and didn't hear Cedars resounding yes.

"Alright, lets get to it! Cedar, kiss me love." Camilla said, and Ace snapped his head at the mention, glaring at Cedar as he bounced forwards without hesitation and kissed her.

"Come on." Wren said, rolling her eyes as she extended a hand. Ace cautiously took it, opening his mouth to say something about his friend, but Wren only spun him close to her, kissing him. He jolted backwards in shock, but already could feel power grazing through his veins. He collapsed, trembling as he felt new thoughts and emotions bigger than the average human was capable of thinking.

"What did you do to me?" He sputtered, and Wren glared at him, her cheeks bright red as she wiped her mouth childishly.

"What do you think I did? I gave you your powers, nothing more." She muttered, and Ace caught a glance of Cedar already up and about, his eyes wide and friendly as he hugged Camilla.

Camilla giggled as she said, "Can you feel the burn of the power in your gut?"

"What burn?" Ace asked, before doubling over, indeed feeling a hole seemingly scraped out of his gut. He struggled to comprehend what happened to him, but in a second the burn went away. He would never forget how it felt, straightening back up with defiance etched into his facial features.